The questions worth asking a builder before you sign
Most people compare builders on the total at the bottom of the quote. That number is the least informative thing in the document. Six questions that tell you far more about how a build will actually go.
Most people choose a builder by comparing totals. It is the obvious thing to do, and it is close to useless: two quotes for the same house can differ by a large margin and both be honest, because they assume different things. What you want to know is what each number is attached to.
What is the price tied to?
Ask which drawings and which specification the quote was priced from, by date and revision. A price built from a full set can be checked line by line. A price built from a sketch is an estimate wearing a suit, and it will move once the details arrive.
Which parts are still guesses?
Every quote contains items nobody can know yet: what is under the ground, what is behind the plaster, the fittings you have not chosen. Ask which lines are allowances or provisional sums, what each one assumes, and what happens when the real figure comes in. A builder who can answer this quickly has done it before.
Who is actually on site?
Ask who runs the job day to day, how often they are physically on site, and who you call when something needs a decision. The person selling the job is often not the person building it. That is normal — but you should know the name of the person who will be.
How are changes priced?
Get the process in writing before you need it: who can authorise a change, whether it is priced before or after the work happens, and how long an answer takes. Changes priced after the fact are how a contract sum drifts without anyone deciding that it should.
What does the programme assume?
A build programme is a set of assumptions about weather, approvals, lead times and trade availability. Ask which of those are the fragile ones, and what happens to the finish date if any of them slips. A builder who says nothing will slip has either not built much or is not telling you.
What do I get at handover?
Ask what the handover pack contains: as-built drawings, compliance certificates, appliance warranties, paint colours and product codes, and the defects process with its timeframe. You will want all of this years later, and it is much harder to assemble after everyone has moved on.
The answer behind the answers
None of these questions are gotchas. You are checking one thing: does this builder deal in specifics? Someone who answers with process, names and dates will run your build the same way. Someone who answers with reassurance will manage your expectations rather than your project.
