So, you wanted to have an extension built onto the side of your house, everything was designed beautifully, you obtained planning permission and hired what you thought was a good builder. But it turns out you were wrong. Maybe the building work is unorganized, over budget, or work is behind schedule; maybe, even worse, the work is shoddy and ultimately dangerous.

So what do you do? Well, you have a few options available to you and you should certainly not let work continue without addressing the issues that have developed. Below is a list of possible actions you could take.

Confront the builder with your concerns - So the project has left the rails and is heading into the trees; you cannot just leave it to crash, you must confront the issues head on. Make a list of all problems that you know of and contact the builder so that you can both go through all the issues one by one to find solutions. It is important to try to get the builders participation with finding solutions to the problems. Hopefully things will become much clearer for you and the problem(s) have simple resolutions.

Get some advice - If the project has gone over budget or is costing you money because it is behind schedule, or even if the building work looks unsafe, then you should contact your lender, asking them for help towards a solution. A building inspector can also be used to identify substandard building work.

Hire an attorney - So it looks like all the attempts that you have made trying to resolve the situation have failed, the chances are that you will now have to hire an attorney to try to reclaim any money lost in the project due to the builders negligence. An experienced attorney will be able to help you through the procedure.

Be aware that only in very few circumstances should you be required to pay for building work up front. Most situations require only a deposit to be made initially and the balance to be made once the project is finished. Plus, always make known any issues that you have as soon as you notice them, time is money when it comes to building work.

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If you are thinking about doing some home improvements around your property, like building a garage or adding another room, you must take care to hire a trustworthy and dependable builder. What are the steps you should take to ensure this is done? Well, basically, all you have to do is perform some basic research and apply some common sense. Clear and concise instructions will also help. The more clear and thorough you are at the outset, the less chance there is problems arising later on. Here are some vital tips for hiring the best person for the job:

Research - No matter what you want to have done, you need to do a bit of research to make sure the builder you are looking to hire has done quality construction in the past. From the builder, obtain a list of approximately 6 customers he has worked for before, and call them to get their opinion. If you can, you might even want to go to one of their properties to see the construction with your own eyes. This is especially helpful if the work done there is similar to the work you need done. If this is not possible, you should obtain letters of recommendation from the builder’s customers. A trustworthy builder will gladly give you such a list. If he is reluctant to do so, this will be a huge red flag and you should probably look elsewhere.

Appearance And Behavior - When you meet a builder for the first time, they should look well maintained. They should be willing to spare as much time as you need to discuss the project. If they cannot spare you the time that you want then it does not say much about their time management skills. If they look unkempt, dirty and smelly, then they are probably not the builder for you. You have to ask yourself - if they cannot manage to keep themselves clean, how is your home going to look whilst the work is being carried out?

Work With An Established Local Company - It is always a good idea to keep your business local. When you are working with a builder who lives in the same area that you do, then you can be assured that they want to maintain their reputation. In smaller sized communities word always gets around if a business, whether it is a construction company or a retail store, treats their clientele poorly. Check out how their business is structured, specifically if they are an LLC or a Limited Liability Company. How they are organized will affect you if problems should arise. Make sure that they give you an office location where someone can be reached, a land line telephone number and their VAT registration information if that is being charged. It is all about being an aware and informed consumer. If the builder gives you an email address and a cell phone as their point of contact information, that should set up red flags and you should walk away before your money does.

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