Before starting work ensure you have the following in place:
- Party Wall Notices (if required, see: Party Wall Act & Notices)
- Provided your Builder with an Asbestos Report for your house (Asbestos)
- Ensure you are aware of your responsibilities under CDM (2015): Health & Safety (A short guide for clients on the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015).
- Thames Water (dependant on location) Build Over Agreement (required if building over or within 3m of a Thames Water Sewer)
- Home Insurance: Notify your Home Insurer to inform them that you are having building work carried out and ensure their cover will remain.
- Planning Permission or Certificate of Lawful Development and or Listed Building Consent
- Are all Pre-commencement Planning Conditions discharged?
- Are all Building Regulations Conditions discharged or highlighted to the Contractor to discharge on-site?
Enter into a Contract with your chosen builder and ensure it includes the following:
- Contract Sum (don't forget to be clear on VAT)
- Responsibilities: Ideally your chosen Contractor will be responsible for all their and their sub-contractors work including providing Certificates etc.
- Payment schedule (monthly, bi-weekly, by Building Regulations stages).
- Deposit (is a deposit amount required at commencement to buy materials etc to kickstart the project?).
- Agree on a timescale.
- If the Architect is not appointed to administer the Contract between you and the builder, ensure the builder is noted as the Principal Designer (under CDM (2015): Health & Safety) in the Contract. They would act as the Principal Designer from when works commences on site.
- List Contract Documents:
- Architect drawings and construction specification (ensure you have the current versions/revisions noted).
- Structural Engineer drawings, specification & calculations (ensure you have the current versions/revisions noted).
- Thames Water Build Over Agreement & Specification (if required)
- Building Regulation Conditions listed in the contract if the Builder needs to discharge them (for example providing Beam & Block design from their supplier).
- Ensure Builder's Insurance is in place and amount/type noted in the Contract. Their insurance cover should include:
- All Risks Insurance Cover
- Public Liability
- Employers Liability
- Professional Indemnity Insurances (only required if they are providing some Design element).
- Structural Warranty (only applicable for New Dwellings)
- Include and reference Planning permission..
- Include any PC Sums (Prime Cost items, a PC Sum includes an estimate of items included in the Contractor's Quote, for example, an allowance for supply of tiling or a kitchen).
Items to check you have before paying Builder final amount:
- Do not pay final amount until Building Regulations Completion Certificate is obtained.
- Warranty for Flat roof
- Fensa Certificate with Windows & Doors
- Electric Certificate
- Gas Safe Certificate for Boiler work
- Services are all working (check heating, water pressure, underfloor heating etc)
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