The UK’s construction industry is vast and multi-skilled. It covers an enormous range of projects, from large-scale developments and property builds to refurbishment projects for heritage homes, commercial renovation tasks and bespoke work such as carpentry, joinery, decorating and flooring.
Embarking on a building project can be an exciting challenge and an opportunity to adapt your living space, improve your home or enhance your property to transform it into your dream residence – but the skill, quality and reliability of your construction company are paramount.
Pinnacle Works regularly hears from clients dissatisfied with the standards on their construction site or realise that the money they invested into their home has not produced the expected results. We are often approached to correct sub-par workmanship.
Before you begin your construction project, here are a few important factors to consider when hiring a building firm or short-listing quotes.
Choosing Suitably Experienced Construction Companies
Expertise is one of the obvious priorities when selecting a contractor for construction projects. Still, you should consider the type of work you require because you may need a specific skill set.
Examples include renovation work in sensitive environments, such as a refurbishment in a listed building, redecorating properties with traditional techniques, or building a new home with precise planning permission conditions and requirements.
Likewise, you might need an expert builder to work in collaboration with your architects to fill a detailed design brief, so a general construction firm may not be the ideal solution.
Here are some of the things we’d recommend you look for:
- A construction company based in your local area – this allows you to look at past projects, review their portfolio, and assess whether they have successfully completed similar development work.
- Access to reviews or feedback from previous customers to determine whether other clients have been pleased with the outcomes.
- A range of skills, specialisms, and professionals within the construction team. Using one firm for the entirety of larger projects is cost-effective and highly efficient, where your builder can manage every task, from electrical to plumbing, brickwork to design.
A reputable company will be proud to share examples of their projects, explain how they operate and direct you to where other builds are located so you can get a first-hand look at the quality they deliver.
Working With a Reliable Construction Team
Watch any episode of a home improvement programme, and you’ll see that poor communication, delays, and lack of reliability are the top problems that mean projects run over budget and beyond the anticipated timescales set at the beginning.
Great building companies base their reputations on exceptional standards and focus on transparency – they’ll tell you if something is not achievable or recommend options to get to the finished outcome you’d like while remaining practical.
If your project involves creating a new building or expanding a development, it will be broken down into phases, starting with groundwork and progressing to foundations and structural engineering before the decorative stage begins.
Picking a construction firm with a strong track record of reliability will ensure the following:
- You are always informed when something goes wrong and are given advice and support to make clear decisions about the best way forward.
- You know in advance if there is an unavoidable delay. Specialist materials can also take time to source, and an established company may be able to recommend local organisations that can help.
Although it is natural to compare companies based on price, this differential may be less important than reliability because if your contractors regularly no-show, arrive late, or are working on other projects without informing you, the overall costs can spiral.
The Benefit of Solid Project Management
Site management is a fundamental factor that is sometimes undervalued – but outstanding communication, regular updates, and a named contact overseeing your construction can give you peace of mind that everything is under control.
It is also important to have a firm you can build a partnership with and feel comfortable explaining concerns, seeking advice, or discussing ideas.
Full-service construction firms normally have in-house designers with recognised accreditations – their role isn’t solely to construct the property, complete the refurbishment or finish your renovation but to listen to your aspirations and show you how you can achieve them.
Your chosen firm should be proactive about helping to address the potential disruption to local communities when working on a residential estate or larger construction project. For example, they can schedule delivery vehicles to avoid causing blockages to access routes during the morning and afternoon school run.
Conscientious, reliable, and professional builders will happily operate with other contractors if you have several on-site, adhering to all relevant health and safety considerations and ensuring your build is completed efficiently.
Finding the Right Construction Firm for Your Project
Construction can often bring about unexpected challenges, and a building firm with excellent reviews, project experience and a history of delivering fantastic standards will ensure everything goes to plan.
It is worth researching local contractors with an established record in the type of interiors, development, or aesthetic you have in mind, as a pre-existing sourcing network, knowledge, and ability to work around likely issues are invaluable.
Pinnacle Works always welcomes customers to arrange a convenient time to talk to us about their project ideas and discuss opportunities to inject innovation into the process, such as adding future-proof materials and smart home technology that can make buildings cheaper to run and more comfortable to live in.
As a family-run company, our dedication to unparalleled customer support, professional standards and industry-leading construction, engineering, decoration techniques, and carpentry provides a comprehensive package of services, allowing you to leave your project in capable hands.
We operate across the south of England from our base in Chichester, covering the Greater London area. We can prepare detailed quotations, organise site visits, or share examples of similar or relevant builds to help you make informed decisions.
Please get in touch if you would like any further advice about comparing pricing or browse our online service pages for more information about us.