HIRING GUIDES
How to find a renovation contractor
Updated 08/26
By: Tom Blake
Reviewed: Kim Staples
Renovating your home is exciting, but panic-hiring the first available contractor is one of the easiest ways to turn that excitement into stress.
Which tradespeople you actually need for your type of renovation
Where to look for a reliable contractor
How to tell a good quote from a risky one
How many quotes to get and how to compare them fairly
What to check before signing anything
When you need a project manager, and what that costs
Choosing the right person - or team - for the job matters just as much as the design decisions themselves.
This guide walks through how to work out who you need, where to find them, and how to hire with confidence.
Finding the right type of renovation contractor
There's nothing quite as satisfying as turning tired, drab, or dated rooms into personal sanctuaries. It's all part of the fun, which is why it's important you find the best renovator(s) for the job to help you out.
For example, some contractors specialise in kitchen renovations, while others have more experience in building extensions or landscaping gardens, so choosing the right fit will result in happier outcomes.
So, the first question you want to ask yourself is: what kind of renovation do I want and what aesthetic am I going for?
Once you know the answer to this question, you can start to search for your ideal contractor.
As a rough guide, you'll need to consider the following tradespeople for the following jobs:
Bathroom renovation: Plumber, builder, and tiler
Bedroom renovation: Builder, painter & decorator, carpenter, and handyman (for putting together furniture, etc.)
Kitchen renovation: Plumber, electrician, tiler, builder, and painter & decorator
Garden renovation: Gardener, landscaper, builder, and handyman
Extension: Builder, carpenter, electrician, plumber, and painter & decorator
Check out our guide on how to find a good contractor for remodelling for more information.
Find renovation contractors near you
How to find a home renovation contractor
Once you know who you need to hire, when, and for what, there are several ways to find your perfect renovation contractor.
Search Checkatrade
All the members on our website have passed up to 12 checks, and they have real customer reviews, a star rating, and a portfolio of their work.
Plus, our members' work is backed by our guarantee up to £1,000 (T&Cs apply) to offer you greater peace of mind.
Find renovation contractors near you
Don't rely on word of mouth alone
A personal recommendation is a useful starting point, but it's just the start. Always cross-check any recommendation against verified online reviews before booking - again, Checkatrade is a great way to do that.
Ask to see a portfolio of work
Look at before-and-after photos of similar projects, either on a contractor's Checkatrade profile, their website, Instagram, or elsewhere.
If you see a style you like, it's worth simply asking whether they can replicate something similar for your project.
Gathering quotes
It's always best to get a few quotes from various tradespeople to get a well-rounded idea of costs.
You can also check out our following guides for more information around costs and benefits:
Review contracts, insurance, and references
Once you've narrowed down your options, check:
Whether they hold current public liability insurance
Whether they belong to a trade association or accreditation scheme
Whether they can provide references you can actually follow up with
Whether the timeframe they're proposing is realistic for the scope of work
Always meet potential contractors in person before committing - it's a useful chance to ask follow-up questions and get a sense of how well you'll work together.
Read our guide to written contracts for exactly what to check for before signing.
Find renovation contractors near you
Questions to ask before you hire
Once you've narrowed down your options, there are several key questions to ask yourself (and/or your contractor).
Can they also project manage? If so, does this incur an extra fee?
Is the project plan detailed and laid out step-by-step?
Are the quoted costs transparent and easy to understand?
What are the payment terms?
Are there any hidden fees?
What's included in the price?
Is there a comprehensive break-down of costs?
Have timeframes been given for the completion of works?
Do they have references?
Have both parties agreed and signed the contract?
Remember, hiring a contractor is supposed to be simple and stress-free.
So, check in with yourself and go with your gut feeling. If alarm bells are ringing or you've entered red-flag territory, you probably haven't found the right fit for your project.
You're going to have to work with any contractor you choose for at least a month, so make sure you manage this step from the very beginning to avoid issues further down the line.
Do you need a project manager?
For larger, multi-trade renovations - a full house refurbishment or a large extension, for example - a dedicated project manager can be worth the extra cost.
They coordinate tradespeople, manage the schedule, and act as a single point of contact, which can reduce a lot of the day-to-day stress of running the project yourself.
See our house renovation project manager cost guide for typical costs.
On the other hand, for smaller or single-room projects, a main contractor coordinating their own subcontractors is usually sufficient.
Before you hire: checklist
Before you hire your renovation contractor, make sure you've ticked off everything on this list.
Your renovation contractor hiring checklist
For a more in-depth walkthrough, see our full house renovation checklist and our guide on budgeting for a home renovation.
Find a renovation contractor
Get started finding a contractor for your renovation with Checkatrade.
Simply type your postcode into our search tool to see a selection of renovation contractors who cover your area. Then you can get quotes, compare your options, and get a step closer to hiring the right contractor for the job.
Find renovation contractors near you
You can also post your job to have renovation contractors in your area get in touch with you, or download the Checkatrade app to your phone!
FAQs
It's a good idea to aim for at least three, ideally three to four, so you have a genuine basis for comparison from contractors in your area.
A contractor typically carries out and coordinates the physical work, sometimes bringing in subcontractors.
A project manager oversees the whole project - scheduling, budgets, and multiple trades - and is more common on larger renovations.
Yes, it's worth asking why. It could mean lower-quality materials, less experience, or work that doesn't cover the same scope as the other quotes.
Yes. Even for smaller jobs, get the scope, cost, and timeline in writing. See our guide to written contracts for what it should include.
Ask to see their public liability insurance certificate directly, and check it's current. Every Checkatrade member must hold valid public liability insurance to be listed in our directory.
For projects spanning multiple tradespeople - a kitchen renovation involving a plumber, electrician, and tiler, for example - consider whether a single main contractor coordinating subcontractors, or a dedicated project manager, would work better than hiring each trade separately.
Your building project may require several different skills, but at Checkatrade, we've got you covered. Find checked and reviewed plumbers, electricians, plasterers, carpenters, and more, all in one handy place, all committed to quality and a job done right.
See the tradespeople we've checked for your job