Frequently asked
The questions homeowners ask us most.
Plain answers about Construction Clinic Live, comparing builder quotes, handling variations and paying at the right time. Nothing here replaces professional advice on your own project — it is the groundwork that makes that advice easier to use.
Construction Clinic Live
About the evenings
What is Construction Clinic Live?
It is a free evening for homeowners who are planning, preparing for, or already inside a building project. Short talks from a builder, an architect and a homeowner set the scene, then most of the evening is an open Q&A where you can ask about your own project.
Who is it for, and does it cost anything?
It is for homeowners, not the trade. It is free to attend, and places are limited so that every question in the room can be answered properly.
Where and when do clinics take place?
Construction Clinic Live runs as a free quarterly online webinar, open to homeowners anywhere in the UK. The first session is on Thursday 22 October 2026. Dates, topics and registration are listed on the Clinic Live page, and your joining link is emailed closer to the date.
Will anyone try to sell me a build?
No. The clinic exists to give homeowners clarity, not to win work. Nobody in the room will pitch you a project.
What should I bring?
Your questions, and a quote, drawing or contract if you have one. Nothing you bring is shared publicly, and you can ask about your documents without naming anyone.
Builder quotes
Comparing what you have been sent
Why do my quotes look nothing alike?
Most builders price what they think you asked for, in their own format. One may include scaffolding, waste and finishes; another may assume you are supplying them. Until the scope behind each price is the same, the cheapest number is not the cheapest project.
How do I compare quotes fairly?
Line them up against the same list of scope items and mark each one included, excluded, unclear or absent. Our free Quote Clarity Check does this for you and scores each quote for clarity, price certainty and scope detail.
Is the lowest quote usually the problem?
Not automatically — but a low price with vague scope is the most common route to a project that grows. Look for what is missing rather than what is cheap: provisional sums, 'to be confirmed' items and silence on prelims all tend to reappear later as extra cost.
What should a good quote include?
A single project total, a clear VAT position, a breakdown of the work, named exclusions, a programme, payment stages tied to progress, and who is responsible for design, building control and waste.
Variations
Changes once work has started
What counts as a variation?
Any change to the agreed scope: a different specification, extra work discovered on site, or something you asked for after the contract was signed. Changes to timing and sequence can be variations too.
How should a variation be agreed?
In writing, before the work happens. You should see what is changing, what it costs, what it does to the programme, and your written approval should exist before anyone starts. A verbal 'yes' on site is the most expensive sentence in domestic building.
The builder says the extra work was always needed. What now?
Go back to the quote and drawings and ask whether the item was included, excluded or silent. Silence is usually a scope gap rather than bad faith. Agree the cost in writing before work continues, and read our guide on a builder asking for more money.
Payments
Paying at the right time
How much deposit is reasonable?
A modest deposit for materials or mobilisation is normal. A large upfront payment that is well ahead of any work is not. Payments should follow progress, not precede it.
How do I check a payment request?
Compare the request against work actually completed on site and against the agreed payment stages. If a stage has not been reached, say so politely in writing and ask for the request to be revised rather than withholding silently.
Should I hold money back at the end?
A retention or an agreed final-payment stage tied to snagging and handover is common and sensible. Set it out at the start rather than inventing it at the end, and release it once the snagging list and paperwork are genuinely complete.
What paperwork should I end the project holding?
Building control sign-off, electrical and gas certificates, warranties, the final account, and any manufacturer guarantees for materials and installations.
Still holding a question?
Ask it anonymously, bring it to a clinic evening, or work through the decision help hub.