Frequently Asked Questions
With there being way too many stories of builders ripping off clients, carrying out thorough due diligence is of utmost importance. There are many fantastic, professional and reliable builders out there, but can’t stress enough the importance of doing your own research. Often these builders will be busy and not the cheapest, however, for complete peace of mind is a small price to pay. You can’t beat a personal recommendation, but even then we suggest, checking out reviews, asking for and contacting references, visiting current on-going sites, checking insurances, checking companies house, checking HMRC for confirmation of VAT registration, check warranties provided on work, ask to see a copy of the contract used and importantly, ask what values they adhere to. After all of that you still need to be sure your builder understands your needs and motivations on a personal level because every project is different. Get a feel for your builder for things like, how responsive are they? How well do they communicate? How well do they listen? Are they being transparent? etc. These small subtleties can make a big difference in making your project an enjoyable and exciting experience or one less so.
At Wilson & Cole we are equipped to efficiently carry out a wide range of projects in both the residential and commercial sectors. Ranging from kitchen and bathroom refits, structural wall removals, bespoke carpentry, roofing, rendering, electrical work and so on, right through to large scale renovations, commercial conversions, extensions, loft conversions and new build developments. We love what we do and work tirelessly to keep improving our service. Our versatility and understanding of construction as a whole is one of our strongest attributes.
Yes – We provide free quotes and estimates. The more specific you are with your requirements the easier it will be for us to provide you with a fixed price quote.
We can handle the whole process internally to reduce your point of contact to just us and minimimse stress, or we can set up contact between yourself and one the trusted architects and engineers that we work closely with, for you to appoint directly.
If your project is of any substance, it is very likely that your project will require building control sign off. This will require the appointment of either your local authority or a private company. Typically, the builder will liaise with the building control officer to arrange site visits and make sure all requirements are met, however, who pays for, and appoints building control will need to be discussed and confirmed and the contractual stage. On larger projects, you will require building regs drawings. This provides a detailed spec of work and will give your builder all the information required to provide you with a water tight, fixed price quote. Minimising any opportunity for additional unforeseen work. It’s also easier to put out to tender and compare prices accurately. There are some circumstances where you may not require building regs drawings, like if your project is a run of the mill extension or loft conversion and you are confident you are hiring a competent and vetted builder who knows and understands the latest regs thoroughly.
Yes – We offer a 5 year guarantee on all structural work and a 12 month defect period where will will return to rectify any issues caused by poor workmanship. This period starts once the job is complete, all parties are happy and the final payment has been made. Any settlement damage or general wear and tear are not covered under our warranty.
As members of the federation of master builders, should any disputes arise that cannot be settled amicably between both parties, the first port of call would be to contact the FMB complaint service and follow the procedure. We are proud to be affiliated with the federation of master builders, so you can be assured, we will do everything in our power to ever avoid having to go down this route.
Feel free to get in touch with any queries relating to whether or not your project falls under permitted development. Ourselves or your architect will be able to inform you whether or not your project falls under permitted development. It is recommended that you obtain a lawful development certificate if your project falls under permitted development in order to prove your project does not require planning permission. Your architect can submit some outline plans to your local authority which is cheaper and typically takes a lot less time than getting planning permission granted. This can also be applied for retrospectively.
A lawful development certificate is a legally binding document issued by your local authority to confirm a proposed development does not require planning permission or whether a development that has already taken place either, did not need planning permission or took place so long ago that it is immune from enforcement action. Obtaining this certificate will remove the potential for any problems relating to your building work when it comes to selling your property. Assuming you have the necessary building control sign off to accompany it, if required.
Typically your architect will deal with and submit any planning applications on your behalf. It’s worth having the conversation with them to confirm this, to avoid any issues relating to miscommunication.
Prior to any building work commencing, you, the client are responsible for attaining a party wall agreement from all affected neighbours. It’s courtesy to provide all neighbours with plans of your construction project for them to fully understand the scale of your building work being carried out. Once it’s been agreed verbally that all parties are happy, get an agreement signed and you’re good to go. We can provide party wall agreement templates. If it seems like there could be some issues with neighbours that aren’t easily resolved, we highly recommend assigning the services of a party wall surveyor to deal with any objections that are rasied.
Your building project will range in cost from type of job, the builder you choose, to the spec you desire. It’s important to provide your builder with as much detailed information as possible in order to get an accurate quote. The more unclear you are, the more chance there is of acquiring additional costs later in the project.
All jobs are different and therefore will vary in duration. We will provide you with an estimated job duration within our quote based on the information provided. You can be sure if you appoint Wilson & Cole you will get a team dedicated to seeing the job through to completion as swiftly as possible.
Typically, for all residential work, yes, we do require a deposit of around 10% once all confirmed and in the diary. This is due to the implications should a client decide last minute they no longer wish to carry out the work. If the job is booked well in advance, we will look to receive the deposit around 8 weeks prior to commencement.
This all depends on the scale of the project and the timescale of which there is to complete it. Things to consider are kitchen access, usable bathrooms, kids and pets.
Wilson & Cole Developments Ltd has been a registered company since April 2021. Starting out as Vertex Developments then rebranding early 2023 to Wilson & Cole Developments due to a trademark infringement with the name. Directors Dan and Craig have a combined 40+ years of experience in construction and have acquired all the relevant skills and contacts to deliver the most technical of projects efficiently.
We have all the necessary insurances in place to give you complete peace of mind you are hiring a competent and professional building company. We operate with public liability and employers liability insurances which we are happy to provide copies of upon request.
We have our own crew and also use vetted subcontractors who we have built up professional working relationships with over the years. All subcontractors carry the Wilson & Cole seal of approval and all necessary certifications.
All of our employees and sub-contractors are vetted and have all the necessary training and certificates. We have SMSTS, CSCS, first aid at work, gas safe, NICEIC,
We take bank transfer, online card payment and paypal. Small additional fee’s are added for card payment and paypal to cover transaction fees.
We don’t add extra cost to our materials, all of our costs are covered within our overheads and profit which is itemised clearly within our quotes. We operate with full transparency as we believe the best client / contractor relationships are built on trust.
If you are interested in obtaining an estimate for an investment and need to get an idea of build costs, this is something we can help you with for a small fee. Feel free to get in touch for more information.
Yes, we offer a reduced vat rate where applicable and have worked with many investors / developers who are vat registered, offering our services at cost plus.
Simply put, at Wilson & Cole we care. We understand we are only as good as our last job and our reputation means everything to us. We are focussed on building a brand with a reputation for high quality work and excellent levels of communication. We are customer focussed and vow to be right by your side at every stage of your project, right through to completion.
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