Choosing a builder is a scope, evidence and responsibility decision, not just a price comparison. Before appointing a contractor, confirm the legal entity, relevant insurance evidence, comparable work, quotation basis, specialist responsibilities, programme assumptions and written contract terms for the actual project.
There is no single general licence that proves a contractor is suitable for every type of building work in England. Some activities, however, have specific legal, registration or building-control routes. Check the evidence relevant to the work being proposed rather than treating a general trade label as proof of competence.
This guide gives a practical framework for checking a contractor's legal identity, relevant insurance evidence, comparable work, quotation scope, specialist responsibilities and written contract terms. It does not treat a review-platform profile, a particular insurance limit or an unevidenced TCM contract policy as a universal requirement.
Industry Context
Do not use one badge, review platform, insurance certificate or headline quotation as a shortcut for the full appointment decision. A useful check combines legal identity, current project-relevant documents, comparable work, a like-for-like scope, specialist responsibility and clear written commercial terms.
What Evidence Should You Check Before Appointing a Builder?
Start by confirming the contractor's legal identity, the insurance evidence relevant to the work, comparable completed work and the written scope or contract. Where regulated or specialist work is involved, check the registration, licence or competent-person route that applies to that work.
No single badge, website profile or document proves that a contractor is suitable for a particular project. Cross-check identity, current documents, scope, references and specialist evidence rather than relying on one trust signal.
| Trade | Certification Requirement | Risk Without It |
|---|---|---|
| Gas work | Gas Safe registered route for work on gas fittings | Confirm the registered business/engineer and relevant category before gas work begins |
| Electrical work | Building Regulations / competent-person route where applicable | Confirm who carries out, notifies and certifies the actual electrical scope |
| General building | No single general builder licence | Check identity, scope, project evidence and any work-specific competence separately |
| Structural alterations | Project-specific structural design and building-control route where required | Do not substitute generic beam/foundation advice for the responsible design |
| Asbestos work | Licensed, notifiable non-licensed or non-licensed route depending on the material and task | The work category and competent provider must be established before asbestos is disturbed |
| Party Wall matters | Statutory process where the Party Wall etc. Act applies | Check the actual design and property relationship rather than assuming every project needs an Award |
The Vetting Process: Step by Step
Don't start with a quote. Start with the checks. Here's the order that matters.
Before you ask for a quote, check that the company exists as a legal entity. Go to companieshouse.gov.uk and search for the company name. A legitimate limited company will have a registration number, a registered address, filed accounts, and a list of directors.
Check the current Companies House filing record and understand what it does and does not prove. Incorporation date and filings confirm corporate information, but they do not by themselves prove continuous trading, project competence, insurance, solvency of every related person, or suitability for your particular job.
If the contractor is not a limited company, make sure the contracting identity and contact details are clearly recorded in the quotation and contract. Do not ask a contractor to disclose private tax identifiers merely as a substitute for checking the actual contracting party and project evidence.
TCM's Details
TCM BUILDING & MAINTENANCE LIMITED — company number 09046847, incorporated 19 May 2014. Verify the current filing record directly on Companies House.
Seven Red Flags: Walk Away If You See These
The following issues are reasons to pause the appointment and resolve the evidence or contract position before committing. One concern does not automatically prove misconduct, but unresolved identity, scope, payment, documentation or competence questions should not be ignored.
1. Requests a large unexplained upfront payment
Ask what any advance payment is for, how it is protected and how it relates to mobilisation, materials or other defined costs. The appropriate amount is project- and contract-specific; unexplained or disproportionate demands should be resolved before payment.
2. Cannot provide relevant current documents
If insurance, registration or other evidence is material to the proposed work, ask for the current document or verify it with the issuing body. Do not rely on an unverified verbal assurance.
3. Pressures you to decide before checks are complete
Genuine availability can change, but you should still have enough information to understand the scope, price basis, responsibilities and contract before committing.
4. Suggests concealing taxable work or omitting records
Cash payment is not inherently improper, but a proposal to conceal taxable transactions, avoid required records or misstate the contract is a serious concern. Make sure payments and agreed work are properly documented.
5. Cannot support claims about comparable work
Ask for permissioned examples, references or other evidence relevant to the work you are considering. Newer businesses may have legitimate experience from other roles, so assess the explanation and provenance rather than imposing an arbitrary minimum number of projects.
6. Will not record the agreement clearly
For material building work, insist on a written agreement that records the parties, scope, price basis, payment arrangements, responsibilities, changes, programme and completion terms at an appropriate level for the project.
7. Is vague about specialists and responsibility
It is normal for a building project to involve specialist contractors or professional disciplines. Clarify who will perform each relevant part of the work, who appoints or coordinates them, which registrations or evidence apply, and where contractual responsibility sits.
Contract Scope Checklist
12 Contract Questions to Resolve Before Work Starts
Use this as a discussion checklist rather than a universal contract template. The detail required depends on the project and contract form, but the important point is to make responsibilities and commercial terms explicit before work starts.
1. Parties and scope
Identify the contracting parties and describe what is included and excluded.
2. Price basis
State whether the price is fixed, estimated, measured or otherwise calculated, including VAT treatment and allowances where relevant.
3. Programme
Record the agreed timing basis, key dependencies and any milestones that matter to the project.
4. Payment arrangements
Set out when payments become due and what work, valuation or event supports each payment.
5. Variations
Explain how changes are instructed, priced, agreed and recorded before they alter the work.
6. Defects and aftercare
Define any rectification or aftercare obligations, notification route and applicable period.
7. Retention, if any
If retention is used, state the amount or basis, purpose, release conditions and timing in the contract.
8. Insurance responsibilities
Record who is responsible for relevant project insurance and confirm the evidence that applies.
9. Specialists and subcontractors
Clarify who appoints, coordinates and takes contractual responsibility for specialist work.
10. Approvals and inspections
Identify responsibility for planning, Building Regulations, notifications, inspections and other approvals where they apply.
11. Disputes and termination
Record the agreed procedure for disputes, suspension or termination, using the selected contract terms.
12. Completion and handover
Define practical completion, snagging and the handover records expected for this project.
The appropriate contract form depends on the project scope, procurement route and parties. Standard forms such as JCT may be suitable in some circumstances, but TCM does not publish a universal contract threshold or require one form for every residential project.
Payment Schedules: How They Should Work
The payment schedule is the single most important financial protection in a building contract. Get this right and you have leverage throughout the project. Get it wrong and you've paid for work that hasn't happened.
Payment arrangements should make clear when money becomes due, what work or valuation supports each payment, and how changes are dealt with. The appropriate structure depends on the contract and project rather than one standard percentage schedule. The table below illustrates possible stages only.
| Milestone | Payment | What It Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Contract / mobilisation | As agreed in contract | Any agreed mobilisation or procurement basis |
| Groundworks / foundations | As agreed in contract | Defined completed work or valuation basis |
| Structural work | As agreed in contract | Defined structural-stage work and relevant records |
| Weather-tight stage | As agreed in contract | Defined envelope or weather-tightness milestone |
| First-fix stage | As agreed in contract | Defined services and internal construction work |
| Second-fix / finishes | As agreed in contract | Defined finishing work or valuation |
| Practical completion | As agreed in contract | Completion, snagging and agreed handover requirements |
| Post-completion / retention | If the contract provides for it | Release only on the terms actually agreed |
Why Clients Choose TCM
What We Offer — and What We'll Show You Before You Commit
TCM BUILDING & MAINTENANCE LIMITED is company number 09046847, incorporated on 19 May 2014. Current insurance evidence, where relevant to a project, should be checked against the insured legal entity, activities, limits, exclusions and policy dates rather than inferred from this guide.
Contract form, deposit, payment stages, retention, defects provisions and other commercial terms are confirmed in the project documents for the individual job. This guide does not state a universal TCM contract threshold or payment policy.
The current Experience Inputs Register does not contain an approved TCM residential-project cohort, contract-value median or final-account predictability dataset. This guide therefore does not publish proprietary TCM statistics until source population, method and permission are approved.
TCM can undertake building work directly and coordinate specialist contractors or professional disciplines where required by the agreed scope. The actual professional appointments, contracting model and point of contact are project-specific.
If you are comparing TCM with other builders, ask which current project-specific documents, insurance evidence, scope information, specialist responsibilities and commercial terms are available for the proposed work. The current register does not approve a universal insurance schedule, contract form or programme methodology for publication on this page.
Related Guides
Party Wall Agreement Guide
When the Party Wall etc. Act may apply
Building Regulations Guide
What each Part covers and how to get approval
House Extension Cost Guide 2026
House extension budget and quotation-scope framework
Should I Extend or Move?
The financial and lifestyle case for each
Party Wall Notices Explained
How to serve a notice, appoint a surveyor, and avoid disputes
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Discuss Your Building Project?
TCM BUILDING & MAINTENANCE LIMITED was incorporated on 19 May 2014. If you are considering a building project, discuss the proposed scope with TCM and ask which project-specific documents, responsibilities and commercial terms would apply before you commit.