How to get an honest quote for joinery work

Getting quotes for building work is one of the more stressful parts of owning a house, mostly because it's hard to compare like for like. Here's what I'd tell a friend to look for.

Get it in writing

A verbal price over the phone isn't a quote — it's a guess. A proper quote sets out exactly what's included (materials, labour, waste removal), what isn't, and the total price. If a price seems too good to be true against two other quotes, it usually is, and the difference tends to show up as an "extra" once the job has started and you're not in a position to easily walk away.

Ask what happens if something's found once work starts

Older houses especially can hide surprises — rot, out-of-square walls, old wiring. Ask upfront how the tradesman handles unexpected issues. On SKP jobs, if something's found that changes the price, you get told and shown before any extra work happens, not billed for it afterwards.

Check insurance and ask for it in writing

Public liability insurance protects you if something goes wrong on your property. Any legitimate tradesman will have a certificate and won't mind you asking to see it.

Don't just take the cheapest price

The cheapest quote is sometimes cheap because corners are being cut somewhere you can't see yet — tanking that gets skipped, timber that isn't treated, fixings that are wrong for the job. Ask what standard of materials is being used, not just the bottom-line figure.

If you're getting quotes for anything from a repair to a full extension, we're happy to come out, have a look and give you a straight answer — free, no obligation.