Feedback on builders wanted please! Any views on Werner, Multiserve or Grand Design London

6 posts
Kchocolate
Posts: 1
Joined: Jul 2016
Options:
Share this post on:

Feedback on builders wanted please! Any views on Werner, Multiserve or Grand Design London

Postby Kchocolate » Sun Jul 03, 2016 6:38 pm

We are planning to refurbish (including side return and loft) of our terraced house and have narrowed down the builder shortlist to: Werner and Werner, Grand Design London and Multiserve. Does anyone have any experience of their efforts? Thanks in advance!!
Post Reply
40plus
Posts: 77
Joined: Jul 2015
Options:
Share this post on:

Re: Feedback on builders wanted please! Any views on Werner, Multiserve or Grand Design London

Postby 40plus » Fri Oct 20, 2017 11:11 pm

Hi,
I've just seen your post and wondered who did you end up going with?
Curious as I've recently come across Grand Design London and thinking of using them
For a bathroom project.
Do you have any input?

Many thanks
Post Reply
KarolinaHernandez
Posts: 21
Joined: Oct 2017
Options:
Share this post on:

Re: Feedback on builders wanted please! Any views on Werner, Multiserve or Grand Design London

Postby KarolinaHernandez » Sun Oct 29, 2017 9:31 pm

Hi there fellow mummies!
Just thought it may be useful to write about things to consider when choosing a builder. I am project manager in a design and build company in SW London and thought I’d share a few pointers, the list is by no means exhaustive!!

1) Past projects
Have they completed work that is similar to what you’re looking for? Have they got photographs they could share with you or even better references from their past clients? Can you speak to the clients?

2) Current Projects
How many projects are they currently running? Also vs. their scale. Is it a one-man band operation? Normally builders would have more than one project on the go for cash flow purposes, are there perhaps sites you could visit?

3) Health & Safety
Not an obvious one but this really separates the wheat from the chaff. What’s their attitude towards health & safety of their team? It speaks volumes when a company makes it a priority to look after the safety of their team, as it shows their professionalism and respect towards their employees. Especially important if you’re planning to live in the house during the works taking place and have little ones to worry about!

4) Contracts
Very often builders don’t want to sign one and I really think you should to protect yourself! They don’t have to be JCT, if you find those confusing. FMB has a really easy to understand yet effective one you could sign.

5) Who will be overseeing the project?
Will it be ‘The Builder’ himself? Does the company employ project/site managers? How easy is it to get in touch with them? Will there be weekly meetings?

6) Extra work
9 times out of 10 there are extra things to do on site! It’s probably a good idea to ask the builder exactly how those are billed and have a record of all extra work in an email (on that, how good is your builder on email? You want to deal with somebody that can be reached not just on the phone so you have a record of what was discussed).

7) Cost
I put it at the end as in my job I’ve heard some real horror stories! My advice to you would be to go for the best builder you can afford, not the cheapest! I often hear that we’ve missed out on a project to someone cheaper only to be asked to quote for rectifying their shoddy work
months later!

That’s all that springs to mind off the top of
my head but if you have any specific questions you can just get in touch with me, hope this helps! Good luck with your projects! :)
Kind regards,
Karolina


Follow me on Instagram
@thehomeprojects
Post Reply
Hattiethedog
Posts: 26
Joined: Nov 2015
Options:
Share this post on:

Re: Feedback on builders wanted please! Any views on Werner, Multiserve or Grand Design London

Postby Hattiethedog » Mon Oct 30, 2017 8:03 am

We used Landmark Lofts for a loft extension. They were fairly hopeless. The actual builders on site were nice and helpful - but I was surprised at how poor and unintelligent the oversight was. In theory there was a ‘Project manager’, but he didn’t do anything usefull - didn’t foresee problems and was hopeless at sorting things out. On reflection I should have been much more hands on and been there once a day. But that is sort of what I thought I was paying them for and assumed they had done it so many times before that hitches would be minimal.
Post Reply
KarolinaHernandez
Posts: 21
Joined: Oct 2017
Options:
Share this post on:

Re: Feedback on builders wanted please! Any views on Werner, Multiserve or Grand Design London

Postby KarolinaHernandez » Mon Oct 30, 2017 8:23 am

Oh gosh, sorry to hear you had a bad experience with a project manager, I suppose just like with builders they can vary! I just hope I do a better job than most! :P I guess as a client you can rarely step away from the project completely, as there always will be decisions to make along the way, however I totally agree with you that if you’re paying a premium to have someone manage the build then your involvement should be minimal and your time spent on other things! Better luck next time! Take care!
Kind regards,
Karolina


Follow me on Instagram
@thehomeprojects
Post Reply
https://speakingofinteriors.com/
https://www.paintthetowngreen.biz/
https://www.create-spaces.co.uk/
https://roundhousedesign.com/
https://www.hurlinghamdevelopments.co.uk/
https://primesteam.co.uk/
https://maroconstruction.co.uk/
https://kitchenrevolutions.co.uk/
http://www.emmagreendesign.com/
https://londondoor.co.uk
Melsbells66
Posts: 2
Joined: Jan 2019
Options:
Share this post on:

Re: Feedback on builders wanted please! Any views on Werner, Multiserve or Grand Design London

Postby Melsbells66 » Thu Jan 10, 2019 2:14 pm

Do not use the new company LANDMARK MODULAR..which was formerly Landmark Lofts. James Gold is director of this and many other companies(see companies house) He has left myself and other clients and contractors severely out of pocket by supposedly going bust! But has set up and running from new offices on City Road Landmark Modular within weeks of leaving us in the lurch with not so much as a sorry. In fact he is now threatening me to keep quiet. AVOID..AVOID...AVOID.
Post Reply

Start a conversation
To create a new post and start a new conversation, please click on the button.