Getting the right contractor is crucial if you’re working on a flooring renovation in your area. Let’s say you want floor screed in Bristol; where do you begin your search? You want someone who can bring your commercial or residential project to life.
So, in this article, we’ll cover how you can find an excellent screeding contractor and what you need to look out for.
Planning and Permission
Before hiring a contractor, you must ensure you have the proper building approval. And, if you’re undergoing a significant renovation, you’ll also need planning permission. However, you won’t need building approval if you go through the competent person’s scheme (CPS). These are tradespeople who have met a high standard as flooring contractors. If you hire a registered contractor from the CPS, they’ll be able to get building approval for your project.
As for planning permission, you’ll have to apply for this yourself. For example, if you want to do a floor screed Bristol project, you’ll have to contact your local authority in Bristol. There are some instances when you won’t need permission, but you should always check with your local authority first. Alternatively, a surveyor or architect can help you apply for approval or permission.
Hiring a Contractor
Insurance and Qualifications
To start with, when hiring any contractor, you want to make sure they have the proper credentials to do the job. While a contractor may list construction qualifications, you want to ensure it’s the right type for the job. The citizen’s advice bureau also recommends checking that your contractor has employer and public liability insurance. You can check that they are legitimate by following up with:
Your local council
Schemes that recommend traders
Trade associations
Experience
The next step will be looking at their experience and references. You want to ensure they have at least 2 to 3 recent examples of similar works they had done. For instance, let’s say you’ve found flooring screeding Contractors in Oxfordshire; you should follow up on these references to ensure they are genuine.
Before hiring, you should also meet with the contractor. Explain clearly what you want to do and ask about the cost and process – more about this below.
Quote and Contracts
When you’ve narrowed down your potential candidates, you should ask for an upfront quote in writing. Try to collect at least 3 different quotes before making a decision. Remember, after you approve a quote, it is a binding contract. You can use it to protect you against price changes later on down the line. Your quote should ideally include:
A fixed price for the total cost of the work
Break down of material costs
The individual cost of materials
Whether VAT is included
How long the quote is valid for
The cost for additional work
After which, this information should inform the contract signed by both parties. You should also ensure the contract has a timeline, the number of hours per day and how they can request more hours.
Process
There are several options for floor screeding which will affect the length of your project and the overall outcome. For instance, cement screed requires more labour and time to complete. Voluntary screeding can be done as quickly as 2,000 square metres a day. To bring a liquid screed to a project site, you’ll need to bring in a liquid pump. After the floor has been laid, a liquid screed will take less than 72 hours to be walkable and 2 weeks to load ready. You should take these times into account when planning your project.
Cost
The cost of screeding will depend on the area you need to cover. For example, you can work out costs by:
Cost of materials per kg
Cost of labour per hour
Cost of screeding per square meter
…Make sure that these facts are clearly stated by the contractor.
Why Choose UK Screed Ltd
Let’s say you’ve narrowed your list of flooring screeding contractors in Oxfordshire. But, did you know we have 19 years of experience in floor screeding? We have 11 branches around the UK. And, we deliver timely and budget-friendly delivery for all projects.
I am Donovan and my love is writing about home improvement. I write mostly about home ideas, but also share some tips and tricks that can make your life easier when it comes to getting things done in the house.
