How to describe a building job

Builders price risk. Every detail you leave out becomes an assumption, and assumptions get padded. A clear description gets you tighter prices and fewer site visits before you have even chosen anyone.

What to include

• The property type and age — a 1930s semi, a new-build terrace, a stone cottage.
• What you want done, room by room or element by element.
• Approximate dimensions, even rough ones, for anything being built or removed.
• Whether drawings, structural calculations or planning approval already exist.
• Access — rear access, parking, whether a skip can go on the drive or needs a permit.
• Whether you will be living in the property during the work.
• Your rough timescale and any fixed deadline.

Photos that help

• A wide shot of the whole elevation or room, taken from far enough back.
• Close-ups of anything unusual — cracking, damp staining, an odd junction, an existing extension.
• The access route from the road to the work area.
• Any drawings, photographed flat and in focus.

Wording examples

• 'Single-storey rear extension, roughly 4m x 3m, to a 1930s semi. Drawings and structural calcs done, building control not yet submitted. Rear access via a shared side path, no vehicle access to the garden.'
• 'Remove load-bearing wall between kitchen and dining room, about 3.5m span, insert steel. Structural engineer's calcs available. Making good and plastering both sides included, decoration not needed.'
• 'Loft conversion to a 1960s semi, one bedroom plus shower room. No drawings yet. Want a builder who can manage design, building control and the whole build.'

What to leave out

Do not put your phone number, email or address in the public description. Builders on Find A Trade Local get your contact details once they express interest, so the job post itself only needs the work, the postcode area and the photos. There is more in our guide on describing your job.