Vetted Builders UK: How Compare Builders Checks Every Trade Before They On-board

Luke Burford, a builder with over 20 years on the tools, and James Ryan, a homeowner who had been let down by rogue trades himself, launched Compare Builders, a platform built around vetted builders in the UK that homeowners can trust.

Most platforms sell the same enquiry to 5 or 6 firms at once, so homeowners field cold calls for weeks and the platform gets paid whether the work happens or not. Builders pay for leads whether or not they win the job, and vetting standards vary between platforms because the business model does not reward vetting.

Compare Builders works the other way round. Homeowners submit a project once, only builders they choose to hear from get in touch, and builders do not pay for a lead until they win the work. Checks on both builders and homeowners are what set Compare Builders apart from conventional lead generation platforms as a place to find trusted builders in the UK.

8 stage accreditation: Every builder goes through 8 checks, covering Companies House confirmation, insurance certificate checks, VAT status, trade body membership, portfolio and review checks, right to work verification, photo ID and financial standing. Each builder carries a public verification ID, printed on their van and card, that anyone can check in seconds, which answers the question of how to check a builder in the UK before hiring one.

Homeowner vetting too: Homeowners can verify their available budget through open banking before progressing with a project, which cuts out time wasters on both sides.

Milestone escrow protection: Project funds sit in a secure account and are released to the builder in stages as the homeowner signs off each milestone, with independent mediation if a dispute arises.

Built in cost planner estimator: Homeowners get a realistic budget range before a builder ever sets foot on site. Luke has seen the problem first hand, when a customer describes a bathroom that sounds like a £20,000 to £30,000 job, then names a budget of £3,000 to £4,000, and nobody spots the gap until the quote lands.

A builder insurance check UK homeowners can verify themselves, rather than taking a firm's word for it, removes one of the biggest risks in home improvement. Reviews on their own can be unreliable, and a checked insurance certificate gives homeowners something firmer to go on, while escrow protected payments mean they are not relying on trust alone at any stage of the project.

Homeowners describe their project, budget bracket, timeline, and postcode, and verify their mobile number. Verified builders then register interest put themselves forward for that specific job. The homeowner reviews the matched builders, compares them and appoints the one they want, without spam or chasing, and every trade can be checked independently through their public ID at any point.

Luke's 2 decades on the tools mean he has watched budget conversations go wrong more times than he can count, and James drove the build of the platform after his own experience run ins with unreliable builderstrades. The platform has been covered by Sky News, the Daily Express, Yahoo Finance, GB News and Fix Radio.