Builders in Ashford, Kent

Why Choose Ashford Building Services as a  Company? 

Converting your loft/garage or building the dream extension is potentially one of the largest investments you can make in your home. With this in mind you should do all you can to ensure that the company you choose to carry out the work is the best available. We have had clients who have been planning and saving for over 12 years to improve there property.

When Ashford Building Services first started one of the first phone calls we recieved was a lady in Ashford who had a builder round to build her block built porch she had parted with £6000.00 and the porch was half built we were called just to finish this off to cut a long story short this had a very unsafe roof and no footings what so ever, we demolished this and built a new porch for two thirds of the cost the cowboy builder charged. There are now builders flooding the trade off of all the sites which have slowed down building houses due to the current economical climate and given our past experience we can tell you that there are certain questions that you need to ask to ensure that you are not about to employ a cowboy or end up like our customer did in Ashford.

Ashford Building Services aim is to defy all the negative expectations that are associated with the building trade as this gives every builder a bad name until you can prove other wise.

1. Can I speak to some previous customers?

This is without doubt one of the most important questions you need to ask. Every builders website that you visit will be packed full of testimonials that are 'quotes' from actual letters received by the company. However you don't actually have any way of knowing if the quotes are genuine unless you can actually talk to the person who wrote it.

You will of course see testimonials on our website. When you are considering using Ashford Building Services we pride our selfes that you are able to contact any of our previous customers if you so wish to.

2. What is your VAT registration number?

By not registering for VAT but charging you the extra 20% 'VAT' they get to pocket the extra. This is a typical cowboy trick and you need to be aware of it from the start. if your builder is asking you to supply the materials or insists on you paying in cash alarm bells should ring.

Or like so many people we have come accross over the past few years and you hear about in the press and on the television, customers think that they will save on the 20% Vat but then they are giving there builders who they have only met 5 minutes large amounts of cash some times as large as £10,000.00 not to be seen again with a half finished project.

3. Who is actually going to convert my garage or build my extension?

There are many companies working in this field who claim to have their own team waiting in the wings ready to build your project. Unfortunately, the reality is that they are simply middlemen who collect the deposit from you and then pass your details to a local builder to complete the job. If you wanted the local builder to do the job then you could have just rung them in the first place.

Ashford Building Services employ all there staff and carry out all of our projects in house with the help of our time served gas safe and qualified electrician.

4. Can I see a copy of your public and employer's liability insurance?

Every company that is carrying out work in your home should have liability insurance as accidents can happen. Without the proper insurance the company are taking a risk with not only your house and property but possibly even with your life.

Ashford Building Services obviously have all requisite insurance to 5 million and employers to 10 million which a copy of the certificate can be show to you when asked.

5. Can I visit a recent project that you have completed?

No company who are confident in their work would have a problem with you seeing a recent build. If they refuse then you should probably ask yourself why.

We have many customers who are so pleased with the work we have carried out they are willing to let potential customers visit and see the completed conversion.

6. What will you do with the waste from my property?

With the rise in the costing of land fill tax there comes a rise in the fly tipping in and around Kent.

Ashford Building Services are registerd waste carriers with the enviroment agency this certification can be seen at any time, we also can produce a duty of care certificate to show how the waste will be disposed of and recipts of this transaction can be shown.

7. Are you a double glazing company in disguise?

There are a number of websites out there that are purporting to be garage conversion companies in perticular but the reality is that they are actually selling your details to double glazing companies. No matter what they try and tell you, converting a garage is not just a case of replacing the door with a nice PVC double glazed window. You can spot these 'lead generating' websites by looking for tell tale clues such as

1/ There is no address of their office on the website
2/The testimonials are not supported by names or scans of the original letters (a sure sign they are simply made up)
3/The 'contact us' option is simply a freephone telephone number or a web enquiry form with no email address visible

This website is owned & run by Darren at Ashford Building Services  so any enquiry from the website is sent only to Ashford Building Services. We do not sell the leads generated from our website and you can be assured that when you invite us to talk to you about your proposed project you will be talking personally to Darren the owner of Ashford Building Services who if you wish to contact directly can be reached by emailing Darren@ashfordbuildingservices.co.uk or by phone eves 01233 626257, mob 07855303332.