What is the contract sum and what does it include? What does it explicitly exclude? How are variations priced and approved? When and how will I be invoiced? What is the programme and what happens if it slips? What insurances are in place? What is the defect liability period? Who is the contract with — the limited company or the individual?

None of these are unreasonable questions. A good builder will answer them confidently. A builder who bristles at them is telling you something useful.

We can review draft contracts on behalf of homeowners before signing. The fee is small relative to the protection.