Welcome to the DIY Doctor Home Improver Protection Solution (HIPS)
It is our intention to become the UK's leading resource for the protection of home improvers against cowboy builders. The DIY Doctor HIPS programme is a 5-step programme built by builders and home-improvers together after 2 years of research and surveys.
Firstly, use Price Doctor to check your proposed extension design and price it. You can alter the design to suit your budget and, because Price Doctor gives you a breakdown of materials and labour prices, you are in a strong position to negotiate with your builders.
Click through a series of simple screens to design and cost your extension to ensure your tradesman's quotes are accurate.
Download free help sheets - Download our Desired Outcome Building Contract free of charge and read the notes in the back. These notes will give you some very useful advice about how to interview potential tradesmen, check their references, maintain a good working relationship and feel in control of your project from start to finish
Download our free contract - Go through the contract with your potential tradesmen, page by page. Talk to them about every clause. Good tradesmen will see the value of this document, cowboys will run away! Use the button above to download the contract and the notes in one PDF.
Keep your money safe - Sign up to our third party payment plan which keeps your money safe and comes with a free arbitration service and an independent warantee for your work for up to a year after it's finished
DIY Doctor has looked at all of the "Lead Generation" companies on the market who offer to find tradesmen for you. Most of these guys do not ensure their tradesmen are insured and we suggest that you absolutely refuse to use a tradesman who is not insured.
The Government backed Agency, Trustmark do however run checks on their tradesmen and it is them we recommend you go to, to find a tradesman for your project.
Other Resources
Below you will also find further resources and information concerning cowboy
builders and how you can protect your self before, during and after your home
improvement work
