1. Start with the brief
Share wide photos, the property type, affected rooms or elevations, what you want changed and anything that must stay usable while work is planned.
Construction advice guides
Construction Advice for Edinburgh Properties
Construction advice for Edinburgh building projects, extension planning, survey photos, access notes and landlord property works.
Featured guide
Practical building planning guidance for Edinburgh properties
Read first-step guidance for extensions, renovation photos, access notes and landlord building enquiries before requesting help.
Extensions Planning a Home Extension Advice on preparing a home extension enquiry, including photos, rough measurements, access, permissions and how the space should be used. Read featured guide Advice topics
Construction advice by topic
Use these guides to describe the property clearly, gather useful photos and choose the most relevant construction service.
Extensions Planning a Home Extension Advice on preparing a home extension enquiry, including photos, rough measurements, access, permissions and how the space should be used. Read guide Enquiry checklist What to Photograph Before Building Work Checklist for property photos before a building enquiry, including access, rooms, exterior fabric, services, defects and site constraints. Read guide 
Renovations Renovating an Edinburgh Property Advice on preparing renovation enquiries for Edinburgh flats, period homes, staged works, access and finishing scope. Read guide 
Landlords Landlord Building Access Notes Advice on preparing landlord building enquiries with tenant access, photos, repair scope, handover timing and maintenance notes. Read guide Use the guide
Turn this advice into a better first enquiry
The aim is not to diagnose every building detail online. It is to gather enough clear information for a practical conversation with a construction company.
2. Check site constraints
A good contractor will ask about access, parking, shared closes, neighbours, services, waste, material routes, occupants and any known permissions.
3. Agree a written scope
Before work starts, the scope should describe the tasks, finishes, assumptions, exclusions, timing dependencies and decisions still needed.
4. Keep changes visible
During the job, updates, variation notes, site protection, snagging and handover items should be kept clear enough for everyone to follow.
Review signals
What strong reviews usually mention
Review reading is most useful when it looks beyond a star rating. For construction work, look for repeated comments about:
- clear explanations before work begins
- respect for the property, stairs, shared access and neighbours
- tidy sequencing around occupants, tenants or trading hours
- plain communication when the scope or timing changes
- a careful finish, snagging list and handover conversation
Before you agree
Trust checks to make simple
Before committing to building work, ask the company to make these points plain:
- written scope and exclusions
- main point of contact
- payment stages and variation process
- permission and warrant responsibilities
- access, waste and protection plan
- handover and snagging expectations
Need construction help?
Send property photos, area, access notes and the outcome you want so the enquiry can be assessed clearly.
Request construction help