What does a main contractor actually do?

A main contractor takes overall responsibility for building the works described in the drawings and specification. That includes programming the job, employing and coordinating trades, procuring materials, managing site safety, and handing over a completed building that satisfies the contract and the building regulations.

What is the difference between renovation, refurbishment and restoration?

Renovation generally means updating and improving an existing property. Refurbishment usually implies more extensive work, often involving structural alteration or full replacement of services and finishes. Restoration is concerned with returning historic fabric to its original condition using appropriate materials and methods.

What does “fit-out” mean?

A fit-out is the work that turns a bare or stripped-back space into a usable one: partitions, ceilings, services, joinery, finishes and furniture. It is most often used in a commercial context, such as an office, restaurant, showroom or retail unit.

What is the difference between joinery and carpentry?

Joinery is the manufacture of timber components, usually in a workshop, such as doors, staircases, cabinetry and panelling. Carpentry is the on-site installation and structural timber work. Solmaz undertakes both, which keeps quality and programme under one roof.

Do I need an architect before I contact a contractor?

Not always, but it helps. For anything involving structural change, planning or listed building consent, an architect is essential. For smaller schemes, a contractor can advise on feasibility and cost before you commission full design information.

What does a “bespoke” project mean in practice?

It means the work is designed and made specifically for your property rather than assembled from standard components. Bespoke joinery, for example, is measured, drawn, manufactured and finished to suit the exact dimensions, materials and function you require.

How long does a typical refurbishment take?

It depends entirely on scope. A single-room fit-out may take a few weeks; a full house refurbishment in London commonly runs from six to twelve months, and longer where structural work, planning conditions or listed building consents are involved.

Will I need planning permission?

Many internal alterations do not require permission, while extensions, external alterations and changes of use usually do. Listed buildings and conservation areas have stricter controls. Your architect or planning consultant will confirm the position before work begins.

What is a building contract and why does it matter?

A building contract sets out the scope, price, programme, payment terms and each party’s obligations. It gives both client and contractor a clear framework for variations, delays and defects, which is far preferable to relying on correspondence when a question arises.

What does “high specification” mean?

High specification, or high-spec, describes work where materials, tolerances and finishes are of a notably higher standard than volume construction. It usually implies bespoke elements, concealed services, superior joinery and a level of finish that stands up to close inspection.

What is the difference between traditional procurement and design and build?

Under traditional procurement the client’s design team produces the information and the contractor builds it. Under design and build, the contractor takes responsibility for completing the design as well as the construction. Each suits a different balance of control, risk and programme.

How is a construction programme put together?

The programme sets out each activity, its duration and its dependencies, from enabling works through to commissioning and handover. Long-lead items such as bespoke joinery, glazing and specialist finishes are identified early, since these usually govern the critical path.

What are provisional sums and prime cost sums?

A provisional sum is an allowance for work that is not yet fully defined. A prime cost sum is an allowance for materials or fittings that the client has not yet selected. Both are adjusted against actual cost once the information is confirmed.

What is a snagging list?

A snagging list records minor defects and outstanding items identified as the works approach completion, such as finish blemishes or adjustments to ironmongery. Items are agreed, scheduled and closed out before handover, with any remaining points carried into the defects period.

How are variations to the works handled?

Variations should be instructed in writing, priced before they proceed wherever possible, and recorded against the contract sum with any programme effect noted. Keeping that discipline avoids disputes at final account stage and keeps the client in control of cost.

What insurance should a contractor hold?

As a minimum, employer’s liability and public liability cover, together with contract works insurance appropriate to the value of the project. Professional indemnity cover is also relevant where the contractor carries any design responsibility.

What is retention?

Retention is a small percentage of each payment held back by the client, typically released in two stages: half at practical completion and the balance at the end of the defects liability period. It provides an incentive to close out outstanding work.

What happens during the defects liability period?

For an agreed period after completion, usually six or twelve months, the contractor returns to remedy defects arising from workmanship or materials. It is not a maintenance service; normal wear and client alterations fall outside it.

How do party wall matters affect my project?

Where work affects a shared wall, a boundary or excavation near a neighbouring structure, notice must be served under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. Awards and schedules of condition are agreed before the relevant works start, so the process is planned into the programme.

What is a schedule of works and why is it useful?

A schedule of works describes each item of work in sequence, room by room or element by element. It allows accurate, comparable pricing between contractors and removes much of the ambiguity that leads to variations later.

How do you approach façade retention schemes?

Façade retention requires temporary works design, close monitoring and careful sequencing between demolition, substructure and the new frame. We have delivered such schemes on sensitive sites, working with structural engineers and monitoring specialists to control movement throughout.

What is your experience of underpinning and structural alteration?

We have carried out underpinning, basement formation, roof extensions and substantial internal alterations to occupied and historic buildings. Sequencing, temporary support and continuous liaison with the structural engineer are central to how we plan and supervise these works.

How do you discharge your duties under CDM 2015?

We plan, manage and monitor the construction phase, produce and maintain the construction phase plan, coordinate with the principal designer, and provide information for the health and safety file. Site inductions, risk assessments and method statements are reviewed as the works evolve.

How do you deal with listed building consent and conservation officers?

We work to the consented drawings and conditions, record existing fabric before intervention, and use materials and techniques appropriate to the period. Where site conditions require a departure, this is raised with the design team and conservation officer before work proceeds.

How do you manage programme risk and long-lead items?

Procurement schedules are set at the outset, with sample and specialist approval dates tied to the programme. Bespoke joinery, ironmongery, stone and glazing are ordered early, and float is protected rather than absorbed by late design decisions.

How do you coordinate interfaces between trades and specialists?

Interfaces are identified at pre-construction stage and resolved through coordinated drawings, benchmark areas and pre-start meetings with each package. Our in-house joinery capability removes one of the most common sources of interface failure on high-specification projects.

What is your approach to value engineering?

Value engineering should protect the design intent, not dilute it. We look first at buildability, sequencing and procurement before touching visible finishes, and we present options with their consequences clearly stated so the design team can make an informed decision.

How do you manage logistics on constrained central London sites?

Through advance planning: delivery management, permits, out-of-hours coordination, protection of adjoining occupiers and strict control of noise, dust and waste. Restricted access is a design consideration for joinery too, since components must be sized to reach their final position.

How do you handle compliance and testing at completion?

Building regulations compliance, air tightness testing, commissioning of services and the collation of certificates are programmed as activities in their own right, not left to the final week. Operation and maintenance information is compiled progressively.

How do you approach contract administration and commercial management?

Our commercial team administers the contract properly: valuations, notices, change control, records and final account are managed to the terms agreed. Our Project Manager’s background in construction law and contract management supports this throughout the life of each project.

When was Solmaz founded?

Solmaz was founded in 2003 and has been building and refurbishing in London for more than two decades, marking its twenty-first anniversary in 2024.

How is the business structured?

The company operates two units. The construction and development unit delivers high-specification residential and commercial projects, including schemes with private partners. The joinery and carpentry unit sources, manufactures and finishes bespoke joinery for Solmaz projects and for clients directly.

What awards has the company received?

Solmaz projects have received national and international recognition, including a Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) award for project implementation and a wood craft award for our carpentry work. Our accreditations are listed on the Awards and Accreditations page.

Where is your joinery workshop?

Our workshop is at Unit 15-16 Peacock Industrial Estate, 20 White Hart Lane, London N17 8DT. It is fully equipped with specialist machinery and an in-house spray shop for finishing in the client’s chosen colour.

Which parts of London have you worked in?

We have completed projects across the capital and the South-East, including luxury schemes in Covent Garden, Belgravia, Knightsbridge and Kensington, locations where the expected standard of finish is exacting.

Who oversees quality and delivery at director level?

Semih Aslan, who has an engineering background, supervises projects personally from inception to completion, ensuring that quality, programme and workmanship are maintained to the highest standard.

Who is responsible for contracts and commercial matters?

Faruk Tepeyurt, our Project Manager, is experienced in construction law, contract management and commercial management. He oversees contractual matters, project documentation, compliance and commercial administration throughout each project.

Do you work on Grade I and Grade II listed buildings?

Yes. We have worked on numerous Grade I and Grade II listed building projects, including façade retention schemes, underpinning, roof extensions and other specialist works requiring a sensitive, well-documented approach.

Do you use reclaimed timber?

We do. Our joinery team specialises in reclaimed Iroko, valued for its durability and character, allowing us to produce pieces that are both hard-wearing and environmentally considered.

What recent projects will appear in the portfolio?

Alongside our existing schemes, four to five recent projects are being added, including ExCeL London, Ealing Broadway, Bocca di Lupo and two high-specification houses in Notting Hill. Project information and photography are supplied and approved by Solmaz.

Who are the best construction companies in London for high-end residential work?

Look for contractors with a portfolio of completed high-specification homes, verifiable accreditations, in-house capability and directors who are personally involved. Solmaz has delivered luxury residential projects in central London since 2003 and welcomes enquiries from architects and private clients.

How much does a house refurbishment cost in London?

Costs vary widely with specification, structure and location, so any figure quoted without drawings is guesswork. A realistic budget is produced from a schedule of works or a priced specification, with allowances identified separately for items not yet selected.

How do I find a reliable builder in London?

Ask to see completed projects of a similar type, speak to previous clients and their architects, check accreditation and insurance, and read the proposed contract carefully. A contractor who explains programme and cost clearly at tender stage will usually manage them well on site.

What should I look for in a commercial fit-out contractor?

Relevant sector experience, an understanding of landlord requirements and licence-to-alter conditions, the ability to work out of hours where required, and proven coordination of services and joinery packages within a fixed opening date.

How long does a restaurant fit-out take?

Most restaurant fit-outs run from eight to twenty weeks depending on size, servicing, extract requirements and the condition of the existing unit. Landlord approvals and long-lead kitchen equipment are the items most likely to affect the date.

Are bespoke fitted wardrobes and cabinetry worth the investment?

In older London properties, where walls are rarely square and ceiling heights vary, bespoke cabinetry uses the available space far more effectively than standard units, and the quality of materials and finish is visible over the long term.

What is the difference between a builder and a main contractor?

The terms overlap, but a main contractor typically works under a formal building contract, coordinates multiple trades and specialist subcontractors, carries defined obligations for safety and programme, and administers payment and change control formally.

Do construction companies in London provide free quotations?

Most contractors will price a defined scope without charge once drawings or a schedule of works are available. Pre-construction services such as buildability advice, detailed programming or design development are usually the subject of a separate agreement.

How do I check a construction company’s accreditations?

Ask for the certificate and verify it with the issuing body. CHAS, for example, publishes accredited contractors on its register. Awards, professional memberships and insurance certificates can be checked in the same straightforward way.

What should I ask before appointing a contractor?

Ask who will run the project day to day, how variations and payments are handled, what the programme assumes, which elements are subcontracted, and what happens after completion. Clear answers at this stage are the best indicator of how a project will be managed.