The customer can complain to scheme about builder. If this is for poor workmanship then good builders have nothing to fear but a vindictive client could complain about something builder cannot prove to be untrue such as "he was very argumentative.”

Builders employees have to be qualified based on NVQ or equivalent yet some of best jobbing builders in land have never had any formal training in their lives.

The builder is required to comply with health and safety legislation such as risk assessments, safety policies etc. Back door regulation? What does all this mean for you client?

Looking at application pack, there is plenty of reference to customer care, satisfactory workmanship etc. but no reference to fair pricing.

There is also a lot of added bureaucracy, couple that with probable large annual fee and cost of work for future customers can only go up.

It has already been reported that companies are getting quality mark that are financially sound and have good tradesmen but have a record of rip-off prices.

The Institute of Plumbing and Federation of Master Builders have also raised similar concerns about new scheme¹s accreditation process.

As long as you compare price of members of this or any other recognised organisation with a few reputable non-members and not just assume price must be o.k. because they are registered with an organisation, it would be worth adding them to your list of potential builders.

7. Timberframe

Timber framing is a specific type of post and beam construction in which a frame is created from solid wood timbers that are then connected by any one of following wooden joints: mortise and tenon, dovetails, or scarfs secured with hardwood pegs. The frame is covered with any one of a number of enclosure systems. Normally timbers remain exposed to interior of building.

Timber frame structures exhibit a strength and aesthetic quality not found in conventionally framed houses. The timbers are pre-cut, shaped, and finished at factory, then sent to construction site, where they can be quickly assembled by a crew, using cranes to lift bents and beams into place. Joinery is heart of entire structure.

8. Log

Log homes provide their owners with a comforting and relaxing sense of informality and simplicity. The mass of logs produces heating and cooling benefits, and reduces noise transmission into and throughout home. These are very attractive characteristics, but there are also challenges in construction and limitations in decorating. These aspects require special design considerations and have unusual maintenance requirements. Basic Kits Are...

WALLS ONLY: The walls-only log home package includes all logs for outside walls, including fasteners. Roof beams and staircases may be added.

STRUCTURAL SHELL: Shell This package includes everything that's in walls-only package, plus all components necessary to keep weather out, such as exterior doors, windows, and roofing system.

THE COMPLETE PACKAGE: Complete packages also includes interior components required to finish log homes. Such items include interior walls, stairs, closets, interior doors and trim.

9. Circular

The circle is strongest geometrical shape we recognize, and this factor likely influenced builders of circular homes for thousands of years. Prefabricated circular buildings have been built as cabins, studios, homes, offices or community halls and convention centers.

Most of today's prefabricated circular homes and cabins offered across country use conventional wood-frame or post & beam construction method. These homes and cabins are ideally suited to take full advantage of locations offering exciting panoramic views, and to incorporate factor of surroundings into home design.

10. Dome

Geodesic Dome is using triangular networks forming hexagons and pentagons and creating a free-span, spacious environment of spherically shaped structure requiring no internal supports. This results in large flexibility for utilizing interior space to implement floor designs not limited by structural restrictions. Because of structural strength of shape, domes have a far better record of withstanding tornados, hurricanes and earthquakes than cube-shaped structures of conventional homes. Advantages...

MATERIAL COSTS: Geodesic domes provide greatest amount of floor area with least amount of surface area, reducing quantity of needed building material by as much as 30-50%.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY: As a result of shape, dome has approximately 30-50% less roof and wall area than cube-shaped home of equal floor space. This results in lesser area being exposed to elements, resulting in reduction in heating and cooling costs of dome shaped structures. Also, spherical shape of dome facilitates natural air flow yielding more even temperatures maximizing overall interior temperature comfort.

Disadvantages...

As a result of complicated angles, interior and exterior finishing of dome (after speedy assembly of prefabricated shell) is significantly more labor intensive than finishing conventional house. Also, finishing work requires highly skilled or specialized tradesmen which might not be available at every location. These factors might present welcoming challenge for skilled handyman/homebuilder, but would create substantial cost outlay if hired labor is considered.