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Free builder advice · no obligation · no cardAsk a builder one question — free builder advice
Ask us the one thing that's actually worrying you about a property, a crack, a RICS survey or a quote, and a working UK builder will answer it — honest building advice, in plain English, within 24 hours. One defect, one photo, or one paragraph. Not a 40-page survey — that's the paid review.
A real person reads every one of these. Ben has spent nearly 30 years on the tools. We don't quote for building work, so we have no reason to tell you anything except what we'd tell a friend.
Questions we get every week
- “The RICS survey says the roof covering is nearing the end of its serviceable life — is that a £900 job or a £9,000 one?”
- “There’s a crack above the bay window in these photos. Should I be worried?”
- “My builder has quoted £34k for a 4m rear extension. Is that reasonable for Bristol?”
- “The listing says the loft conversion was done in 2012. What should I be asking for?”
Where the free bit ends. One defect, one photo, or one paragraph, answered properly — that's free, always. Reading a whole survey and costing every item on it is a couple of hours of a builder's time, and that's the £59 review. We'll tell you straight which one you need. Still deciding whether to offer? Here's how to get a builder's ballpark figure on the house first.
Or just talk to us
If typing it out is the hard part, don't. Message or ring — same builders, same answer.
We reply Mon–Sat, 8am–6pm.
Need the whole report costed? That's the £59 review →
4.9 stars across 28 reviews
26 five-star reviews on Google so far, and growing — from buyers and homeowners Ben has helped.
Latest review: November 2026 · 18 five-star reviews since September 2026
“Fantastic service. Buying our first home has been so stressful and when the survey came back with lots of work needing to be done it felt so overwhelming! When I contacted Ben to ask about his service he replied so quickly and was so kind and friendly. I sent him our survey and he was able to send back estimates of what each repair would cost ( in really simple language), with advice and guidance of what should be done first and what to investigate further. Through his detailed estimated of cost we were able to use it to negotiate the cost of our house down by over 15K. He also sent the report within hours of me sending him our very long survey ( and on a Friday night) Worth every penny and I have already reccommended him to friends! Thanks so much Ben!!!”
“Really glad to have found this service. Provided just what we needed, which was a fast and broad quote to progress price re-negotiations without holding up the purchase waiting for site visits. Very impressive time turn-around!”
“If you're a first time buyer, like me, who's completely overwhelmed by the process and don't even know where to start with your survey results, I highly recommend Ben's services! He was super quick to respond, both with an initial call, and later on that day, a full, and very detailed, assessment of my survey results. He helped give me valuable context from a builder's perspective along with a rough idea of the costs involved in fixing the highlighted issues, as well as potential hurdles we might face in regards to insurance and questions we need to ask our solicitor. His advice has been so helpful and has really given me some much needed guidance. I was feeling a bit lost before, but now I have a lot more clarity on what my next steps are. Definitely worth the £59 for the professional advice. Such a good idea for a service.”
“Was really overwhelmed by our house survey and Ben has given me so much peace mind. In the same day he has provided me a very thorough but A LOT easier to understand version advising what is urgent and necessary and what can wait for now, all with approximate costs. He noted my concerns prior and it was clear he’d took this into consideration in his response. Highly recommend and will certainly be recommending to friends and family! Thanks again - Charlotte x”
“Ben was very quick to reply and went above and beyond in his analysis of my survey report. It was so clear that I only had one question left for him! The most useful part was about grouping jobs together by tradesperson. I definitely recommend for nervous buyers, money well-spent.”
“If like me, you are overwhelmed by a 90+ pages survey report and need a professional to help you make sense of it, Ben is your man! Quick, helpful and friendly.”
Read every review on our Google Business Profile → 5 stars from 3 reviews on Trustpilot — read it on Trustpilot → Been helped by us? Leave a review.
Ask a builder: common questions
Is it actually free?
Yes. No card, no sign-up, no trial that turns into a subscription. You ask one question, a builder answers it, and if that is all you needed then that is where it ends. We would rather you got the answer than got nothing.
What counts as one question?
One defect, one photo, or one paragraph — a cost, a line in a RICS survey, a quote that looks wrong. Send that and we will tell you what we think. What we cannot do free is read a forty-page RICS survey end to end and cost every item: that is the £59 review, and it takes a builder an hour or two of real work.
Who answers it?
Ben Murrell, a working UK builder for nearly 30 years. Not AI, not a call centre, not a salesperson. You get a name and you can reply to it.
Will you try to sell me building work?
We cannot. We do not quote for or carry out building work, which is the whole reason our answer is worth having. There is nothing we could sell you except the £59 review, and we will only mention that if your question genuinely needs one.
How fast will I hear back?
Within 24 hours, usually sooner. If you are up against an exchange deadline or an offer decision, say so in your message and we will move you up the list.
What kind of building advice can I ask for?
Anything about a house you own or are thinking of buying: a crack, a damp patch, the roof or chimney, a line in a RICS survey, whether a builder’s quote looks right, or roughly what a job should cost. If the question really needs a structural engineer, a surveyor or another specialist rather than a builder, we will say so.
Can I send a photo with my question?
Yes. The form on this page is text only, so send your photos on WhatsApp using the button on this page, or email them to info@chattoyourbuilder.co.uk, and mention in your question that they are on their way.
Is builder advice the same as a structural engineer’s report?
No. A builder can tell you what a crack or defect usually means in practice and what it typically costs to put right. A structural engineer diagnoses movement, does calculations and signs off structural work. If your question needs an engineer, we will tell you, and explain what the report should cover.
Building advice you can read first
Some questions have a full answer already. If one of these covers yours, you won't need to wait for us.
- Cracks above doors and windows: when to worry
- Bay window cracking: what it means and what it costs
- Cracks in walls: subsidence, settlement or thermal movement?
- How to check a builder is legit, and how to check builder reviews
- How to check a builder's quote before you accept it
- What RICS survey findings actually cost to fix
- Crack severity checker and builder quote checker (free tools)