VAT, finance and project records, answered plainly.

HMRC can treat renovation work on an eligible empty home as 5% VAT. The property must have been empty for at least two years.

We check eligibility and the VAT treatment of each supply. We do this before we price your project.

Next Ask your tax adviser and us what evidence and conditions apply.

Different rules can apply to eligible new construction, conversions, materials and professional services.

A self-build refund scheme has its own conditions. It is not a blanket refund for ordinary renovations.

Next Get project-specific tax advice before you compare rebuild and renovation totals.

Lending and financial advice are not part of our design and build service.

Discuss borrowing with an appropriately qualified adviser. Give us any lender inspection or payment requirements.

Next Arrange your funding around the proposed cash-flow and valuation schedule.

Your lender’s release process may differ from our building contract’s payment dates.

We identify inspection, certification and processing requirements before you sign. This avoids the programme being constrained by a funding gap.

Next Reconcile your lender’s timetable with our payment schedule before you sign.

We track specification, quantity, cost, delivery date and warranty. We also track installation responsibility for anything you supply.

We include these in the total budget. That is true even when they do not appear on our invoice.

Next We maintain a client-purchase schedule shared with the design and site teams.

The reporting and purchasing basis is agreed in your contract or procurement appointment.

Do not assume an open-book arrangement or access to supplier costs without agreed terms.

Next Ask us what financial information is included in your reporting.