OUR BLOG

When choosing a building contractor, most people naturally focus on previous projects, recommendations and price. These are all important factors, but there is another area that often goes unnoticed which can make a significant difference to the success of a project: training. Contractors who actively invest in training their workforce are usually the ones who consistently deliver safer sites, better quality workmanship and smoother project delivery. Training Builds Quality C

When people think about construction, the focus naturally falls on what happens on site - the trades, the progress, the finished result. But every well-run project depends on something less visible: a reliable supply chain, also known as builders merchants. Building merchants play a vital role in maintaining standards, protecting programmes and ensuring consistency from start to finish. Their contribution may not feature in the final photographs, but it underpins the entire p

As we move into 2026, the construction industry continues to adjust to a period of realism. The last few years have reshaped how people approach building projects - from budgeting and timelines to sustainability, planning and professional input. Rather than dramatic shifts, 2026 looks set to be a year of smarter decisions, better preparation and more considered building. For homeowners and developers alike, the emphasis is moving away from rushing projects through and towards

When choosing a builder, it’s easy to focus on cost, design and project timelines, but what about safety? Health and safety standards are among the most important (and most overlooked) aspects of any construction project. A professional builder doesn’t just deliver quality workmanship; they ensure that everyone on site, including you, your family, and their own team stays safe throughout the build. Why Safety Standards Matter Construction sites can be hazardous enviro

Behind every successful construction project lies a team of skilled professionals, and three of the most important are your architect, surveyor and engineer. Whether you’re restoring a listed farmhouse, extending a cottage, or building something completely new, their role is vital in ensuring your project runs smoothly from concept to completion. Why Architects Matter Architects are more than just designers, they’re problem-solvers, visionaries and technical experts. They

Embarking on a home building or renovation project can feel exciting, yet daunting. Whether you’re planning an extension, a new build, or a substantial refurbishment, knowing the steps ahead and what to expect from your builder can make the experience far smoother. At Saunders Brothers, we aim to guide homeowners through the building process with clarity, confidence, and peace of mind. In this guide, we’ve broken down the process into manageable steps - a practical checklis

Managing costs and profit is crucial in any business and all will have added an allowance for OH&P when calculating their selling prices, though you won’t have seen it when shopping in the supermarket. It’s visible to clients in construction prices because estimating is done project by project and prices are widely discussed between builder and client at the tendering stage. What Does OH&P Stand For? OH&P stands for Overheads and Profit and it refers to the allowance that con

When budgeting for a construction project, you may come across the term ‘prelims’ or ‘preliminary costs.’ But what are prelims in construction, and why are they important? Understanding preliminaries will enable you to discuss them with your contractor or tenderers. You may get their costs reduced a bit – at the very least you’ll learn why they’re so crucial to your project. So, what are Prelims in Construction? Prelims refer to the essential expenses associated with a constr

In areas like Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, listed and conservation properties are abundant and they transform the landscape and our sense of our country’s history. Even stone buildings decay with age though, old brickwork much more and wychert, cob and wattle and daub have almost disappeared. Restoring, renovating and even altering historic buildings is both a privilege and a challenge. Using traditional construction methods and materials in todays regulations can be a ch

In Construction, RFI simply stands for Request for Information but in fact it’s a whole series of requests for information because all the requests on the project are just added to one document and that is the RFI. Almost any building project is a complex undertaking, with choices of alternatives in almost every area. It’s easy to see, for example, that the Client needs to choose the paint colours for the interiors before the decorator can buy the paint, but many Clients may

Discover what Provisional Sums and Prime Cost Sums are and uncover the differences between them both.

As a seasoned and experienced building contractor, we have often found that homeowners find the idea of starting a construction project in winter counterintuitive. The common belief is that undertaking a project during the winter might bring more disruptions and challenges. However, delving into this unconventional approach reveals a host of benefits that can make it a strategic choice. In this blog post, we will explore why embarking on your building journey during the winte

‘Do I need building regulations?’ is a question that we hear quite a lot. Here in our latest blog we cover what building regulations are, why they are necessary and what types of buildings they apply to… What are the Building Regulations? The Building Regulations are a set of rules covering almost all aspects of building construction. They are government regulations and it is a legal requirement that construction projects comply with them. Why are they necessary? Buildings ar

“The best pre-qualified construction contractors & companies” We are delighted to announce that we have recently become accredited members of Constructionline – a register for pre-qualified contractors and consultants used by the construction industry. By collaborating with Constructionline means we can now reach a wider audience across the public and private sectors, but more importantly it demonstrates the credibility of Saunders Brothers and transparency of our Health and

The Construction Design & Management (CDM 2015) regulations, which govern all construction work, require a Principal Contractor to be appointed on any project with more than one contractor. Whether there’s a Principal Contractor or sole contractor, their are main duties to be adhered to. We outline some of the duties of the Principal Contractor below: Plan, manage, monitor and coordinate the whole of the construction work. Provide a Construction Phase Plan. This gives deta