Finding a Contractor

At a glance

Most clients use our standard Supply & Erect service with a local main contractor, or choose Full Turnkey where affiliated-contractor capacity is available. Partial Turnkey is a specialist option for remote, rural and island sites where suitable contractors or trades are difficult to secure:

Full TurnkeyAffiliated ContractorOur principal managed route, subject to location and capacity. The affiliate completes the build to handover, except kit erection, which HebHomes supplies and arranges through its specialist team.
Partial TurnkeyAffiliated ContractorFor remote, rural and island sites where suitable contractors are scarce. The affiliate completes the external envelope; HebHomes arranges kit erection, and you appoint and manage all interior trades.
Supply & ErectTendered Main ContractorOur standard route where suitable local contractors are available. Your selected contractor completes the rest of the build under a Minor Works contract, while HebHomes supplies and arranges specialist kit erection.

Kit Erection: Always delivered by a specialist erection team coordinated with HebHomes. Affiliated contractors (turnkey or partial) therefore focus on all other site works.
QS (Quantity Surveyor): prepares cost plan, tender docs, normalises bids, tracks cashflow/variations/contingency.
CA (Contract Administrator): administers JCT/SBCC Minor Works, certifies monthly valuations, manages instructions, retention and Practical Completion.

Routes & responsibilities

Full Turnkey (Affiliated Contractor)

Scope: Groundworks, foundations, drainage/services, scaffold, roofing, cladding, external works, internal partitions/first & second fix, kitchen/bathrooms, flooring, decoration, testing & commissioning, completion pack.
Not included: Kit erection (HebHomes arranges the certified erection team).
Contract: JCT/SBCC Minor Works or “with Contractor’s Design” if they design foundations/services.
Best for: Clients wanting single-point delivery (except kit erection) and programme certainty.

Partial Turnkey (Affiliated Contractor)

Scope: Full external envelope to wind & weathertight incl. roof, cladding, windows/doors, external services, rainwater goods, and site external works as agreed.
Interior trades: By client (you appoint electrician, plumber/heating, MVHR installer, joiners, plasterboard/taping, tiler, kitchen/bathroom supplier, decorators, etc.).
Kit erection: arranged by HebHomes specialist team.
Best for: Remote, rural or island sites where suitable contractors or trades are difficult to secure, and clients are able to appoint and manage the interior trades.

Tendered Main Contractor (Competitive or Negotiated)

Competitive tender: Invite 2–3 reputable contractors; good when design/spec is stable and there’s market competition.
Negotiated tender: Select a preferred contractor early and agree rates against a QS benchmark; helpful in thin markets or to secure programme/quality quickly.
Kit erection: still by HebHomes’ specialist team.
Contract: JCT/SBCC Minor Works or “with Contractor’s Design” where the contractor designs packages.

Who does what?

Responsibility	Full Turnkey	Partial Turnkey	Tendered Main Contractor
Kit erection	HebHomes specialist team	HebHomes specialist team	HebHomes specialist team
Groundworks/foundations/drainage	Affiliated contractor	Affiliated contractor	Main contractor
Roofing, cladding, windows/doors	Affiliated contractor	Affiliated contractor	Main contractor
Internal first/second fix & finishes	Affiliated contractor	Client-appointed trades	Main contractor
Scaffold, plant, cranage logistics	Affiliated contractor (kit lifts coordinated with HebHomes)	Affiliated contractor (kit lifts coordinated with HebHomes)	Main contractor (kit lifts coordinated with HebHomes)
CA administers contract & valuations	Client-appointed CA	Client-appointed CA	Client-appointed CA
QS cost plan, tendering, valuations	Client-appointed QS	Client-appointed QS	Client-appointed QS

QS & CA – why they matter

Quantity Surveyor (QS)

Prepares a cost plan from drawings/specs; models site-specific risks (access, ground conditions, utilities, islands).
Builds the tender pack: drawings/specs, preliminaries, schedule of works, assumptions, provisional sums.
Normalises tenders (like-for-like) and negotiates value; advises on contingency (usually 10–15%).
Tracks cashflow, variations, and retention vs programme; keeps you inside budget.

Contract Administrator (CA)

Administers JCT/SBCC Minor Works (or the “with Contractor’s Design” version when the contractor designs packages).
Issues instructions, certifies monthly valuations, and manages retention (often 5%; half at PC, balance at end of defects period).
Certifies Practical Completion and closes out defects with the contractor.
Keeps the record straight—avoid giving directions to trades directly; route through the CA.

Contracts, payment & compliance

Contract form

Minor Works (SBCC in Scotland / JCT in England & Wales) for most domestic builds.
Use the with Contractor’s Design version if the contractor designs elements (e.g., foundations, drainage, services coordination).

Payment & retention

Monthly CA-certified valuations based on progress; align with your mortgage stage payments.
Retention typically 5%: 2.5% at Practical Completion, 2.5% at end of defects period.
HebHomes kit invoices follow the kit contract; coordinate cashflow with QS to avoid pinch points.

CDM, insurance & building control

CDM roles: Principal Designer (pre-construction) and Principal Contractor (construction) must be named; your agent/contractor will advise.
Insurances: Contract Works (CAR), Public & Employers’ Liability (contractor), and site insurance/warranty (client) as required by lender/warranty provider.
Approvals: Building Control/Building Warrant route (and Approved Inspector in E&W where applicable); completion certificate required before occupation.

Before you appoint

Tender pack essentials

Planning drawings & conditions; site survey; drainage/utility info.
HebHomes kit drawings/spec; glazing schedules; preferred details.
Schedule of Works / specification (who supplies what), preliminaries, programme, and form of contract.
Clarify scaffold, plant, cranage, kit off-load/laydown, and access/telehandler requirements.

Kit-erection prerequisites

Engineer-approved foundations to tolerance; slab flatness checked and signed off.
Perimeter hard-standing (~2m compacted) for access/telehandler movements.
Confirmed cranage/lifting plan, scaffold design, and safe laydown areas.

Reviewed by Alasdair Stephen, Managing Director, and Neil Stephen RIAS, Director.

Common Questions

Is Turnkey available in England, Wales and Scotland? ›

Full Turnkey is available through affiliated contractors across Scotland, England & Wales, subject to location and contractor capacity. Partial Turnkey is considered mainly for remote, rural and island sites where suitable contractors or trades are difficult to secure; it is not our general middle option. In both cases, kit erection is by HebHomes’ specialist team.

What is the difference between Full and Partial Turnkey? ›

Full Turnkey: the affiliated contractor completes all external and internal works to handover (except kit erection). Partial Turnkey: a specialist remote-site option in which the affiliated contractor delivers the full external envelope to wind & weathertight (roof/cladding/windows/doors/external services), after which you appoint and manage all interior trades.

Why does HebHomes normally offer Supply & Erect rather than Supply Only? ›

Supply & Erect protects quality, warranty cover and accountability. CPS must be erected by an approved installer for the system warranty to remain valid, while specialist SIP erection reduces the risk of assembly, airtightness and weatherproofing mistakes. It also means one experienced team is responsible for checking the kit and completing the erection, avoiding uncertainty about responsibility if anything is missing or incorrect.

For a qualifying new-build home, Supply & Erect is normally zero-rated for VAT. A Supply Only sale generally requires VAT to be charged and any reclaim can be more complicated. Customers should confirm the VAT treatment applicable to their own project. Supply Only is therefore not our standard service and is considered only in exceptional circumstances. See our Supply + Erect service for full details.

Should I use a competitive or negotiated tender? ›

Competitive tenders use 2–3 bidders for price tension; good when design/spec is fixed. Negotiated tender secures a preferred contractor early and, with QS benchmarks, protects value while improving mobilisation and collaboration.

Do I still need a Quantity Surveyor and Contract Administrator with Turnkey? ›

Yes—turnkey simplifies delivery but you still benefit from a QS (cost control, cashflow, variations) and a CA (contract admin, monthly certification, retention, quality and snag close-out).

Who provides scaffolding, plant and lifting equipment? ›

On affiliated or tendered routes, the main/affiliated contractor typically provides scaffold, plant and cranage; kit lifts are coordinated with HebHomes and the erection team. Clarify in the tender/turnkey scope.

Can I choose my own kitchen or finishes with Full Turnkey? ›

Yes, but flag this early so it’s priced as a client-supply item with clear responsibilities for delivery, fitting, and warranties. On partial turnkey, client-supply is the norm for interiors.

Can Turnkey be delivered on islands or remote sites? ›

Allow for ferries/deliveries, off-load logistics and weather windows. Your QS should include delivery risk allowances; your contractor should plan laydown and access for lifts and telehandler movements.

How are contractor payments structured? ›

Contractor payments are monthly against CA-certified valuations; retention typically 5%. HebHomes kit invoices follow the kit contract. Align your finance (e.g., self-build mortgages) with these stages to avoid cashflow stress.

Which building contract should I use? ›

Use SBCC/JCT Minor Works; choose the “with Contractor’s Design” version if the contractor designs foundations/services/coordination elements. Your CA will advise.

When can I move into my HebHome? ›

After Practical Completion is certified by the CA and, where required, after the Completion Certificate from Building Control/Warrant. Moving in early can void protections and insurances.

Action Points

Discuss the right delivery route (tell us your location and target programme; Partial Turnkey is mainly for remote, rural and island sites).
Align finance to staged valuations (QS cashflow model + kit invoice timings).
Review the project sequence (what happens when) and build process (on-site stages).

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