What Do I Do If My Builder Stops Answering?
Silence is usually a symptom, not the end of the job. A calm, written sequence gets most builders talking again, and tells you where you stand if it doesn't.
The short answer
Try every channel, then put it in writing with a clear date to reply by.
If your builder stops answering, give it a few working days and try every way of reaching them: phone, text, email and any office number on the quote. If that gets nothing, send a short, polite email or letter that sets out where the job stands, what you need from them and a reasonable date to reply by. Keep a copy. While you wait, check the business is still trading, make the property safe and weathertight if work is part done, and don't bring in another builder until you have given the first one a fair, written chance to respond.
Most builders who go quiet come back. The written message is what moves things along, and it also gives you a clear record if they don't. This page walks through the sequence. For the wider picture, see when a builder stops responding.
Step by step
A calm sequence that gets answers
Each step is small. Together they either restart the conversation or give you a clean record.
Rule out the ordinary reasons
Builders are often on a roof or in a loft with no signal, and many deal with messages in the evening. Illness, a family matter or a job that overran elsewhere are common. A day or two of silence mid-week is rarely a sign of anything worse.
Use every contact route you have
Call, then text, then email. If the quote shows a company office, an office manager or a second number, try those too. Keep each message short and specific: "Can you confirm when you are back on site?" is easier to answer than a long complaint.
Write it down, with a date
If a few working days pass, send one clear message in writing. Say what was agreed, what has and hasn't been done, what you need next and the date you would like a reply by. Keep the tone neutral. A calm note is more likely to get a reply and reads better later if anyone else ever sees it.
Check the business is still trading
For a limited company, the free Companies House service shows whether it is active or has an insolvency notice against it. Our guide on checking a builder on Companies House shows what to look for.
Decide the next step
If the reply date passes with nothing, send a second, firmer letter and start thinking about your options. Those depend on whether work has started, how much you have paid and what your contract says.
Where the job is
What to focus on, depending on how far the work got
Work hasn't started yet
- Ask for a firm start date in writing.
- Ask what happens to any deposit if they can no longer do the job.
- Check your quote or contract for what it says about start dates and cancellation.
- Hold off committing to anyone else until you have a written answer, or the reply date has passed.
Work is part done
- Make the property safe and weathertight first, especially on a roof.
- Photograph the work as it stands, with dates.
- Keep materials on site where they are; don't dispose of anything.
- Put your concerns in writing before anyone else touches the job.
Why it happens
The usual reasons builders go quiet
Silence is usually a symptom of something else. The most common cause is simple overload: a small firm has taken on more than it can service, and the customer who is not currently on the schedule stops getting replies. Another is an awkward conversation the builder would rather avoid, such as a delay, a price change or a problem they found once the roof was opened up.
Neither makes the silence acceptable, but knowing the likely cause shapes your message. A note that says "I understand you are busy; I just need a date" gives the builder an easy way back. A message that assumes the worst tends to make people dig in.
Less often, silence means the business is in financial trouble. If Companies House shows an insolvency notice, or you hear that the firm has stopped trading, the steps are different. See what if my builder goes bust?.
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, a trader providing a service must carry it out with reasonable care and skill and, where no timescale was agreed, within a reasonable time. What counts as reasonable depends on the job and what you agreed. If a builder stops responding altogether, your options depend on your contract and the facts, and Citizens Advice publishes practical guidance on what to do next. This is general information, not legal advice.
If you use Mortaro
Chasing contractors is our job
Getting answers from contractors who are busy on site is the most common problem in building work, and it is the main reason Mortaro exists. If your work was arranged through us, you don't need to chase your contractor yourself. Tell us, and we contact them on your behalf, push for a date or a visit and keep you updated until something happens.
Your construction contract is with your contractor, who is named in your quotation, so the work and the warranty are theirs. What we provide is persistence. Contractors who fail to meet our standards are removed from the network. How that works is set out on putting things right.
Straight answers
Questions about a builder who has gone quiet
How long should I wait before I worry?
A day or two without a reply is normal for a busy firm. If several working days pass with no answer on any channel, that is the point to write formally with a date to reply by.
Can I just get someone else to finish the job?
Possibly, but not straight away. Bringing in another builder before you have given the first a fair written chance can affect your position later. Read should I get another builder to fix it? first.
Should I stop paying?
Don't pay for work that hasn't been done, but think carefully before withholding money that is due. Our answer on withholding payment explains the principle.
Start here
Tell us about the work you have in mind
We will confirm we cover your postcode, arrange a site visit with a contractor from our network and send you a written quotation. No charge, no obligation.