Terms of Business

These Terms of Business set out how ABL Design & Build Ltd (also trading as Active Builders London) (“ABL”, “we”, “us” or “our”) provides design and building services, including property refurbishments, house extensions, loft conversions, basements, new builds, bespoke kitchens and bathrooms, and decoration.

They apply to every quotation we provide and every project we carry out, together with your written quotation and any project-specific contract. If there is a conflict, the terms of your signed project contract take priority over these general terms.

• Initial enquiries and quotations are provided free of charge unless we agree otherwise in advance.
• Quotations are based on the information available at the time, including any site visit, drawings and specifications provided.
• Unless stated otherwise, a quotation is valid for 30 days from the date issued. After this, prices may change due to labour or material costs.
• Quotations may include provisional sums for items that cannot be fully priced until work begins (for example, hidden structural conditions). These will be confirmed as the project progresses.

A contract is formed when you accept our quotation in writing (including by email) or sign our project contract. The agreed scope of works, specification, price, payment schedule and estimated programme will be set out in those documents.

• Any change you request to the agreed works (a “variation”) should be confirmed in writing, together with any effect on the price and programme, before that work is carried out.
• Where unforeseen conditions are discovered, such as structural defects, hidden services, ground conditions or asbestos, we will explain the issue and agree the next steps and any additional cost with you before proceeding, unless urgent action is needed for safety.

To help your project run smoothly, you agree to:

• Provide safe and reasonable access to the property during agreed working hours;
• Provide access to water and electricity where needed for the works;
• Clear or protect furniture and personal belongings from work areas unless we agree to do this;
• Give us accurate information about the property, including any known issues;
• Make decisions and selections (such as finishes and fittings) in good time to avoid delays.

Unless we agree in writing to manage these on your behalf, you are responsible for obtaining any required planning permission, listed building or conservation area consent, and party wall agreements. Our team can guide you through the process. Building Regulations approval and inspections will be arranged as set out in your quotation or contract.

Any start date and programme we provide is our best estimate. Timescales may be affected by factors outside our reasonable control, including adverse weather, material shortages, delays in approvals or inspections, unforeseen site conditions and changes requested by you. We will keep you informed and update the programme where needed.

• Payments are due in line with the payment schedule set out in your quotation or contract, which may include a deposit and stage payments linked to progress.
• Unless stated otherwise, invoices are payable within 7 days of the invoice date.
• If payments are overdue, we may pause the works after giving you written notice, and the programme may be extended accordingly.
• Materials supplied by us remain our property until they have been paid for in full.

We manage our work areas safely and in line with health and safety requirements. For your safety, please keep children, visitors and pets away from active work areas. Our team will aim to keep the site tidy, protect your property and minimise disruption to you and your neighbours.

• When the works are complete, we will walk through the project with you and agree any minor snagging items to be finished.
• If a defect caused by our workmanship appears after completion, please tell us in writing and we will put it right within the defects period set out in your contract.
• Manufacturer and supplier warranties for products and appliances are passed on to you where available.
• Our aftercare does not cover normal wear and tear, misuse, lack of maintenance, natural shrinkage or settlement, or work carried out by others.

If you are a consumer and the contract was agreed away from our business premises or at a distance (for example, online or by phone), you may have the right to cancel within 14 days without giving a reason, under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. If you ask us to start work during this period and then cancel, you will be asked to pay for work carried out and materials ordered up to that point.

We carry out our work with reasonable care and skill. Nothing in these terms limits or excludes our liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, for fraud, or for anything else that cannot be limited or excluded by law. These terms do not affect your statutory rights as a consumer, including under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

We are not responsible for losses that were not reasonably foreseeable, or for delays or issues caused by events outside our reasonable control.

Drawings, designs and documents we prepare remain our intellectual property. Once you have paid for them, you may use them for your project at the property concerned. Photographs of completed projects may be used in our portfolio and marketing without showing personal details or your exact address, unless you ask us not to.

If you are not happy with any part of our service, please contact us first so we can try to resolve the matter quickly and fairly.

We handle your personal information in line with our Privacy Policy.

These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales, and the courts of England and Wales will have jurisdiction. We may update these terms from time to time. The version in force when you accept your quotation will apply to your project.