Do I need a written contract for building work at home?
You already have a contract — the question is whether its terms are recorded — and for anything beyond a small job, a written agreement is the difference between a manageable dispute and an unresolvable one.
The legal position. A contract exists as soon as work is agreed and payment promised, whether or not anything is written down. Statutory rights apply regardless: under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, services must be performed with reasonable care and skill, within a reasonable time where no time is agreed, and for a reasonable price where none is agreed.
Why the absence of writing is nonetheless serious. "Reasonable" is determined after the fact by reference to evidence. Without a record of what was agreed, a dispute becomes one person's recollection against another's, and both will be sincere.
What a written agreement should cover:
The parties, including the trading name and company number if a limited company — which matters enormously, since a company can cease trading and a sole trader cannot hide behind one.
The schedule of works and specification.
The price, and whether it is fixed, an estimate, or a daywork rate.
Payment stages, tied to work completed.
Start and completion dates, and what happens if they slip.
Variations procedure — changes agreed and priced in writing before being done.
Who obtains approvals — building regulations, party wall notices, permits.
Insurance, and confirmation of public liability cover.
Retention and defects period.
Waste removal and making good.
The standard forms available. For domestic projects, JCT Home Owner contracts are written in plain English specifically for consumers, and RIBA and other bodies publish equivalents. They are short, inexpensive and cover the above properly.
The consumer protections worth knowing:
Contracts agreed in your home are generally subject to a 14-day cancellation right under distance and off-premises selling rules, unless you expressly request work to start sooner and acknowledge the effect.
Paying a deposit by credit card above the statutory threshold gives a claim against the card issuer if the trader fails.
Never pay large sums in advance, and be wary of pressure to do so.
General information, not legal advice.