Help for customers
88 articles
Everything you might want to know about renovating with us.
Start here
- What Beams is and how it worksBeams is a renovation platform. We connect you with vetted builders, generate a clear contract, hold your funds securely, and stay close enough to help when it matters.
- How construction payments workFunds are held in your Beams Account and you release them to your builder as each milestone is approved. You're never paying for work that hasn't been done.
- Snagging — the 28-day windowAfter Practical Completion you have a 28-day window. Two weeks to live in the space and build the snag list, then one builder visit to work through everything in one go, then a final two weeks to add anything else. Sign Off and the warranty follow.
- What is the refundable build deposit?The build deposit is a £1,000 payment that secures your builder's time and schedule slot. It's refundable, and it nets off against the construction fee.
- When Beams covers costsTwo situations. If our design service contained a clear error in the design intent we produced and you'd rather have the fee back than the rework, we refund the design fee. If your builder can't complete your project, the escrow plus the network of replacement builders gets the work finished.
Browse by topic
- 9 articles
Getting started
How Beams works, what we do, the basics you need to decide.
- 5 articles
Costs and budgets
Estimates, quotes, design fees, and how to keep a project on budget.
- 7 articles
Designing your project
What design covers, when you need an architect, and how the design hands over.
- 7 articles
Choosing your builder
Site visits, quoting, comparing, and the fit beyond competence.
- 6 articles
Contract and deposit
The contracts behind your project, the £1,000 deposit, and your cooling-off rights.
- 7 articles
Materials
Who orders what, when, and what to do if a delivery goes wrong.
- 7 articles
Payments
How money moves — milestones, change orders, and where your money sits.
- 12 articles
During the build
What to expect, how to work with your builder, and what to do when something needs sorting.
- 5 articles
Completion and warranty
Practical completion, sign off, the 28-day snagging window, and the 12-month warranty.
- 10 articles
If something isn't right
How to raise an issue, when Beams covers costs, and the path through if a relationship breaks down.
- 6 articles
Joinery projects
If your build includes a bespoke kitchen or wardrobes — how the parallel track works.
- 5 articles
Your account
The dashboard, your contracts, messaging, and how to refer a friend.
- 2 articles
Sustainability
Our free home energy assessment and the trade-offs in greener choices.