Start a Construction Business
Honest, practical guidance on starting a construction business in the UK — CIS registration, site access, insurance, and building a client base that keeps coming back. Delivered over video call, wherever you're based.
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How to Start a Construction Business
Construction covers a lot of ground — from a sole trader doing small building jobs to a business regularly hiring subcontractors for bigger projects — and the compliance side genuinely scales with that. Getting the fundamentals right early matters more here than in most trades.
What You'll Need to Get Started
Understanding the CIS
If you'll pay subcontractors for construction work, registering as a contractor under the Construction Industry Scheme is a legal requirement, not optional.
CSCS Cards for Site Access
Not a legal requirement in itself, but most principal contractors and site owners won't let you or your team on site without one.
CDM Regulations & Safety
The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 set out health and safety duties for everyone involved in a project, however small.
Insurance That Scales With You
Public liability from day one, with employer's liability becoming a legal requirement the moment you take on staff.
Registering Your Business
Most sole builders start as sole traders, registering with HMRC for Self Assessment once you earn over £1,000 in a tax year. If you'll be paying subcontractors, you'll also need to register as a contractor under CIS before your first payment to one — this is a separate, legally required registration. VAT registration becomes relevant once your turnover crosses the current threshold, worth checking directly with HMRC or an accountant as you grow.
The Real Costs of Starting
Tools, a vehicle and insurance are the baseline, but CIS deductions genuinely affect cash flow if you're working as a subcontractor yourself — registered subcontractors have less tax deducted upfront than unregistered ones, which is worth understanding before you take your first job. Our free Planning Tool gives you an honest first estimate based on your specific plans.
How We Help Construction Businesses Specifically
Beyond the general start-up support, we help with the things that matter most for this trade: showcasing completed work and getting found through your Google Business Profile and marketing, turning one-off projects into repeat work with letting agents and developers through winning and keeping customers, and understanding how CIS deductions affect your real cash position through straightforward financial tracking.
How much of this have you already worked out?
- If you're planning to use subcontractors, are you registered as a contractor under CIS before you pay your first one?
- Do you know whether your work needs planning permission or building control sign-off before you start?
- Have you thought through how CIS deductions affect your cash flow, not just your final tax bill?
- Is your insurance sorted before you take on staff, not scrambled together after?
These aren't trick questions — most people starting out haven't sat down and answered them either. Your free call is where we figure out which of these matter most for you; working through the answers properly is what the ongoing mentoring is for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to register for CIS?
Do I need a CSCS card?
What's the difference between CIS and CSCS?
How much does it cost to start a construction business?
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