Escrow for contractors: the UK guide
What construction escrow is, how it protects you from non-payment, what it costs, and a faster way to get the same protection.
Michael Oladele|4 min readcontractor
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Michael Oladele|4 min read
Checkatrade alternatives for UK tradespeople
The main Checkatrade alternatives for UK tradespeople compared, and the one thing lead platforms don't solve: getting paid.
Michael Oladele|4 min read
What the data says about getting paid, and why chasing is the wrong game
$7.2 trillion in unpaid invoices, promises that mean nothing, and why the smartest way for a contractor to get paid is to never have to chase.
Michael Oladele|5 min read
Renno partners with Cost Estimator: connecting how a job gets priced and how it gets paid
Renno and Cost Estimator UK distribution partnership. Price a job with Cost Estimator, then get paid on Renno, with the client's money protected and released stage by stage.
Michael Oladele||4 min read
The homeowner's side of a variation
A guest post from BuildWiz: a variation argument is rarely about the money. Agreeing the change in writing before the work protects the relationship, not just the invoice.
Ian Packard||4 min read
Applications for payment in construction: how to submit one that gets paid
What an application for payment is, how to submit one that gets paid, and how it differs from an invoice.
Michael Oladele||6 min read
Retention in construction: what it is, and how to stop it dragging
What retention means in construction, how much is normal, and how to stop it dragging on your cash flow.
Michael Oladele||5 min read
What to do when a customer won't pay: a UK builder's guide
When a customer won't pay, you have more options than you think. Here's the UK builder's route from a first reminder to statutory interest and small claims, and how to stop it happening again.
Michael Oladele||4 min read
The state of UK renovation in 2026: a survey of 200 UK builders
We surveyed 200 UK contractors on payment disputes. The headline: disputes are near-universal, and the biggest cause isn't late payment. Here are the numbers, in their own words.
Michael Oladele||7 min read
Cold drinks, hot building sites: what the Amsterdam heatwave teaches us about renovating
The Netherlands is living through one of its hottest weeks on record. Here is what extreme heat does to a renovation timeline, and why it so often ends in a dispute.
heatwaverenovationconstructionproject delayshomeownercontractorAmsterdamclimaterenovation disputesmilestone payments
Michael Oladele||6 min read
Pricing a renovation job accurately: the three costs most contractors underestimate
The costs that quietly eat your margin, and how to price so every job actually pays. A full costing method with a worked example.
Alexa Kaminsky||10 min read
Setting up a renovation job the right way: scope, stages, and payments
Set up your project once. Know exactly when every payment lands.
Alexa Kaminsky||7 min read
Renovate the smart way.
Protected payments. Full visibility. One collaborative platform for contractors and homeowners.