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Our architect introduced us to VATBuild as we were about to undertake the full refurbishment and retrofit of an existing building we are making our home. After uploading the project documents, VATBuild produced the initial VAT Opportunities report which our architect and the contractor worked with to review the scope of works in detail. The review identified that the original tender documents did not clearly describe several qualifying energy-saving material installations. This meant that the potential 0% VAT treatment was going to be missed. The project team has since clarified these work packages and incorporated them more clearly into the specification and pricing.

As a contractor we were able to use the guidance from VATBuild to easily make savings for our client, with confidence that we were following HMRC rules. It generated more profitable work as the VAT savings have allowed our client to instruct us to carry out additional works, which has been paid for with the savings made with the help of VATbuild.

Our contractor engaged fully with the process, reviewing how the insulation work was specified, priced and procured. The anticipated savings have given us the confidence to extend the scope of the project. We have included the replacement of the existing concrete floor slab with an insulated floor and now plan to install underfloor heating throughout the house. It means more work for the contractor and a better finished home for us. Without VATBuild, we would not have known to explore these VAT opportunities. It's a strong recommendation from us - if you are renovating your house, you want to use VATBuild.

As it's a barn conversion, we understood that the contractor could apply the reduced 5% VAT rate to qualifying conversion works. What we hadn't appreciated before the VATBuild Opportunities Report is how the client were then able to recoup much of that remaining 5% via a VAT431C claim form. The VATBuild Opportunities Report was detailed and highlighted exactly which eligible services and materials should be eligible for the 5% reclaim, which in this case is most of the build cost. On a project of this scale, that represents a benefit to the client of tens of thousands of pounds.

I’m comfortable with computers, but I wouldn’t describe myself as particularly technical, so I wasn’t initially sure how I’d get on with VATBuild. I’d carefully kept three files full of invoices, and uploading them was much easier than I expected. I can upload individual invoices or a batch, review which costs can go into my HMRC reclaim, and process them with a couple of clicks. There’s no typing each invoice into Excel by hand, and I can see where my reclaim stands as the build progresses.