Questions & straight answers

What to have ready before you call.

Questions we get asked most, answered the way we’d answer them on the phone. If yours isn’t here, ring Ted — it’s quicker.

Before you call

What should I have ready before I ring?: Three things make the first call far more useful: what’s actually bothering you (the problem, not the solution you’ve decided on), roughly when you’d like it done, and whether there’s a budget you’re working to. Photos help, but they never replace coming to look. If it’s a drainage or leak problem, knowing when it started and whether it’s getting worse is worth more than any photo.
Do I need drawings or planning permission first?: Often not — a lot of what we do doesn’t need either. Where it does, it’s better to find out before you’ve spent money on the wrong drawings, so ask us at the first conversation. We’ll tell you what the job is likely to need and point you at the right people for it.
Can you look at it before I commit to anything?: Yes. We’d rather come out, look properly and tell you the job isn’t worth doing than price something on a guess. Site visits get arranged around you.

Do you do the work yourselves or bring people in?: Both, depending on the stage. Some work we carry out ourselves; for specialist stages — heating, electrics, drainage and similar — we bring in trades we know and trust, and we say so up front. What doesn’t change is who’s answerable: you deal with Ted for the whole project, and we don’t hand you a list of phone numbers and wish you luck.
Why would I use you rather than ringing the trades directly?: You can, and for a single small job that’s often the sensible thing to do. Where we earn our keep is when a job needs more than one trade in the right order — which is most projects. Two of our reviews are from people who came to us precisely to be matched with the right contractors rather than spend their own evenings chasing them.
Who will I be dealing with?: Ted Hodgson. He takes the enquiry, comes to look, prices it, runs it and walks it through at the end. One of our reviewers cheerfully called us “Ted and his merry men”, which we’re not going to argue with.

How do you price work?: Per project, after we’ve seen it. You get a written scope setting out what’s included and what isn’t. If part of the job genuinely can’t be priced until something’s opened up — drains and groundworks are the usual culprits — we flag it as a provisional item at the start rather than as a surprise at the end.
How long will it take?: We give you a realistic sequence rather than an optimistic date. Groundworks and concrete need curing time, specialist trades need booking, and British weather does what it does. What we will do is tell you the moment something moves, instead of leaving you to work it out from the quiet.
Which areas do you cover?: We’re based on Holly Bush Lane in Sevenoaks and work across the surrounding Kent area. If you’re not certain you’re near enough, ask — it’s a short phone call.
How new is the company?: T.Hodgson & Partners Ltd was incorporated in July 2025 and is registered at Companies House under number 16594512. We’d rather tell you that plainly than dress it up: every review on our Google profile has come from work done since we started, and all of them are five stars.

It usually is. Ring Ted on 07304 311298, or read how a project runs with us first.