Would like to meet... a good builder

RENOVATING? STOP TRAWLING ONLINE — TRY AN INTERIORS MATCHMAKING SERVICE INSTEAD, SAYS OLIVIA LIDBURY

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Renovating sounds fun in theory - but the reality is you're likely to feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of decisions to make.

Choosing from 40,000 registered architects can be daunting. And securing a reliable builder? You've got a better chance of sailing around the South Circular on a Saturday afternoon. Surely there must be a better way?

If your pockets are deep then you could call in a "matchmaking" service. Carter Wells does for homeowners what recruiters do for HR departments - headhunting prospective interior designers, architects, landscapers, builders and project managers, then matching them with private clients. "People are often relieved to be able to hand over such an involved process as it not only saves them time, but can save them from making a lot of costly mistakes," explains Alice Barrington-Wells, who founded the company in 2012.