What Is Making Good?
Written by James Walker · Last reviewed 15 August 2026
James Walker has 2 degrees in construction (BSc (Hons) Building Surveying · MSc Environmental Design of Buildings) and an extensive background in issue resolution, resolving over £4 billion of consumer issues.
Making good means repairing the damage that the work itself caused, filling chased walls, plastering, sanding and decorating so the finished area looks whole again.
Why it matters more than it sounds
It is one of the most commonly excluded items in a quote and one of the most commonly disputed afterwards.
An electrician chases cables into walls. A plumber lifts floorboards. A window installer damages plaster and sills. All of that is normal and unavoidable. The question is who repairs it, and whether that is in the price.
How to handle it
Ask explicitly: is making good included, and to what standard?
"To a plasterable finish" and "ready to decorate" and "decorated to match" are three different things at three different prices. Get the answer in writing before comparing quotes, because one quote including it and another not is not a comparison.
Where it bites hardest
Rewires, window replacement, and anything involving removing an old kitchen or bathroom. In each case the exposed damage is substantial and the cost of repairing it is real.
How it works
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