J & C Barker (Builders) Limited

The job was to replace a lintel, and repair and repoint some brickwork. Jim did an excellent and professional job; and came on the dates and times as advised. I wouldn't hesitate to use him again and can thoroughly recommend him.

Jim undertook work to brick up an external door from an integral garage, create a replacement internal door into the house and to tile the garage floor. He was precise on exactly what work would be undertaken for his quoted price. His work was of a high standard. He took time throughout the project to keep us informed of progress, to completion. We were very comfortable having Jim work in our home and would be happy to use him again in the future.

After reading previous reviews I asked Jim for a quote to move an L shaped section of garden wall and to key it back in with an existing section of the wall. He came out very quickly to see the job and also responded very quickly with a reasonable quote. Within two weeks he returned to undertake the work which he completed to an excellent standard in two and a half days. He worked hard and managed to recover the bricks and reuse them without the need to use new ones. I have asked Jim quote for further work and my neighbour is also going to contact him. I will certainly use him again, thank you for a good job.

Jim replaced the lintels above four windows and did some repointing in such cold and atrocious weather. He was prompt every day and worked really hard without a single complaint. His work is first class and I’m so happy with the finished job. I would totally recommend him. Such a lovely guy too.

I contacted Jim following a leak after the recent bad weather. Jim was able to quickly come round, take a look at the problem, and provide a quote. A few days later he was back doing the job. He was very quick and tidy. He turned up when he said he was going to. His work looks excellent. Jim was polite, respectful, and pleasant to chat to. I paid the price quoted. I would definitely recommend Jim's services.

Communication was excellent from day one. He kept us up to date via e-mail. After initial contact and a visit assessment, Jim was able to give us a written quotation for the work needed, which was supported by photographs. He was punctual on each day and carried out all repairs to a standard well above our expectations. A very friendly builder and we would definitely use him again. Glad we went with a Which? Trusted Trader.

Jim did a great job. worked well turned up when he said he would cleaned up after himself kept us informed at each stage of the job and listened to what we required. Would 100% recommend him to anyone and would definitely use him for any other building work I need

Jim is a great guy. Very pleasant and works away without any problems. He was Covid aware and gave a very good quote for work on guttering. The first day it was pouring with rain and Jim was out there starting the work. Paid exactly what was quoted and have no hesitation in recommending Jim to other customers. It is a relief that our work has finally been done after trying to get other people out to fix the gutters. Will definitely use Jim again.

Could not recommend Jim enough, he was punctual every day and completed the job ( an internal wall removing and plastering) to a very high standard, which we are so pleased with. Did it all with a bit of humour also! We felt very comfortable having him in the house as he was respectful too. Will be the first person I contact when I want more work doing in the future.

We waited a while for the job to be done but we had told him there was no particular rush. He replaced the front gutter and downspout and cleaned the facia boards. This was completed to our satisfaction, the only complaint being that he did not clean the windows of the stains which his work had caused.

I employed Jim to make good the plaster work in my house following a full electrical re wire. It was quite a challenging task but he has made a great job of it, completed ahead of time and left the house tidy. His timekeeping was spot on and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him. I would definitely employ him again in the future.

Jim responded very quickly when we had a new patch of damp on a bedroom wall. He identified the problem and provided a clear quote for the work. Turned up on time and carried out repairs to the roof to a high standard. Good communication throughout and we took the liberty of asking for a few extra repairs to the chimney to be done while the scaffolding was in place which Jim did without compliant. Would definitely use again

Jim did an excellent job replacing our soffits, facias, guttering, filling in broken flooring and put in a door leading to our garage. The job was done to a high professional standard and we are very pleased with the end result. It was also done to the agreed schedule and budget. Jim was polite, helpful and gave good advice regarding the work that needed doing. His work was neat and he made sure all mess was cleared away once the job had been completed. I would highly recommend Jim to anyone who needs this particular work done on their house.

Shortly after contacting Jim we arranged for a visit to our home where I pointed out two brick work jobs that needed urgent attention. It was pouring with rain yet Jim took his time to review the work that needed to be undertaken. Once Jim started on the work in hand his knowledge and professional skills shone through. A credit to his profession he worked steadily with a ready smile when we asked questions about the progress. Whilst undertaking two main structural issues he also undertook three other pieces of work that had come to his attention. Punctual every day, worked steadily keeping us informed of his progress. He never seemed to be rushed but his personal and professional skills were readily on view throughout his stay with us. Our contribution to his working day was regular mugs of strong tea. Would wholeheartedly recommend Jim if he agrees to do work for you count yourself fortunate. If needed we would certainly seek to use Jim again.

Jim has just completed our work. He is a very methodical and thorough, checking with us as he went along and advising the best approach. We have asked him back for further work. I would not hesitate to recommend him. He is reliable and trustworthy working non stop each day. It's great to find a good builder!

We got Jim in to do some roofing repairs and were so impressed with his professionalism and the standard of his work that we asked him to do a second job for us, which was to investigate and repair some sinking flags. Jim is a pleasure to deal with. He sets dates and times and sticks to them, he is incredibly knowledgeable and experienced and has very high standards. He explained what he was going to do and why and kept us informed throughout. I would highly recommend him to friends and family.

Jim re-did my kitchen ceiling, taking the original ceiling down and raising the ceiling to the level of the ground floor extension roof. He also put metal netting round all entry/exit points to deter rodents. He also worked on two chimneys on the roof, making them watertight. He was very helpful in discussing the work, arrived promptly each day, made good first impressions, was cheerful and helpful. He did the work to a high standard, and cleared up well. I would ask him again, if other work needed doing and I recommend him to others.

We contacted Jim after reading reviews on Which? Trusted Trader, and from first contact (which was between that awkward Christmas and New Year period), Jim came out, undertook a survey of works required and provided us with a reasonable quote. When the work commenced (removing and making good inside and out two windows, repairs to Soffits and removal and replacing a flat ceiling with a fully insulated pitch ceiling), Jim arrived promptly, kept us informed and gave us welcome advice at each stage and finished the work cleanly and meticulously. It was clear from the outset that Jim loves his work and cares as much about the end result as you do. His passion and professionalism shone through with each piece of work being completed with a real sense of pride. We are delighted with the work that Jim completed for us and would not hesitate to use again or recommend to others.

Jim repointed our loft interior gable end wall and chimney breast on a circa 1790 old cottage. The job was difficult for access and Jim took time and his expertise to complete. A job well done. Thank you

It can be so difficult to find a reliable trader, I asked local builders to provide quotes for repointing a couple of house walls and they didn't even return my call! I trust the Which? brand and after reading reviews I decided to contact Jim. Within a couple of hours we had exchanged phone calls and arranged for a site survey to take place the following week. Within two weeks of our initial contact Jim started the repointing and had it finished in five days, well before any frosts or bad weather. Jim was easy to get on with (he prefers strong white tea, no sugar) and proved to be a considerate and conscientious workman, arriving promptly and working safely. The quality of his work was excellent and he made a good job of cleaning up once the job was finished. This proved to be a thoroughly pleasant experience!

If you are looking for a professional builder who produces high quality work and has all the attributes of being a true gentleman, then Jim is your man. I would not hesitate to call on Jim's services again or indeed recommend him to a friend.

Jim provided a very quick and reasonable quote. He kept us informed, was reliable and did the work as promised. He even did a bit extra not originally quoted for! We’ll use him again and highly recommend him!

Jim came round quickly to assess the damage to our kitchen ceiling caused by a burst and gave us a very fair quote. He is very professional and turned up on the arranged date to do the work which he did to a great standard. He cleared up all the debris and took it with him. Wouldn't hesitate to use him again.

Jim responded quickly to our initial enquiry providing detailed quotes for a number of jobs, i.e. repointing the back wall of house, replacing and repairing guttering etc. After accepting the quotes Jim gave us plenty of notice when the work would start and roughly how long the job would take. The start of the job coincided with some atrocious weather but this didn't deter Jim, strong brews throughout the day seemed to be all the motivation he needed. At the end of each day he left everything clean and tidy hosing down the patio and clearing away all the debris. In regards to his workmanship it was second to none, a thoroughly professional builder which I would have no hesitation in recommending.

From initial request for a quote all the way through to finishing the job Jim delivered on his promises. Prompt quote, arrived on the day and time stated, worked in all weathers, produced a high quality job and left everywhere clean and tidy. Highly recommended.

We feel very fortunate to have found Jim on Which? Trusted Traders. To begin with we only asked Jim to remove and 'brick up' an external door. That was done with great care in all respects. The brick matching was done superbly, the debris from the original build was removed from the cavity (which Jim insulated really well), the bricklaying itself is terrific - it is just not possible to see that there was ever a door there; in fact our neighbor (who has reason to be a good judge of such things), was so impressed that he asked Jim to do a tricky job on his own house. Whilst Jim was engaged on the above, we asked him to take on several other jobs. Those were all done with the same meticulous professionalism. We also felt that Jim's pricing was very reasonable, especially as a job on our garage roof involved scaffolding (again, the proper way to do things - both for safety and the work)! Jim also saved the day brilliantly by lending some of his own equipment, at absolutely no notice, when someone else suffered a technical failure a long way from home! All in all, we feel very fortunate to have discovered Jim - who is also a splendid fellow! Yes - recommended indeed!

Jim has recently replaced a broken lintel over patio doors. After first telephone contact, he quickly came to view the job, quoted a fair price and kept me up to date on when he would do the job. On the day he arrived promptly, completed the work to my satisfaction and tidied up, removing all debris. Jim works well - but strong tea is a must! I'll certainly be using him for future jobs. Rod, Bury.

Jim has done work on my roof and my walls over the years. Excellent work, very reliable.

A great service, where Mr Barker responded quickly to concerns as water was pouring in through the bathroom ceiling, which we noticed during heavy rain. It turned out not to be a roofing problem after all but a plumbing one all investigated by Mr Barker who stopped the leak. What a great service. Thanks Mr Barker!

We had previously used Jim and were completely satisfied so this time asked him to replace the roof line around the house (soffits, fascia boards, gutters, point valley gutters) with upvc. He was always on time and kept us fully informed throughout. The quality of his work is excellent and he cleaned up after finishing. Jim is extremely conscientious and we thoroughly recommend his work. Harry

Jim has done varied building work for us over the last few years. He is reliable and very hard working. We have been delighted with his high standard of work and he always tidies up and leaves the place in excellent order. We would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a builder who can be trusted to do a perfect job.

We have hired Jim on two occasions now to repair and improve areas in our home. Jim has a great work ethic and we have been really pleased with the results. Always punctual, tidy, professional, extremely capable and with a good sense of humour. Highly recommended, and we would certainly look to hire again in the future. Thanks again.

Complicated job involving brickwork, woodwork, plastering & tiling. All done efficiently and professionally. Nice guy to have in the house too.

Dear all, I had occasion to need to put some double glazing in an old property near Darwen and get a water ingress problem sorted out. I, however, live some 200 miles away in Suffolk and knew of no local builders. I found Jim through Which? trusted traders, read the reviews and decided that life is too short not travel hopefully. I rang Jim, explained what I needed and paid him to do a site survey and provide a quote. He communicated with me extremely well during this initial contact, explained that the water getting in was easily and cheaply fixed (how many other builders do you know who would have reported this?) and provided me with a reasonable quote for the work and fitting the new double glazing and doors. He was also extremely helpful in getting the necessary planning permission. Jim then proposed a timescale, which was very reasonable, and we agreed that the job should go ahead. The job was completed exactly when Jim said it would be, with no hidden extras in terms of cost. He also subsequently helped with the planning department when they overlooked sending us the completion certificate. When I spoke to planning they were very complimentary over the standard of workmanship that they had found on inspection. To this day Jim and I have never met but I would have no hesitation in recommending him as I have found him to be a man of his word and a gentleman.