You’ve had three quotes. They’re all different – in this guide we will explain why.

One company has a smart website, a detailed quote with written contract, and a team of DBS-checked staff. The second is a bloke who answered after you called him 3 times and sounded like he was half asleep – his number was passed to you by a friend of a friend. The third company sound half decent, you found their Facebook page, but they don’t have a website, you spoke to them on Thursday they can start Monday. All 3 are offering to do the same job.

This guide exists because those gaps needs explaining. Not defending - explaining. The financial figures you will read in this article are real, they are ours (individual to us), and by the time you've read them you'll understand exactly where your money goes when you hire a legitimate limited company - and exactly what you're not getting when you don't.