Choosing a Contractor
Published: July 6, 2006
An unprofessional contractor can seriously damage your home, your bank account and your sanity. Everyone has heard about a "renovation from hell" but if you do your homework, you are much more likely to avoid the cowboys and conmen.
Once you've decided on your budget and the type of home improvements you want you have to become part detective, part recruitment consultant. Get recommendations from friends and family. Knock on the doors of recently renovated homes and talk to the owners.
If there are any home and design shows in town, buy a ticket. It's a good place to meet lots of contractors in one place. They should have portfolios that show off their previous work and they should be happy to offer general advice on your project. Find out how long they have been in business, who their clients are, where they work, and the type of projects they handle. At home you can read through their brochures and browse their websites.
Not every contractor has the time or budget to attend these shows so check out publications like the Better Business Bureau's Consumer Guide, the websites of professional associations, the local chamber of commerce or even the local press. If a contractor is a member of any of these organizations or is a regular advertiser, it's a sign that they are well established.
Narrow your choice down to three and invite them over to scope out the size and detail of the project. Every contractor on the short list should have a municipal licence that allows them to work in the city. They should also be insured and have workers' compensation. Without it, you are liable for accidents that happen on the job.
Before the visits, write down a list of questions. Find out about their work crew and sub contractors, starting dates, project length and potential levels of disruption. Depending on the scope of the work you may also need to discuss issues such as permits, surveys and architectural drawings.
Have a clear idea of what you want to achieve. A selection of pictures from magazines, websites or even photos from houses in the neighbourhood will help illustrate your vision. They should also be able to offer advice about technical issues, design choices or material options.
When comparing quotes, don't just look at the price. Compare the quality of materials used, available warranties, procedures for rectifying damage and choice of supplier etc. Call them back if you are unsure of anything.
Once you've made your choice, get two or three references and make sure you follow up. Ask about the quality of the work but also find out about the professionalism of the crew, whether they stayed on budget, annoyed the neighbours or cleaned up after they left. Would they use the same contractor again? If work was done on the exterior of the house, do a drive by.
Before any work starts, insist on a contract that clearly details the scope of the job and sets out the payment stages. You will have to provide a deposit up front (usually 5 to10 per cent) but the other payments should be handed over according to the work done and materials purchased. Agree beforehand, what should happen if extra work is involved.
This isn't a personality contest but the contractor will be a fixture in your life for a while. You don't just want someone who can take care of the nuts and bolts, you want a contractor who you can stand to have in your house every day and who makes the process as stress free as possible. Finding the right one will take years off your house and not your life.
Useful links
www.bbbvan.org
www.gvhba.org
www.nvchamber.bc.ca
www.westvanchamber.com