Follow these 7 easy steps to make sure you get the right Contractor for the job!

1. Think about your renovation list and prioritize the items. Use the internet for ideas and pictures of what you might like done – it’s a great tool and helps put a vision to your ideas and goes a long way if you can show the picture to your Contractor when discussing budget.

2. Budget – it’s always the elephant in the room and the customer is leery to offer up their budget incase the renovation cost is lower and the Contractor takes advantage of that. A good Contractor will not do this as budget is one of the most important things to discuss as it sets expectations. You as the customer know how much you have to spend, and the Contractor knows how much it will cost.

3. BEFORE getting estimates, do your homework. Visit the Better Business Bureau website at http://ottawa.bbb.org/ and select ‘Check out a business or charity’ then type the name of the company. You’d be surprised to know that a business does not need to be BBB accredited to have complaints filed against them! If you do a search and it comes back with no files found – you’re safe to proceed.

4. Question the Contractor about liability insurance and WSIB coverage. You might be surprised to know how many contractors in Ottawa are operating WITHOUT the proper coverage and if you allow them into your home and something happens – YOU as the home owner are responsible.  It’s not enough that they tell you they have it, ask them for a copy of their policy and WSIB clearance.

5. Do take the time to check references. Any good Contractor will be elated to provide you with references – if there is any hesitation to do so – think twice!

6. Ask WHO will be doing the actual work and find out if they have the proper credentials to be doing so.

7. Be careful when obtaining multiple estimates for a couple of reasons.

Make sure you are comparing apples to apples, in other words – has each company quoted the exact same thing, or is company A’s price higher because they included something that company B did not.

Cheaper is NOT always better. Some companies will submit a much lower price but will charge you ‘extras’ all along the way so that in the end – their estimate looks just like the rest of them.

Contractor Tip: Kitchen and bathroom renovations are most popular as they have the greatest return on value as an upgrade to your home. As a general rule, kitchen renovations are typically 10% of the total value of your home. So if your home is worth $300,000, and you budget $30,000 you should be safe. Bathroom renovations are generally 5% of the home’s value. Much is dependent upon selection, grade of materials used and square footage of area. 

For all of your Ottawa home renovations, Call us today. 613-715-4841