You’ve bought your dream home – except it needs a little work. Unless it’s a small job, you’ll probably need to call in a contractor. But if you have never done this before, it can be a daunting prospect. Not all contractors are scrupulous, and if you are not careful, they can charge you for things they haven’t done, or leave before the job is completed.
Image: USACE Europe District / Flickr
Before you go crazy worrying about all of these potential problems, here are some tips to help you out.
1. Get a referral
The best and easiest way to make sure your contractor is on the up-and-up is to get a referral. If your friend or family member is referring them, you can get an idea of what their handywork looks like, how long they took, and how much they charged.
But even if you get a referral, make sure that the person who is doing the work on your house is experienced at the task. For instance, Joe the contractor might have done a great job on the plumbing of your friend’s house, but he might know nothing about roofs.
2. Get written estimates
If you can’t get a referral, ensuring that you cover your bases with estimates will help reduce your risk. For starters, get at least three estimates. And make sure these estimates are detailed, and consider how many materials and how much time it will take.
When you have your written estimates, compare them. Ask about any prices that seem out of whack compared to the other two. And don’t just go for the lowest price. Some contractors sucker you in with a low price and slowly jack it up as they “remember” all of the details they forgot in the original estimate.
3. Do a background check
When you are interested in a contractor, ask to see some of their recent jobs, and try to talk to customers they have completed work for. They likely won’t give you the phone number of any disgruntled former customers, but if any of them seem vaguely unhappy with the work, that’s not a good sign.
Check to see if they have been complained about at the local Better Business Bureau. You can see a full list of them at ccbbb.ca. You’ll also need to check at your municipal licensing office to see if they are fully accredited and licensed. If they are specialized – such as plumbers or electricians – they also have to be accredited through a provincial ministry.
Finally, you can also check to see if they are licensed at the provincial business licensing office. This can tell you if they aren’t registered as a business – which should be a warning sign.
All of this may seem lengthy and unnecessary, but choosing a contractor is serious business. Unless you do your homework, you might end up with a disaster on your hands.
Next week, I’ll provide some tips on what happens after you sign the contract.
Nelson Goulart
Broker of Record with Signature Service GMAC Real Estate
www.ssgmac.ca
