Choose Your Contractor Carefully (Part 1)
Scams 101
The lowest of the low are the fly-by-night scammers who solicit a few hundred dollars for small jobs such as eaves trough cleaning or driveway sealing.
Deposits cashed for work that’s never done and the failure to finish jobs are among the most common complaints filed about renovators.
Unsolicited roof repairs are another common ploy. “Someone comes by and says something like ‘I’m just in the neighborhood doing roofing. I have stuff left over and it looks like your roof could use some work,'” explains Barbara Carter, national director of the community education program ABCs of Fraud, based in Toronto. “The guy will say ‘I’ll give you a deal. All I need is $300 up front and I’ll go get the materials.’ They take that $300 and are never seen again.”
While you can never be entirely sure someone is on the up and up, there are steps you can take to reject the bad apples.
Finding the right contractor
For any renovation, large or small, you should get a minimum of three estimates. Word-of-mouth references are best-at least you’ll know one satisfied customer. You should be wary of a jack of all trades (master of none) contractor. For a multi-faceted job, such as a kitchen or bathroom renovation, you ideally want to work with multiple subcontractors who specialize in trades like plumbing, wiring, tiling or drywall.
Ask for a detailed written estimate
(A number quickly scribbled on the back of a business card doesn’t count), preferably on company stationery. The business information on it will help with background checks; the specifics will help you compare apples to apples. When getting an estimate for a deck, for example, make sure that all contractors price out using the same materials, size and a comparable layout. Query any who are significantly higher or lower than others for an explanation: What services and materials are they including or leaving out? Finally, don’t make a choice based solely on the lowest price. Remember the old adage: If it sounds too good to be true, it most probably is.
Background check
Once you’ve chosen a company you think you might want to use, there are a few more steps you need to take before signing a contract. It may seem like a lot of work, but it can save you aggravation down the road. Start by asking to see photos of recent work and for customer references to check. Of course, no company is going to give out the number of an irate customer as a reference. But if any of the contacts they do give are less than totally satisfied with the job they had done, you should take that as a warning. If you have the time, try to visit the site of a work in progress.
If there’s a Better Business Bureau (BBB) in your area, give it a call. Many people don’t realize that BBBs keep records of complaints made against both member and non-member companies: ccbbb.ca
With one quick call, you can learn if a business has had grievances lodged against it within the past three years. To retain their affiliation with the BBB, member companies must resolve any complaints to the organization’s satisfaction-although not necessarily your own.
As well, check with your local municipal licensing office to verify that the contractor has a valid operating license. Some trades, such as plumbers, electricians and HVAC installers, require specialized licenses. You can verify with their trade association or provincial labor ministry that they’re qualified.
You may also want to check with your provincial business licensing office to verify that the company is formally registered. In Ontario, you can conduct a business name search through the Ministry of Consumer and Business Services ($12 in person/$8 online) and get an instant report on the name, address and ownership of any company with a current business registration. Obviously, if the company you’re considering is not registered under the name you’ve been given, warning bells should go off.
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