Allision & Greg

Questions to Ask While Choosing a Renovation Contractor

Questions to Ask While Choosing a Renovation Contractor 800 600 Marino Scopelleti

Are you planning to renovate your home? Are you looking for home renovation contractors? Or you are just bingeing on home renovation shows online, and that makes you want to renovate and spice up your space according to your tastes and preferences. No matter what the reason is, asking the right questions to a contractor is quite essential, as you will be hiring them to renovate your home. As dreadful as it sounds but hiring the right contractor might be the most significant and most crucial remodeling decision you will ever make.

Following are few questions you need to ask while choosing a renovation contractor.

Are you insured and licensed?

If the reply to this question is anything, but yes, it automatically is a deal-breaker. You might as well end the conversation there itself. Nevertheless, if the answer is yes, then ask for a copy of the paper and proof of insurance to verify. It is good to check with your local authorities to confirm whether the contractor is appropriately licensed.

Experience

It is essential to ask and know your contractor’s overall experience as it gives you a proper insight into the specific projects the contractor has worked on previously. An experienced home improvement contractor usually provides excellent quality work, has the impressive local market knowledge, and has a reliable reputation among subcontractors and suppliers. However, it also very important to know that experience does not mean reliability; you need to ask for references from prior clients to verify if the contractors are established.

Can You Provide References Of Your Work?

It is vital to go through a contractor’s last project. Genuine contractors would be willing to show off their work and creativity. If you wish to, you can request a client’s address they have worked on, and if it is alright, you can visit to look at it. References do not only mean seeing completed projects; you can go online and visit their website, go through testimonials, have a chat with former clients. This process will help you find out what a client likes/dislikes, whether they would recommend it to others and whether they would turn to the same home renovation company for future renovation projects.

Can I Get A Detailed Estimate?

Getting an estimate does not mean an unexpected expense amount of the entire project; it does not tell much. It would be best if you asked for a detailed estimate of the renovation project. Ask for a numbered list of specific things that will be used in the home improvement project, e.g., tile, lighting fixtures, drywall, carpentry, framing, plumbing, electrical work, HVAC, flooring, painting, labor, demolition, and hauling trash. Once you get a list, go through it, get rid of the unnecessary items you think are mentioned, and add only essential things. This will help you get rid of excess cost if there is any.

Warranties

Professional contractors provide a clearly-defined warranty on materials and workmanship, and set this out as part of the contract. Make sure this is included. Verbal assurances that a contractor will “come back and fix anything that goes wrong” are very difficult to enforce after the job is finished, and any contractor who won’t provide these details in writing should be suspect.

The contractor’s warranty should cover the quality of the installation or construction work they are doing and construction materials. It should specify what is covered and for how long. Typically two years.

Who will be working on my project?

Most of the time, the person who oversees the projects is usually different from the contractor who puts together your proposal. You will require asking for a supervisor and the project manager to visit the construction site whenever possible. This will help gain insights into the projects’ actual progress and understand the rising obstacles if any.

What Can I Expect While Work Is Progress?

Most homeowners often forget this question, as it is also one of the essential questions you need to ask the contractor. Firstly, get a tentative completion time of the project. Well, you also need to ask other questions concerning ‘what can I expect?’ following are a few (so that you have an idea):

  • What will be the start and end times of workdays? This is just for you to know what time the workers will come and go
  • Which power outlets will the workers require to operate their pieces of equipment?
  • What are the ways to cover personal belongings?
  • Will, the workers, have protective clothes and shoes so that there no permanent imprints around the house
  • Ask whether it is all right of you to be present while work is in progress
  • Does the project require you to move out temporarily while the project is undergoing work?
  • Most importantly, ask how the workers will handle the cleanup process.

Looking for a suitable home improvement contractor in Toronto, get in touch with Sunnylea Homes on (416)-789-5229 or renovate@staging.wsipowered.com to discuss your requirements.

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