10 Questions to Ask a Prospective Home Renovations Contractor

There are a number of choices when you’re searching for a reputable, creative home renovations contractor in the Lower Mainland. Whether you’re in the market for a kitchen renovation to increase storage space, looking to renovate for resale, or just tired of looking at those old bathroom tiles, a renovations contractor can help. But how do you narrow down your list of those to consider? Here are a few questions you can ask to get the ball rolling, and discover the contractors that may fit the bill. Red flags would include unusually low timeline projections, or guarantees that seem too good to be true.

Question #1. What is your experience in home renovations?

You of course want to get an idea of your potential home renovator’s experience in the industry. You’ll find that it varies widely from company to company. 1364 Services has been serving customers since 2014. Owner Mark Charlesworth brought over ten years of experience in management and certification as an electrical contractor before that when he opened 1364. Best practice is to check out your potential contractor’s testimonials and/or blog on their website for a good idea of past accomplishments. There’s nothing wrong with hiring someone who is new to the industry as well — as long as they are upfront about it.

Question #2. Do you have references or examples of past projects I can see?

Examples of past work will give you a good idea, not only of the overall finished renovation, but of the materials and process used. Most of all, you want to see examples of similar types of renovations as what you are looking for. Examples are usually found on the contractor’s website and/or social media posts. You can certainly ask the contractor for contact information of previous clients as well. If the previous client is happy with the service, they most likely won’t mind giving a personal recommendation.

Question #3. How do you handle unexpected expenses?

Unexpected expenses can come up from time to time, especially if prices of materials rise suddenly. At 1364 we do our utmost to avoid unexpected costs from the outset by meticulously estimating costs and locking in pricing wherever possible. If an unavoidable unexpected cost arises, we will look for an alternative based on your needs. If the cost of a material you requested goes up and we can’t budget around it, we will do our best to recommend an alternative that fills the bill but doesn’t add to the project cost.

Question #4. What is the timeline for the project, and how will you handle delays?

Great question! Delays can also happen if delivery of materials is not available according to the original timeline. At 1364, if it looks like there might be a delay, we will inform you immediately. Some delays may be unavoidable, but our team is well-versed in creating accurate project timelines, which is the best way to avoid delays in the first place. A timeline for the project should be established at the outset in some detail. If you have an event coming up or need your renovation to be complete by a specific date, make sure the potential contractors you speak to are aware of it and can accommodate it.

Question #5. Will you obtain any permits or licenses needed?

As the customer, you won’t want to have to spend time and energy applying for or obtaining permits and licenses you may need to complete your renovation. You may not even know if you need any, or which ones to request. Given that not having the proper permits can result in heavy fines in some municipalities, you’ll want to make sure any contractors you speak to have the experience to know what you’ll need in that regard, and the resources to get it done. Once issued, some permits may expire after a certain period of time, which is something you’ll want to investigate with a potential contractor.

Question #6. How do you handle communication and updates during the renovation process?

You’ll want to know what to expect with regard to communication. Will it be by phone? Email? Text? All of the above? It’s best to make the arrangements at the start for communication and updates that are most relevant and convenient for you. If the schedule or process needs to changed at some point, your contractor should be flexible enough to accommodate it.

Question #7. Do you have employees or do you contract the work to other companies?

Not all home renovators have the cash flow to keep full-time employees on staff. Many contract individual aspects of the renovation to contract services. Contracting out also allows cost savings to be passed onto the customer, since there is little or no overhead associated with keeping employees on the payroll. If the contractors you speak to use outside services, they should be happy to let you know who those companies are and to stand by their reputations.

Question #8. What is your payment schedule and method?

f the company has policies around payments, installments, and how they want to be paid (E-transfer, credit card, etc.), you may want to have this information at the outset so you can keep it in the back of your mind when making your final decision on a contractor. Most renovation companies (like 1364 Services) will try to be as flexible as possible so the payment method and schedule works for both renovator and client.

Question #9. Do you provide a detailed written contract outlining the scope of work, materials, and warranties?

A comprehensive contract protects both parties and clarifies project details, and lets you know exactly what to expect. In other words, you definitely want to get it in writing. Read the contract carefully before signing. If it’s a large job, you can engage a law firm to have a look and give it their blessing.

Question #10. Where can I find reviews of your work?

Most contractors will provide some testimonials on their website, but you can also go straight to the source of online reviews left via Google reviews, Trusted Pros, Houzz.com, Yelp.com and the company’s Facebook page.

There you have 10 questions to ask a prospective renovations contractor before hiring. If you have a renovation project in mind, don’t hesitate to reach out to us through our contact page here: https://www.1364services.com/contact . Let us know what you have in mind, and we’ll take it from there.