In Lawrence Park Toronto, home renovations have several benefits but they are often very intimidating. One important part of your project is to choose a contractor before you get started. The contractor you choose will either make or break your remodeling or renovation project. Therefore, finding the right contractor will influence the outcome and timeliness of the work, and the amount of financial and emotional stress that you will experience.

1. Are You Licensed?

It’s not a brilliant idea to hire an unlicensed contractor. Ensure that the contractor you hire is licensed to work in your area. You should also request for the trade certification. These documents will give you peace of mind that you are working with professionals. Also, ensure that you confirm the validity of their license and certifications.

2. Are You Covered?

Despite whether your state requires contractors to be covered or not, ensure that you hire workers who are covered. At a minimum, they should have a general liability insurance cover. Your contractor should also have workers compensation. All these are safety measures that will protect all those involved in your remodeling project.

3. Can You Itemize Your Bid?

Most contractors will offer you a bottom-line price for your home renovation project. However, this will keep you in the dark on how much they are charging for each part of your project. For instance, in case you wanted to install new cabinets in your kitchen renovation and you decide not to have them installed, how much should you be credited? When you have a bottom-line price, you cannot know.

4. Is your Price Fixed?

Some contractors tend to give estimated bids, meaning that the total costs can increase. Therefore, ensure that you request for a fixed price. In case a potential contractor claims that he or she cannot offer a fixed price due to the many unknowns, try and eliminate those unknowns. However, in case you cannot solve the unknowns, ensure that the specifications of your project are clear enough to instruct your Alair Homes Lawrence Park Toronto contractor on what to do.

5. When Do You Expect To Complete The Job?

Because sometimes you will be forced to take a few days off from work or stay at home during weekends, it is necessary to know when your contractor will complete the task. The last thing you want is to take more time from work than you expected because you thought that your project would only take a few days or weeks while it required several months.

6. For How Long Have You Been Working in This Area?

Contractors who have worked for several years locally are more likely to have an established network of suppliers and subcontractors around the area. This makes them a preferable option compared to new contractors.

7. Who Are Some of Your Local Suppliers?

Because contractors who have worked locally are most likely networked with local suppliers, you can get information about your contractors’ level of quality and reliability by talking to some of the proprietors. Inquire about the contractors’ professional reputation, if he has left many clients unsatisfied, and if he is someone who can be hired.

8. I Would Like to See Some of the Previous Projects Your Foreman Has Handled

Contractors don’t spend their time swinging hammers. Instead, most of their time is spent searching for new business, managing projects, and their employees. This means that the foreman is the most important person in the team because he will be the one supervising your project every day. It is advisable to meet the foreman and view some of his projects and if they were smoothly tackled.

9. Do You Have A Warranty For Your Work?

In case your contractor is willing to guarantee his team’s work, it means that he has enough confidence that the team will do a good job. If the workers don’t meet your expectations, then he or she will be liable. Contractors who agree to provide you with long warranties are confident in the materials they have used in the project.

10. Why Should I Hire Your Company?

This is a very important question when you are checking different contractors. It will help you learn the unique selling positions of the different contractors you talk to. You should check for unique aspects that make them stand out from the rest. In most cases, the best contractor will tell you that he or she is.