Hiring a Contractor: Ask the “Real” Questions
In this weekly Q&A column, retired builder/building inspector Cam Allen answers readers’ home renovation questions. Have a question? Enter it in the form below.
When I started writing this column nearly a year ago I anticipated a lot of
basic home project questions, I was wrong. YouTube and the internet
have taken over the “I can show you this” home repair. What has
surprised me is the sheer volume of questions on where do I go, can I
believe this product or service and who can I trust questions. So if you
are a regular reader, you are going to see more columns in this vein.
We, my co-author and I, help those who want to build their own addition or new home, acting as a project guide and only stepping in if the job goes sideways. Every summer after I have chosen one file, we start a major project and this year is no different. I wish more competent, skilled retired builders would avail their skills in this manner. Over the next X months I will open this window for you, our reader, to see the people inside this passive-like new home.
This year’s couple are in their middle ages as more and more new home
owners are. Sadly too many of the young adults are unable to afford their own home. I am going to show you the opening list we developed to help a client hire a contractor and no, it’s not like the internet checklists. This is a “people list” to help you get off on the right foot of a dream. I can remember some years ago, 1982 to be exact, a close trade friend gave me a list called the “Intended Lifestyle” for a prospective homeowner. Among the questions was one section called “Preferences” and these were questions:
- Are you immaculately groomed, wear Gucci shoes and drive a Mercedes?
- Do you wear blue jeans, have mud on your boots and drive a Volvo?
- Do you buy your clothes at Sears and drive a Chev?
I start every interview with these three questions and have for over 40 years. Does everyone laugh, yes you bet! But does every client get my point, for sure. You are going to live your lifestyle in this home, make it “your” home and not the one from the decorating magazine.
The next step is getting some names of trades. Ask your family, friends and those you work with. If you have ever had any repairs done to your home, ask the trades that have already worked for you. Five-star online ratings are fine for appliances, not for the person you are trusting with your life savings and income for X years into the future.
Take a couple of hours or so and drive around the area you live in or where you hope to. When you see an addition or home being built, hopefully at the early stages, park across the road and watch. If every single truck in the driveway is wrapped in glossy advertising vinyl, move on. Other sites will have one or maybe two “rollin’ billboards”, heating contractors usually. The rest may have some basic lettering or a logo. Watch the workers and yes there are ladies in the trades now. I can think of a couple of very good lady electricians.
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If there seems to be one person running from one worker to the next, how organized are they? How long have they been together? You are buying the sum of their work, not the individual effort. Established trade crews know the site – few words are spoken. Find a couple of contractors like this. Remember you are hiring the person to lead your dream, finding this person could take weeks. You have to like and respect your contractor. If you don’t like him at the start you sure won’t at the end. He is not your best friend but there must be mutual respect or your site is doomed.
Don’t be afraid to walk up to the site and ask for the Lead Hand or General – 50 percent of our business came from face-to-face on-site contact and yes first impressions have value. You are in his or her environment, not a prim and proper office and this has a comfort to it from both sides. Just ask for their card, tell them you have watched them a bit, just small talk. Most contractors are a bit wary about unannounced salesmen and inspectors – “who are you?” Don’t ask for references, insurance, etc at this point, do some homework and then come back to their site if you are comfortable with your research.
At this point ask to sit down, you would be amazed by the number of jobs we discussed at Tims over a double-double. Pictures really are worth a thousand words. Take pics of the trades’ trucks, job site, materials wrapped up on site and any supplier tags visible, be discrete. Find out everything you can about this company. If things go south, you would be amazed how helpful records like this can be.
Next, find out who your prospective contractor business is, starting with your provincial builders information, in my case it’s the Ontario Builders Directory. If you are having a home built they must be registered for new home warranty. Next go to your provincial Business Registry and enter their name. This should give you some basics as to who owns the business, how long and type of work registered for. In some cities they also insist on a municipal licence. Some areas require this license to be identified on the outside of their truck. There may be some service fees. It’s well worth knowing their corporate story.
OK, now you can pick up your pen and paper, your tablet or phone and start making notes. Everything you have done up until now got you to the starting line, good luck!
Images from Depositphotos
Have a Home Renovation Question?
Write it down below and we’ll get back to you. All questions get answered – every week, we’ll select one for publication in the column.
