Choose a Contractor Burlington
As spring is upon us the thoughts of renovations, additions and “the next project” courses through our minds. In Canada the mild weather brings ushers in all the outdoor fun that has been pent up with the winter’s cabin fever. If you are thinking of a construction project and don’t have the time or skills to take it on yourself, you are presented with a somewhat daunting task of selecting a contractor in the Burlington area.
The City of Hamilton has a reasonably rigorous process to grant licences to contractors, but many Municipalities do not. For a homeowner hiring a contractor in Burlington there is no requirement for local licencing….. So what do you do? Acting as Construction Managers on everything from small additions to large luxury homes Chatsworth Fine Homes regularly interviews companies for various trade contracts. Lisa Hunter who works with Chatsworth Fine Homes in purchasing offers the following tips, for her recommended CONTRACTOR CHECKLIST:
– Make sure you get at least three detailed quotes. Once you have the details you can compare the different quotes and ask questions based on what some have included and what others don’t. This is a time to educate yourself on exactly what you are getting. The devil is in the details!
– Ask the Contractor if he expects any extra costs or does he feel his quote encompasses all the work and if there are extra costs what are the procedures to get approval. Although not definitive this will set the “ground rules” for moving ahead.
– Ask for references with names, phone numbers and addresses. Do your homework, actually ask the Contractor’s previous clients about the work that they had done?
– Is the Contractor from Burlington? How long have they been in business?
– What is the warranty that applies from a) the manufacturer and if different, b) from the contractor? Is it prorated in any way?
– Has the contractor Burlington projects you can drive by?
– How many years have they been in business. Could you get a copy of their insurance?
– Are they covered by Workers compensation? If they are getting a certificate is very simple.
– Do they ask for deposits and if so how much? What are their payment terms? Most reputable contractors have accounts from suppliers so besides an “earnest” deposit of say 5% there shouldn’t be a need for large deposits… unless the job has a lot of custom order materials. Keep in mind most good contractors are not aggressive about payment.
Lisa goes on to describe the process she undertakes at Chatsworth Fine Homes. “If you are looking for a contractor in Burlington, we may be able to recommend a known trade”. Lisa continues “On nearly all our projects we use formal scopes of work so that we can ensure all our trades price the same thing. This makes a transparent process for our clients and suppliers and makes sure we get competitive pricing.”
If you are looking for a Contractor in Burlington, contact Chatsworth Fine Homes to get the job done for you, or they can help point you in the right direction.
