What are the top 3 questions to ask when hiring a Construction Contractor?
Looking for a Construction Contractor in Whitby or Bowmanville or Durham Region?
When you are thinking of hiring a construction contractor there are many things to think about. We have listed a few questions that you may not have thought about. Here are 3 questions that your construction contractor should be able to answer effectively. If they can’t answer them, then be wary.
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Do all of your employees have working at heights training?
If the answer is yes, then you have a contractor that values safety and who is meeting the ministry of labour guidelines. This course is mandatory to all contractors next year. It is important for you to know this as a homeowner because you are liable if that contractor falls from a height and they were working on your home. Being sure that all employees on the job site are certified is the first step to ruling out the construction contractors that are not abiding by the rules. All qualified contractors will have a certificate of completion.
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What is your rating from the better business bureau?
Your contractor should be able to answer this. You can go onto the better business bureau’s website at www.bbb.org and type in your construction contractor’s name and location to search them or you can search them by their phone number. You can get a lot of information including the date when the company opened its doors. Be sure to look for the date that the business was started and not when they were accredited by the BBB. This may help you understand the level of experience that the company has. You can also search for companies that are not accredited by the bbb to see if they have had any complaints against them in the past.
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Are you qualified and what makes you qualified?
In Ontario, a construction contractor does not actually have to be qualified to do contracting work. Be sure to ask your contractor what makes them qualified. Many people do this as a handyman service or as a part-time job. If you are looking for a skilled worker with proper training to handle your project, be sure that they have finished an apprenticeship or college program and have many years of experience working in this field completing your type of project. If you are unsure about their project experience, ask to see pictures of their work or ask for references. And remember, you get what you pay for. If the price seems too good to be true. It probably is.
For more tips from behind the scenes, please see our “Picking a Contractor” page.