A home improvement project can be pretty complicated depending on what you are planning like a basement remodel, kitchen renovation, bathroom renovation, or total home renovation Toronto. However, Most of the challenges involved in the project can be effectively addressed by a competent home renovation contractor.
A home improvement project is the best way to build the dream home that you have always wanted, but, if you choose the wrong home renovation contractor Toronto, your project can quickly become a nightmare. Therefore choosing an experienced and expert contractor is your first task to ensure that you have a remodeled home that you can enjoy for several years and avoid a ton of unnecessary stress. Researching all your options carefully before zeroing down on a particular contractor will help you avoid the pitfalls.
On that note, here are some useful tips to help you identify the best home improvement contractor for your project.
1. Create a blueprint of your expectations
Write down all the items of work that you want done. Ideally, you should use the old world pen and paper for this task since that gives you the ability to review the blueprint frequently and make changes in consultation with the other members of your family. Once you are confident that everything that you need have been listed out, you can save the blueprint on your computer or mobile phone for subsequent discussions.
2. Create a realistic budget
Use the blueprint created by you to understand the broad cost of all the items you have planned. If you need help, the digital world has plenty of resources to understand the cost of each item of work. You can now ask the chosen contractor to give you a quote listing various items of work and the cost for each of those items. This helps you in comparing the costs with what you have listed out. The next step is understanding each item that your contractor has quoted for. There are various qualities and brands when it comes to the choice of materials. Hardware for instance can move from very cheap options to very expensive variants. Similar is the case with tiles, carpets, upholstery, curtains and so forth but in consultation with the contractor you can zero down to what is most suitable for you with an eye on the overall budget.
3. Vet the chosen contractor thoroughly
The first step in choosing the right home renovation Toronto contractor is to vet the service provider thoroughly. Check out their website and look for their portfolio of projects executed and testimonials provided by those customers. This will give you an initial idea about their reliability, competence, and overall ability to handle your project within your budget and timeline. While on the website, also look for reviews about their service. Reviews can be a mixed basket of positive and negative experiences and therefore you should take a balanced view from multiple reviews.
4. Ask questions and also answer questions
Do not hesitate to ask questions to your home renovation Toronto contractor since that can potentially place you as an informed customer. Similarly, your contractor can also have questions and suggestions that can have a bearing on your budget. Answer the questions and consider the suggestions offered.
5. Get multiple quotes
You must get at least 3 quotations from contractors that you wish to consider. Ensure that all contractors being considered are licensed since that is a form of credibility and reliability. Working with a licensed contractor also ensures that most of the regulatory aspects associated with your home improvement are taken care of by the contractor. Compare each item carefully and prepare a questionnaire to discuss with each contractor.
Ask for and obtain a written contract Once you have finally chosen the home renovation Toronto contractor to work with, ask for a written contract detailing all aspects of the project including the costs, timeline, detailed specification of materials to be used, any events that will impact the timeline and your costs, appropriate insurance to protect you from eventualities and more. You should also ask for guarantees and warranties for all items of work and inputs where applicable
