Searching for a good contractor?

A few simple tips to keep in mind:

Be Practical and be careful while reviewing the reviews:

All projects are unique. Sometimes jobs get delayed due to unforeseen reasons or some may exceed the budget! that happens with very good contractor too. Also, keep in mind that the person providing a negative review has his/ her own perspective of looking at the work. This may not sound sweet but it’s true.

Beware of fake reviews:

A simple check is to find all the listings of that contractor at different sites and compare reviews. You may find a contractor with “10” 5-star reviews on one side and “0” reviews on google !! which is difficult to digest!

Choose wisely:

Always try to get at least 3 different quotes from 3 different sources/ contractors. Don’t just go for a lower price, there are few important factors to be considered along with the price.

“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten. – Benjamin Franklin.”

Try to be specific about your needs:

Before you start any search, the most important thing is to be specific on your needs as the accuracy of estimates depend upon the accuracy of the information you provide.

Many times, you can not be specific as you may want to select items based on time and budget limitations. In any case, the best solution is to call the contractor for a site visit and give you an estimate/ quote to avoid extras at the end! There are many who are willing to come in person, review site conditions and to provide a free quote.

Time is Money:

Most of the projects start with a higher focus on COST and ends with a higher focus on TIME!! TIME & COST both are equally important to focus from the beginning. Don’t only ask for cost estimate but ask for time estimate too. Be very clear on schedule and end dates (Always keep some buffer and be flexible up to certain limit). Offer an incentive for timely completion and same way make an agreement on a penalty for delays- We know it is little difficult to implement in the real world but helps a lot!!

Decide milestones along with your contractor:

For example, in a bathroom renovation project, you may set milestones like- demolition to complete (Day 2), New walls up (Day 4), Plumbing & Drainage (Day 6), Tiling complete (Day 9), Fixtures installed (Day 11), Painting Complete (Day 12) etc. Now, if you don’t see the walls up Day 4, you can ask the contractor to comply with the agreed upon schedule or provide a valid reason for the delay. That way you don’t need to wait until the last day to find out If the work is delayed.

Keep it Simple:

Having a set schedule helps both the parties, as you don’t need to unnecessarily bug the contractor asking for a status update at a wrong time!

Let us help you:

When you are ready for an online search, visit our site boodovaa.com/contractors in Toronto to find a good contractor.