THE LICENSING QUESTION: WHAT TO ASK WHEN HIRING A CONTRACTOR
The hardest part of any home renovation is finding the right contractor, the pro who will deliver quality work on budget. Once found, it’s tempting to ask only two questions: “How much?” and “When can you start?”
There’s another question that should come before all others, according to Sylvain Lamothe, spokesperson for the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ).
“Are you licensed?’ is the first question anyone should ask a potential contractor,” he said. “That way you know the person has gone through rigorous tests, and you have greater protection under the law should things go wrong down the line.”
A government agency, the RBQ oversees professional qualifications in the building and renovation industries. It requires both general contractors and those specializing in certain trades, like plumbing or electricity, to pass four examinations. A directory of those who have succeeded and obtained a licence is available on the agency website, myrenoprotection.ca.
What to check: By Quebec law, not only must a contractor be licensed to undertake most home renovations, but must possess the right type of licence. The pro you found who is a whiz at installing cabinetry, for instance, might not be qualified to tackle plumbing or electrical work. And if they are subcontracting such work, they must have a valid general contractor licence. It also can happen that a licence has lapsed.
“We strongly advise always verifying that a contractor is licensed,” said Lamothe. “In some situations it’s hard to figure out the licence subclasses, in which case you should speak with one of our agents.”
While you have the agent on the line, ask if any complaints have been filed against the company or person, since that info is not on the website. You want to avoid any surprises, like when the contractor who presented himself so professionally turns out to have an invalid licence or three lawsuits looming. Information about past or pending litigation against a contractor is available on the website.
Lamothe suggests also checking with two consumer watchdog organizations, the Office de la protection du consommateur (opc.gouv.qc.ca) and the Association des consommateurs pour la qualité de la construction (acqc.ca).
There are cases where the contractor knocks on your door to sell you something like a new roof, aluminum siding or doors and windows. Any professional who wants you to sign a contract on the spot is called an “itinerant merchant.” This means you should ask them to show you both a licence from the RBQ and a permit from the OPC. This helps protect you against a possible scam.
“Fortunately, the law gives you 10 days to cancel any contract with an itinerant merchant, without paying a penalty or giving a reason,” said Lamothe. “But if you handed over a big deposit and the person disappears, you may have trouble collecting.”
All the more reason to check them out before you sign anything or give a deposit. Whether or not a contractor is an itinerant merchant, Lamothe advises always making sure they have a physical address with a street and unit numbers and not just a post office box.
It may seem like a lot of questions to ask, especially if you just want something simple done like a bathroom refresh or a new set of front steps.
“Think of all the legwork you put into researching things like hardwood floors and marble countertops,” said Lamothe. “It only takes a bit more time and effort to make sure your renovation will be in the hands of a licensed professional.”
For more information, visit myrenoprotection.ca or call 1-800361-0761.