Professional renovation brings peace of mind
Buying or renovating a home is a significant investment. If you are considering buying or building a custom home or renovating your existing home, make sure the builder or renovator you work with is a licensed and legitimate professional.
Renovating can be a great alternative to moving into a new home, but it’s important to work with a professional. Professional renovators have all the necessary licences and permits, are up to date on the latest building code regulations and understand all municipal requirements needed to obtain building permits.
When you work with professionals, you also have peace of mind because they offer warranties on all of their work.
Professionals are also insured and take responsibility for any on-site issues that may occur.
Professional renovators and contractors always give you detailed written contracts that spell out a clear project plan, including the scope of work, timeline and payment schedule. This is the sign of a true professional. Beware of anyone who offers to renovate your home without a contract. If you don’t get all the details in writing, you may not be able to hold the renovator accountable if you receive substandard work.
The same scenario applies if you are building or buying a new home from a custom homebuilder.
Like a renovator, a builder acts as a project manager for all the work and supplies all the materials necessary to build a home.
You want to work with a professional builder who employs licensed tradespeople and buys quality materials.
The first sign that you are working with a legitimate professional builder is that the company is registered with Tarion, the organization that administers the Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act.
Anyone building or selling a new home in Ontario must be registered with Tarion, and all new homes must be enrolled with Tarion. It’s the law.
All new homes built and sold in Ontario come with a warranty and the builder must enrol the home with Tarion before construction begins. The warranty covers everything from building code violations, to water damage and major struc- tural defects of your home. Check your written contract and look for something usually called the Home Enrolment Fee, which ranges between $385 and $1,500.
Whether you decide to build a custom home or renovate, consider hiring a company that is affiliated with an industry organization like a home builders’ association. These companies have access to the latest industry information, product ideas and market intelligence.
There are a number of online resources available to find professional renovators, trade contractors and custom builders, like RenoMark.ca. The website features a searchable database and is available in 40 municipalities across Canada. All the companies you will find have agreed to abide by a code of conduct, which includes carrying all licences and permits, providing written contracts, warranties and other qualities that single them out as professionals.
Don’t be afraid to call references to ensure that you are working with a true professional. Your home is one of the biggest assets you will own in your lifetime. It deserves the attention of a professional. Bryan Tuckey is president and CEO of the Building Industry and Land Development Association and a land-use planner who has worked for municipal, regional and provincial governments. Follow him at twitter.com/bildgta, facebook.com/bildgta, and bildblogs.ca.