RENOVATING? THE BENEFITS OF HIRING A GENERAL CONTRACTOR

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RENOVATING? THE BENEFITS OF HIRING A GENERAL CONTRACTOR

By Gabriele Campbell, ASP, CID

www.campbellinteriordecorating.ca

People take pride in their homes. Developing a home to exactly suit your needs sometimes requires a bit of tweaking, or a major renovation. How do you make sure your renovation goes smoothly and everything is done by the book? Brian Cyr, a General Contractor with Beautiful Basements in St. Albert (460-8175), has some inside information to share with people considering a renovation. “First thing”, he says, “is educate yourself on the building process and understand the benefits of working with a General Contractor.”

A big trend today is the DIYer - the Do-it Yourselfer - and many homeowners attempt to manage their own home renovation. “It’s tough to be your own General Contractor because most people already have a full-time job. Taking on a reno is a full-time job,” says Cyr. Most General Contractors have a good roster of skilled trades that he or she is keeping busy, and good trades people are not generally looking for work. Finding your own skilled labour may prove difficult.

A critical aspect of renovating which is important to understand is seasonal availability of trades. This will determine your time-line as far as when the project will be complete, as well as the frequency that work will take place.  If the trades are busy, there may be a period of lag time on your renovation when one aspect of the project is done - the electrical for instance – and you are waiting for the next trade to complete the work, like the drywall. Understanding that trades go from site to site, and that some sites take longer to complete than others, will save you a lot of frustration in the end.

What does a General Contractor do? First, they have a broad general knowledge of the entire building process. They will ensure your renovation passes inspection and meets local building codes. Second, the General Contractor is there to protect your home, your safety and your best interests. They have already gone through the interview (trial and error) process with their subcontractors and they know who is best suited for which job. They also make sure that the people who are coming into your house are skilled and qualified. Third, the General Contractor represents a team of individuals who have worked together on numerous projects, meaning each sub trade has complete confidence that the previous trade did a thorough job.

So how do you select a qualified General Contractor? Ask a lot of questions:

• Do they have a business license for your municipality?
• Are they a member of the Better Business Bureau? It costs nothing to call the BBB and ask if they have received any complaints about a company
• Can they provide a copy of WCB and liability insurance, or at least a policy number?
• Do they do all the work themselves or hire sub-trades? If they hire sub-trades, ask how long those trades have been working with them.
• Can they provide references? Some references are so proud of the job that they will even allow you to come to their home to see the workmanship
• What is the payment schedule? If the contractor provides discounts on “cash contracts”, be wary. They may be unlicensed or uninsured, and may not adhere to proper construction methods including permits and inspections.
• If problems arise, how do they resolve the issues?

“If a General Contractor comes in and tells you that permits are an unnecessary expense, that should be your first red flag”, says Cyr. Permits are required to ensure the right inspections take place, and that the work is approved by a third party. Each municipality has its own rules about when inspections occur for specific projects. For instance, in St. Albert, an inspection occurs before the drywall goes up for a basement development, but not so in Edmonton.

What else should you know about a renovation?

1. It will get messy, and things will definitely get worse before they get better.
2. Understand your own roles and responsibilities in making the renovation happen, and clearly define those of the General Contractor. There is no such thing as a standard contract – read yours carefully and never agree to anything before it’s in writing.
3. Plan ahead and anticipate the next phase in your renovation. Change orders can be costly, especially if it involves re-doing something that was considered “complete”.
4. Deposits and progress payments are part of the process. Have the schedule laid out in writing at the beginning, and honour it.
5. Calculate a 10-15% contingency in your budget to cover unexpected costs. Fully prepare for the costs involved by getting at least two quotes.
6. Make safety a priority. Warn visitors that a renovation is underway and that they should be particularly cautious about where they walk.
7. Stay involved in the renovating process even if you have a solid plan, a sound contract and a good rapport with the contractor. It’s important to discuss even the minor issues before they turn into major headaches.

“In the end”, says Cyr, “trust your gut instinct when hiring a General Contractor.” If you’ve done your research and asked all the important questions, you will gain a grounded perspective on his or her qualifications and abilities. “And building a positive atmosphere means the trades will gladly go to your renovation, and you will end up with a more timely and better quality product. Cookies and coffee go a long way with us.”

For more information on preparing for a renovation, contact CMHC and ask about their topic specific guides for the home owner.