How to avoid mistakes in home renovations

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21: If you are building or renovating your home here are a few important things to consider. 

Choose the right contractor

Talk to people you know who have had work done recently.

They may be able to recommend contractors or tradesmen who did good work and/or warn you about those to avoid. We always recommend you get the names of three or more contractors from whom you can get a quote.

Check their level of qualifications and experience for your type of renovation. 

Ask the contractor for references (and check them) and, of course, get written itemized quotes, not estimates.

Don’t accept a quote without the contractor seeing the job to be done. 

Don’t always go with the least expensive option.

Do not pay up front

Do not pay for the project in full before is it completed. Usually 10 to 30 per cent is an acceptable down payment to make.  It is also wise to keep back a retainer amount, usually 10 per cent until the job has been fully completed.

Get a contract

Get a contract that includes a commencement date, description of work to be done, materials to be used, payment schedules, completion date, and penalties for late completion of work.

If you or the contractor makes changes to the project make sure that the contract reflects these changes, including any additional costs and changes to completion date. 

Also make sure the changes are within the Planning Department guidelines.

Both you and the contractor should sign and date the original contract and any subsequent changes.

If your contractor does not complete your job, file a complaint by following these steps.

Make an informal request for redress (in person) to a person of authority such as the manager or business owner to allow them the opportunity to rectify the problem;

Make a formal request for redress (in writing) to the business or contractor so as to provide a legal “paper trail” of the dispute;

File a complaint with Consumer Affairs so that we may guide you in acquiring redress, and to provide mediation or enforcement if the issue is a criminal case.  You may easily file a complaint on our website — www.ca.gov.bm.

Consumer Affairs will guide you through the procedures of Small Claims Court if the claim is under $25,000 and mediation is unsuccessful or if the matter extends beyond our jurisdiction of enforcement.

One final tip

If you feel that a contractor has charged you an exorbitant fee after doing the job, and you did not have a quote (actual cost of the job within 10 per cent) before the job was started, then you are liable to pay the cost charged to you by the contractor. 

However, if the charges are excessive or exorbitant, it may be viewed by the courts as not reasonable. 

A reasonable price is the norm for that job in that field of trade. Before resorting to court action, however, follow the steps outlined above.

For more information on this topic, visit our website: www.ca.gov.bm.

Honey Adams is the education officer for the office of Consumer Affairs.