Cheap labor can be very costly in the long term
By Gloria Kelly
THE TEMPTATION of saving money on a home renovation project by hiring under-the-table or a fly-by-night contractor, can end up costing a lot more than if you hired a professional in the first place, says the Canadian Home Builders Association (CHBA).
Francis Belle, chair of the Canadian Renovators’ Council of CHBA, has firsthand experience with the dark side of renovations.
“The renovator who didn’t come back, the job that was never completed, the money that is gone — unfortunately, the association has heard it all. Our best advice to those homeowners is to hire a professional renovator to help salvage the pieces.”
Professional renovators work on the basis of a written contract that spells out what is to be done and what the costs will be. By contrast, cash deals are usually verbal and, when the project goes off-track, the homeowner has little recourse except to spend more money in bringing the contractor to court.
Professional renovators carry all the required insurances and worker’s compensation coverages. This protects a client against financial loss should an accident occur on the job. Hiring a ‘contractor without these in place can leave the client open to very large financial risks. A homeowner’s policy won’t necessarily help if you knowingly took part in an illegal transaction by hiring an under-the-table contractor, she said.
Professional renovators are in business for the long term. They must satisfy their customers to stay in business. They stand by their work by guaranteeing the job and providing solid after-sales service, said Ms. Belle.
Fly-by-night firms get into renovation work looking for some fast cash, and they often lack both experience and skill. Your satisfaction is not their concern. Most likely, they will be in another line of work before you get your renovation nightmare sorted out.
Hiring a professional means getting the job done right — putting your home in the hands of someone with experience and commitment needed to do things properly from beginning to end.
A list of professional renovators in your area and information on the type of service expected from a professional in the industry can be obtained from the Nova Scotia Homebuilders Association located in Bedford.
By Gloria Kelly
THE TEMPTATION of saving money on a home renovation project by hiring under-the-table or a fly-by-night contractor, can end up costing a lot more than if you hired a professional in the first place, says the Canadian Home Builders Association (CHBA).
Francis Belle, chair of the Canadian Renovators’ Council of CHBA, has firsthand experience with the dark side of renovations.
“The renovator who didn’t come back, the job that was never completed, the money that is gone — unfortunately, the association has heard it all. Our best advice to those homeowners is to hire a professional renovator to help salvage the pieces.”
Professional renovators work on the basis of a written contract that spells out what is to be done and what the costs will be. By contrast, cash deals are usually verbal and, when the project goes off-track, the homeowner has little recourse except to spend more money in bringing the contractor to court.
Professional renovators carry all the required insurances and worker’s compensation coverages. This protects a client against financial loss should an accident occur on the job. Hiring a ‘contractor without these in place can leave the client open to very large financial risks. A homeowner’s policy won’t necessarily help if you knowingly took part in an illegal transaction by hiring an under-the-table contractor, she said.
Professional renovators are in business for the long term. They must satisfy their customers to stay in business. They stand by their work by guaranteeing the job and providing solid after-sales service, said Ms. Belle.
Fly-by-night firms get into renovation work looking for some fast cash, and they often lack both experience and skill. Your satisfaction is not their concern. Most likely, they will be in another line of work before you get your renovation nightmare sorted out.
Hiring a professional means getting the job done right — putting your home in the hands of someone with experience and commitment needed to do things properly from beginning to end.
A list of professional renovators in your area and information on the type of service expected from a professional in the industry can be obtained from the Nova Scotia Homebuilders Association located in Bedford.
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