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Evaluating References

In order to select the best renovator for your renovation, you need the right information. A renovator’s past customers are probably the most reliable source of information available to you. Ideally, ask to see past renovations similar in scope and scale to yours.

Once you have the list, make the calls. Surprisingly, many people who ask for references never actually follow through and check them. This is a mistake. Don’t feel that you are imposing. If the homeowners did not want to be contacted, they would not allow the renovator to give their names out.

Here is a list of questions to ask the homeowners:

• Would you hire this company again?
• Did the renovator maintain a neat job site, provide regular broom clean-up, and haul away debris including personal trash?
• Did the renovator keep labour and materials delays to a minimum so that your job could be started and completed on time and within budget?
• Did you find the renovator easy to work with and keep you informed as the job progressed?
• Did the renovator provide you with paperwork in a timely fashion?
• How well did the renovator deal with the problems that arose?