Louri Boilard - Manchester, NH -Consumer Advice: Hiring the best renovator for the job Talking to past customers is key

Consumer Advice: Hiring the best renovator for the job Talking to past customers is key
By: NC

(NC)—Renovations can be a pain at the best of times. Throw in a contractor who doesn't deliver on promises, and this pain can quickly turn into a nightmare. According to information on Industry Canada's Consumer Information Gateway website, one of the best ways to avoid sleepless nights is to get a list of past customers from your renovator and call them up before hiring anyone.

Here are some questions you should consider asking these customers:

• Did the renovator deliver what was promised?

• Did the work crew arrive on time with all the right materials and equipment? Were they respectful. Did they keep the place clean and organized?

• Did you maintain good commun-ication with the renovator throughout the project?

• If there were problems during construction, did the renovator take steps to resolve them?

• Was there any follow-up or warranty work required after the job was completed and, if so, was it done quickly, properly and agreeably?

• Did they charge you what they originally quoted?

• If you were doing the job again, would you hire the same renovator?

If a contractor isn't willing to provide you with customer references, don't hire them.

For more information on dealing with home renovators, or for any other consumer concerns you may have, visit ConsumerInformation.ca . It's a Web site created by federal, provincial, territorial governments and their partners specifically to provide Canadians with convenient, one-stop access to hundreds of objective, reliable, current consumer information sources.

- News Canada
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News Canada