Home renovations can be smooth and professional if you ensure the company you are working with is above board & has a proven track record. Consider the following things before doing business with any renovator. 

1. Do they have Google Reviews? Check the rating and comments. 
2. Can they provide pictures of previous work?
3.  Are the products & materials sourced locally? Do they have samples?
4. What brands are they using? Could you find them at a big box store?
5. Do they have liability insurance? How much? Policy holder/provider?
6. Are the employees of the company in uniform?
7. Do they make every effort to protect your home during the renovation?
8.  Are they polite, friendly and professional?
9. Is a clear time-line laid out before the work in done?

There are many companies who will do your home renovation for a lower than market cost. This is often a red flag which means the quality of the work could be shoddy. Here are other red-flags to look for when picking a company to do your renovations:  

• Non-Responsiveness: If a contractor is difficult to reach or doesn’t respond promptly, it may indicate poor organization or a lack of prioritization for your project.
• Vague or Missing Contracts: A detailed written contract is essential to ensure all project terms are clearly defined and legally binding; without it, you lack protection and clarity.
• Over-Promising Capabilities: Be cautious of contractors who claim to handle all types of projects, as this may indicate overconfidence or desperation rather than actual expertise.
• Inability to Provide References: Contractors who can’t or won’t provide references from past clients are a red flag, suggesting potential issues with their reliability or quality of work.
• Suspiciously Low Pricing: Extremely low quotes compared to others might indicate cost-cutting on materials or workmanship, leading to potential quality issues.
• Lack of Insurance: Ensure your contractor has adequate insurance and employs licensed tradespeople to protect yourself from liabilities and ensure professional standards.
• A Sudden Large Price Reduction: If you are quoted a large amount and then the price suddenly drops 10,000 dollars, you are experiencing a common sales tactic where they are testing the waters for whales. If you push on the price they reduce it and if you do not push on the price and pay, you are a ‘whale.’ Instead of quoting a fair price from the outset, they tried to make you pay more if it was not questioned and then once caught they disguised the sudden discount as a ‘good deal.’ 
• Time to finish the job is too fast: Renos take a long time to complete depending on the scope of the project and anything less than one week should have you questioning the quality of the work.
• Never go with the first company through the door: Always get a second quote from another well-established company to see how they compare in terms of timeline pricing and material costs.
• Paying high for cheap material: Do your research. If they are offering a great price on something that is normally very expensive, they could be saying one thing and installing another.

Use of sub-contractors: This red-flag deserves its own section! We advise all home owners to avoid companies that use sub-contactors for home renovations. It is different if the sub-contactor is a specialist like a plumber, electrician, or Gas Fitter, as these are licensed trades. A home renovations company is unlikely to have full-time technical experts. (unless your dealing with a multi-trades company like Donaldson Home Services!) Here are some common problems that occur when a company uses sub-contractors:

1. If the company selling you the bathroom is out sourcing the labour & installation of your home renovation fixtures, you are now dealing with two companies & not one.
2. If a problem occurs, or you are unhappy with the work done,  the two parties (sub-contactor & the company who hired them) will blame each other party. This means your problem will not be solved as they will play the blame game. Trying to get the other to pay for the mistake.
3. Sub-contactors are paid low & this encourages them to complete jobs as fast as possible leading to shoddy work. 
4. If something really bad happens, the sub-contactors might no-show as you are just a job, not a client to them. A big costly, timely head-ache is not something a sub-contractor will want to deal with. They may simply quit on you.
5. If the sub-contractor quits, the company may take a long time to find a replacement since they cannot do the work themselves as they lacked the skills or manpower to complete the job. That’s why they used a subcontractor in the first place.
6. Lack of oversight or quality control. If a company uses one sub-contractor, they are using multiple. This means the photos of previous work they show you could be from anywhere. You think you are getting a professional and seasoned experts, but you could be get a rookie who cannot live up to the fantastic photos you were shown. 
7. Strangers in your home. You can never be sure who the sub-contractor will bring along each day of the renovation. A company that does not use sub-contractors will have a small pool of staff, not a new face everyday. Also, a non-sub company will make every effort to inform you of the people entering your home.