How to Protect Yourself from Contractor Scams

Renovation season has begun again and it’s time to start your planning.  I often have people ask me what to look for in a contractor and how to identify a bad contractor.  These are the most important questions and answers you need to know before you begin searching because choosing a contractor is the most important step in your renovation.

Research is key!  Make sure you shop around and gather as much information as you can.  I have heard too many horror stories from my clients about contractors who “work out of their trucks”.  Make sure that you have at least one meeting at their office.  If they have invested in their companies, they should be able to provide a respectable and honest service.  Make sure you take a copy of their brochure and read it front to back.  Learn who they are and what they are about, as they will be in your lives for the next 2-8 weeks!!

Make sure you check out your local Better Business Bureau.  If the company you are looking at is not a BBB Accredited Business, be sure to ask them why!  If they have an F rating, this should send out red flags as well.  Also, check to see if they are part of any other associations in the city.  A company that is trusted city-wide should have a solid reputation.

People often believe that a great design or a famous contractor is the key to a successful renovation.  Although these things are extremely beneficial, they should not be your top concern.  When choosing a contractor, the most important consideration that you must be certain of is their methods of communication.  As a client, you should be able to speak to someone about your renovation at any reasonable time of day.  You should not need to send out more then one voicemail or email.  Communication goes both ways as well.  Don’t forget that even more importantly, the communication between the designer and the contractor must be flawless. Many people begin their renovation with an architect and then give those plans to the contractor.  Unfortunately, architects do not have details of how much materials cost and this may result in a very skewed estimate.  The miscommunication between your architect and contractor may cost you a significant amount of time and money.  It is important to go with a company who provides turnkey service.  This means that the design and construction is both done in house and that you have a team who work together, while working for you.

Basement Waterproofing

Basement waterproofing is one of the least glamorous, but most important renovations that has to be done on homes. Yes, it’s that time of year again – you are crossing your fingers, praying your basement makes it through the winter and spring without flooding like your neighbours’ did last year.  You can only imagine waking up one spring morning, going down to the basement to do a load of laundry, only to notice that your entire basement has flooded.  Yes, it could happen! – The best time to start thinking about it is now.  Here are some short term and long term, expensive and inexpensive ways to prevent basement flooding that will calm your nerves this winter and save you lots of time and money during the spring.

The first step is to take a quick walk around your house and look for any discolouration, cracks, or holes.  If you notice any of these things, be sure to take care of it right away.  When a problem is visible on the outside, it is creating much more damage on the inside.  Walk around the perimeter of your house after a large rain storm and see if there are pools of water gathering anywhere.  Defending your foundation should be your first priority.  Make sure to regularly remove any plants or weeds that are close to the foundation of the house, as the rotted roots could create a water tunnel towards your home.  Keep an eye out for your gutters, making sure they are cleaned regularly and not damaged.  Make sure the downspouts are extended as far as possible away from your home during all seasons.  Re-grade the perimeter of your home when needed to make sure that the earth is sloped at least 4 feet away from your home.  Do this every couple of years as the weather may alter this slope or the earth may shift.   Just to keep peace of mind, install a sump pump which should help control water leakage and normal amounts of rainfall from building up in the basement.

The most important precaution is to waterproof your basement during renovations.  Of course if this was not done by your contractor, there are many “do it yourself” patching products that are available to mediate the problem.  Remember that the biggest precaution is to do your research before hiring a renovations company when doing any type of basement renovations to guarantee that the work is done properly the first time.

Choosing a Basement Floor

Finally, you are ready to finish your basement.  You have a floor plan drawn out and now it’s time to go shopping for your design.  The first and probably most important decision you will need to make about the basement design is what type of flooring do you want to install?  When deciding on what to use for your basement floor, make sure that you do a thorough investigation of your wants and needs.  Some factors to consider are: do you have children, do you have a large dog with sharp nails, etc.  The next aspect you must consider is what will this space be used for?  A play room for the kids, a home theatre room, an office, or an area for you and your friends to relax.  These are important factors to consider before designing your space.

Typically, hardwood is the first option people consider.   Hardwood gives a chic look to any room and the different quality, styles and colours can seem endless and intriguing. It is also a more hygienic option to any room as dirt is easy to see and easy to clean.  But many factors need to be considered when choosing hardwood.   Factors such as expense, warmth, noise, and how quickly hardwood can be damaged by things like moisture or scratches, should be well thought out. Remember though, that your basement hardwood choices will be limited. Where hardwoods like bamboo can stand up to the specific moisture conditions typical in a basement, other woods might bend or warp over time. The concrete that the hardwood is lain on is a porous material. This means that it will allow moisture to affect the hardwood floors above it. If you want a hardwood like look, and perhaps a longer life for your basement floor, there are thousands of laminate options to consider.

Tiling your basement floors is another popular option.  The resilience and inexpensive options that are available are sometimes too good to pass up.  Tile is also easiest to clean, and will not be damaged by pets or shoes.  An aspect of tiling that should not be overlooked is safety.  Families with young children may want to think twice about choosing tiling as falling down on these floors is sure to result in considerable injury.  Also, that tiling can prove to be very cold in the winter, and unless they are heated beneath, it is hard to keep them warm during the cold months.

Carpeting is a common option when doing basement floors.  It is cost-affective, safe for children to play on and resilient towards pets.  Carpets also give basements a warm feel to them, which is very popular for basement family rooms.  Many people vote against carpet as they believe that it traps allergens and releases them into the air every time you take a step.  There are many discussions about the health risks of the carpet fibres itself and their emissions.   The controversy surrounding carpet is extensive and therefore it is important to do your research before making this decision.

There are clearly many options to choose from when deciding on a basement floor.  Remember there are ways to think outside of the box in every circumstance.  Try adding a large cork throw rug to your family room that can give it that feeling of warmth without complete hazard of synthetic wall to wall carpeting.  Try looking into some alternative flooring such as bamboo, rubber or vinyl plank flooring.  But make sure not to make a rash decision based solely on what you like. Sometimes, what you need trumps what you like.

Full House Renovation

When we say ‘Full House Renovation’ we aren’t talking about the sitcom. We mean renovating several rooms in your house at the same time, or extended over two or more seasons. We often have clients coming in asking to renovate all three of their bathrooms, and their kitchen, and update the flooring, etc. These clients have been updating their renovation wish-list for years as their home ages and things start to wear down or become outdated.

Normally clients like this start with a budget and then prioritize what parts of their renovation need to be done soonest. Money is most often what holds back a project. However, renovating many parts of your home is a good idea for a few reasons:

1. You will get all of your materials at the same time
   - This is an important thing when you are renovating multiple bathrooms. Getting tile, wood, paint  and some other materials in one batch is  necessary to keep your colors and designs the same throughout your house. If you wait too long the company may stop producing the product, or the new batch may have a slightly different hue or grain.
2. Your house remains a construction zone for a shorter period of time.
   You want to keep your house as dustless and noiseless as possible, especially if you have young children. If you renovate your full house over 1 summer, you’re going to be a lot happier than if you renovated over 3 summers. You are minimizing the hours you and your family are spending coughing up construction dust.

However, many homeowners treat each renovation as a new project. If you are one of these people looking to make your home a hobby, then why not draw it out. See what new materials are out this season. Make a masterpiece out of your home renovation. Or call OGC and let us know how we can do it for you.

Kitchen Renovations-Remodeling

In a typical home, the kitchen is one of the most used rooms and  is really the command centre of the home. Successfully remodeling or renovating a kitchen requires the following to be taken into account: size of family, style and functionality, lighting,  energy saving kitchens appliances, budget and many others.

With a kitchen renovation, there are so many elements involved that you may want to have a team of experts who would be able to do the electrical, plumbing and the design.

What to expect when you are thinking of renovating your kitchen:

• Size and design — May need to create more storage and a better flow.
• Fixtures and appliances — You may want to select smarter, sleeker appliances. Consider concealing the outlets and switches under wall cabinets.
• Cabinets and countertops — Cabinet finishes, hardware or countertops may be in need of updating.
• Structural problems — There may be problems that require structural changes or repairs. You may want to add windows or doors?
• Plumbing and electrical — Many older kitchens don’t have enough electrical outlets and circuits. The electrical may also be outdated and need to be replaced.
• Heating and ventilation — Older kitchens often have inadequate ventilation or heating systems. You may also want to think about lower energy cost and peace of mind knowing that you’ve made the best possible choices for the environment.
• Finishes —Finishes may be unattractive or out dated

Once you start a kitchen renovation your life is disrupted. It will not happen overnight but with proper planning and project management you are more likely to have a renovation success. The lack of a plan is the number one reason that renovation time lines and budgets get blown. With new technology it enables process efficiencies to translate into real benefits for customers. Consequently, you may need to hire a qualified professional to do a thorough investigation, find the problems and suggest the best solutions.

Finishing a Basement – How much will it cost?

It is fairly hard to give someone an idea about how much a basement is going to cost to finish. The cost of finishing a basement in Ottawa is fairly variable because we have everything from stone foundations, wood foundations, wood burning furnaces, 5’5 basement ceiling heights and high humidity to deal with in our basements.

The new homes in Ottawa are a little bit better off because it has become a standard in the industry that we have large basements and forced air heating. New homes are typically larger, more comfortable and more energy efficient buildings due to the more modern technology used during their construction. By no means am I saying you should choose a new home over an older one, in fact I live in a home that is nearly 90 years old, but both types have their own advantages.

Getting back to my point, one of the bigger advantages of a new home is that it typically has a “blank canvas” basement that can be finished fairly quickly, easily and affordably. So when you are looking at the cost of finishing your basement, age of the home is an important factor. Many finished basements had to be dug down in order to increase ceiling height. This is a huge expense because it affects the foundation and is a lot of labour. Other basements require window placement in the foundation so they have to cut out a chunk of the concrete. (Bedrooms by law are required to have a window, so plan your basement layout with this in mind.) Again this option is very expensive because it involves potential structural issues. Cosmetic changes like flooring, wall treatment and lighting are dependent on what materials you pick as well as whether you can install them yourself or you have to hire someone else to do so.

Here is a general breakdown:

Roughly the minimum you are going to pay is $30/sqft
In general finish basement renovations cost at least $20,000 and on average $30,000

Adding a window costs an additional $2,000 – $5,000

Adding a basement bar costs an additional $5,000 – $10,000

In home renovation, the cost to finish a basement is highly dependent on the person managing the project, the homeowners preferences, and the timeline. Send us a quote request through our website OttawaGeneralContractors.com, and we can meet with you to tell you exactly how much we think it will cost you to finish your basement.

Kitchen Renovation Ideas

Glass Tile mixed with Metal Accent tiles

Many homeowners are looking for the next trend to put into their kitchen renovation. We think that you can establish a great look by putting in glass tile with metal accent tiles on your kitchen backsplash. This kitchen idea looks really sharp, and bright while staying really easy to clean. Glass tile comes in a variety of colors and can work to really tie together all of your flooring, cabinetry and countertop ideas.

Under Cabinet Lighting

Take the time during your kitchen renovation to make sure the kitchen is as great a workspace as it can be. Under cabinet lighting is a really easy installation for homeowners and will make your dinner parties a lot easier to prepare for.

Built in Recycling in your Cupboards

There are a lot of new kitchen cupboard options in your local kitchen supplier or hardware store. One of our favorites is the built in, under countertop recycling centre. The recycling centre is a pullout device that holds your green bin, your blue bin and your regular waste bucket. This is an organized, and clean way to manage your waste. Don’t struggle with a place to put all of your bins. This is an excellent kitchen renovation idea for families.

Full Size Commercial Sinks

Full size sinks without a dividing wall in the middle look luxurious and expensive in your kitchen renovation. They give a contemporary edge to kitchen renovations and are a great idea for little kids. They are big enough for baths at an easy level for you to work at.

For more kitchen renovation ideas, book an estimate today.

Bathroom Renovation Ideas

We get tons of bathroom renovation ideas everyday from our clients. They are very important to making their bathroom renovation perfect for them. Whether the homeowners style is eclectic, modern, or classic, they normally have really unique and beautiful ideas for their new bathroom.

A home bathroom renovation isn’t something that people tend to do without thought. They spend a lot of time agonizing over finish, fixture and color ideas. Yet this is normally the most fun part of the renovation. We at Ottawa General Contractors want to provide you with some more bathroom renovation ideas (Although more options might just make the choices more difficult)

Shower Ideas:

The rain shower – This shower provides a luxurious feel and comes with an adjustable arm so you can change the height of the shower head.

The Jet Shower – This shower provides the water pressure that a lot of us crave in the morning as well as a  full body massage.

The Steam Shower – Create a sauna experience in your home with a steam shower. Steam can be very good for your skin. Note though that you’ll want another shower head as well to rinse off afterwards.

Tile Options:

The newest trend in bathroom tile is glass mosaic. Get all of the colors you want while keeping your bathroom renovation looking clean and luxurious.

For other bathroom ideas, visit our webpage at www.OttawaGeneralContractors.com/ottawa-bathroom-renovations

What is a General Contractor?

A few people out there are asking, “What is a General Contractor?” The obvious answer is “We Are!” But, that  isn’t going to get the asker very far.

A general contractor is a company or person that controls the schedule, suppliers, trades and communication between all parties. They pay the trades, suppliers and negotiate rates. Basically, a residential general contractor during a home renovation takes all of the headache out of a renovation or addition project.

Our system as general contractors encompasses a team of people dedicated to one project. A team consists of the estimator, the designer, and the project manager. These people work together to ensure that your project is built with quality, on budget and on schedule. We also have some hired trades that float between our sites to double check that all work is progressing correctly.

One of the benefits of a general contractor is that they have already made good relationships with specific sub-trades that they know will do work well. We are required to keep their insurance, WSIB and business documentation at the office to make sure that everyone is safe.  If you hire trades, you are taking the risk that they will leave the job or promise to do work they are not capable of completing.

A general contractor has specific guidelines for the trades and the construction process. Our sub-contractors are briefed on the etiquette required on a site. Our whole company is aware of the correct procedures that go on with a home renovation. A general contractor can save you time on your home renovation because they have more control over it.

If someone asks you “What is a general contractor?” tell them that they are the people that make sure the job gets done properly.

Kitchen Cabinets

There are more kitchen cabinet options than you would expect. Whether you are looking for a more modern, or a more traditional look, you won’t necessarily find making the choice easy.

There are several different kitchen cabinet finishes you can choose from including birch, oak, maple, cherry, hickory, glass, stains, paints, melamine, etc. There are also kitchen cabinet options like pot drawers, lazy suzans, soft close cupboards and slide out extra countertop. You can put in an island or make your cabinets any style  or color you want. The most important thing to consider is functionality. A good tip is to put your dishwasher in an area that you won’t walk into it all the time. You will save a lot of bruised shins over the years.

Sometimes you are limited by the space and the original layout of your kitchen. If you are worried about waste you may want to reuse your previous cabinets but refinish them. Although this sounds less expensive it often costs more than starting from scratch especially if you have to match them to new cabinets. However many argue that this is a much better option for the environment because it reduces waste and your carbon footprint.

Some homeowners have been able to establish a clever design by mixing both dark and light cabinets. They may have a dark stained island and a light stained set of cupboards. The look is very unique while still remaining clean and luxurious.

Visit a kitchen cabinet supplier and ask to look through their showroom. Many of them will have their own design staff to help you perfect your kitchen layout and design.

Kitchen cabinet selection isn’t the only thing you’ll have to worry about during your Ottawa kitchen renovation. Call OGC today to discuss your kitchen renovation possibilities.