It’s okay to admit that you love your bathroom. From warm showers to daily flossing sessions, bathrooms take up a significant portion of our time. And while we love modern, luxurious bathrooms, we can testify to the fact that its renovations are not a fun endeavor.
To add to the pressure are those viral DIY videos that showcase how an enterprising individual can essentially transform their bathroom over a weekend project. However, bathroom renovations are a complex task and shouldn’t be tackled by someone untrained in the art.
When it comes to the best bathroom contractors in Toronto, don’t just pick one at random from the internet. You want to take your time to ensure that you’ve picked the right person for the job. The following tips should help you get started.
Ask for initial credentials and experience
One of the things that will set apart the men from the boys is a credible roster of experience. When you start interviewing candidates, make sure to ask them details about their qualifications for the job as well as prior bathroom renovation projects they’ve completed. You don’t want a handyman skilled in air conditioning to take up the task of renovating your bathroom just because they think they’re capable of it.
Bathrooms are a sensitive place with tiling, plumbing, electric outlets, and drains all added into the mix. If one thing goes wrong, you might be left with a faulty space that’s simply unusable. That’s both frustrating and expensive to fix.
A skilled and confident bathroom contractor and plumber in Toronto should have no qualms about handing over details of previous work experience and qualifications. If they appear to be reluctant then that’s a sign of inexperience or falsification. Insist on pictures of previous renovations, educational diplomas, as well as references that you can call and talk to.
Inquire about an initial estimate
When you start your journey to find a bathroom contractor in Toronto, try not to settle for the first person you come across. Bathroom renovations can take anywhere between a few weeks to a couple of months depending on the nature of the job, so it’s important that you give the vetting process the right amount of time too. Every contractor you speak with should be briefed about the nature of the task, but let them give you a quote about pricing details. Plus, make sure to ask at least two or three contractors for a quote in order to compare your options. It’s possible that one might be overcharging you wildly for no good reason. We’re sure you’d rather not part ways with your hard earned cash that easily.
Ensure all the paperwork is in order
At this point you’ve probably settled on a contractor that you believe is best suited to carry out your bathroom renovation project. But that doesn’t mean your job is done. The rest won’t magically take care of itself.
It’s important to be professional about the entire process. Make sure there’s a clear contract outlining the commitments and clear timelines for each deliverable. Let’s say you want to get your bathroom retiled and the shower fixed. You can’t let your contractor decide when the requisite jobs are completed — it should be stated in the contract as well as penalties if deadlines aren’t met.
Some contractors might insist that you pay them in cash. Again, we believe that this demand is a red flag as it probably means they’re not registered as taxpaying businesses and want cash jobs to avoid reporting the income. The lack of a legal document and cash payments mean that you won’t have much in terms of options if the contractor fails to deliver. It’ll be hard for you to take them to court if they do a shoddy job.
Following these steps should help you land an excellent, professional bathroom contractor in Toronto.