At the onset of the COVID pandemic in March 2020, it was hard to know how the pandemic would impact Manitoba’s residential renovations industry. Despite the impact that the pandemic has had on all of us, our residential renovation industry has continued to see strong activity over the past 18 months and home renovations seem to have been just as popular as ever. Without a doubt, residential renovations continue to be big business here in Manitoba.
In fact, Manitobans continue to spend more on renovating their existing homes than they spend on new home construction in our province. Annually Manitobans invest over $2.8 billion into renovation projects to improve their homes. This creates over 26,600 direct jobs and over $1.6 billion in wages for workers in Manitoba’s residential renovation industry. With Manitobans investing that much into renovating their homes, it’s important that they hire renovators they can count on and trust.
One logo that provides that level of trust that a renovator is a true professional is the RenoMark logo. RenoMark is the renovators’ mark of excellence in Canada and provides consumers a marquee source of renovation advice and professional renovation contractors. RenoMark renovators understand the value of customer service and continually educate themselves on trends, materials and new regulations so homeowners know their renovation process will be expertly handled, meeting the highest industry standards. All Manitoba Home Builders’ Association renovator members must meet the RenoMark program criteria.
MHBA RenoMark renovators always provide a written contract, offer a minimum two-year warranty on all of their work, and they will take out all the appropriate permits and license required for the project. This is your best insurance to ensure that your renovator, not you, are responsible for any problems that are encountered during or after the work is completed.
Unfortunately, many people feel that this level of protection isn’t necessary and instead choose to find someone “handy” who is willing to do a cash deal with no contract. This also means that there is no record of the work ever being done. So, if there are problems, there is no recourse for the homeowner. If the homeowner does an under-the-table cash deal, and then they encounter a problem a month or two after the project has been completed, there really isn’t anything they can do in terms of having the situation fixed.
The homeowner is also on the hook for all liability regarding the project if the contractor fails to take out the required permits or suggests that the permit be in your name. This is very important because during a renovation, your home becomes a worksite. And if the permit is in your name, or you don’t have one, you become the prime contractor by default. If someone gets hurt as a result of working on your property, you – not the contractor you hired – are responsible. It can also cause issues when it’s time to sell your home and work has been done without proper permits. These are significant risks that many homeowners are unaware of.
The Canadian Home Builders’ Association continues its “Get it in Writing!” public awareness campaign to inform consumers on how to best protect themselves when hiring a contractor for renovations. “Get it in Writing!” provides great tips on how to decide what to ask contractors before you hire them, what a price quote should tell you, what warranties you should get, why a written contract is essential, and how building permits and inspections keep the whole project both legal and safe for you. The MHBA also has great resources and videos on how to find the right contractor for you on our website at www.homebuilders.mb.ca.
Saving a few dollars by skipping the contracts and permits may seem like a good option when you are hiring someone for your next renovation project, but it’s a decision that could come back to bite you. Protect yourself and your investment by asking the right questions ahead of time and hiring a contractor that will do the job professionally.