Building Your Own Home

Whether one is building a home or a cottage oir even if you are doing reno for your home or lets just say smaller home improvement poject, we always go and price up stuff and try to get the lowest price for everything.  In this economy, you cannot blame anyone for wanting the best price either.

When upgrading a kitchen or installing a new roof, many homeowners think it is good business to pay cash to get a lower price.  Homeowners who make these types of deals assume that the contractor is cheating on his taxes a bit.  But they firgure there is no risk to them.  After all, they won’t be the ones explaining themselves to the tax office if there is an audit.

Well, hold your horses now — while Canada Revenue may not get you, there are so many risks associated with these underground economy.  Homeowners like you and I are at some risk when we hire wokers “under the table” without a written contract.

Homebuilding or renovating can be complex and low price may mean that the important details will have to be overlooked.  Before one hires a contractor, ask yourself the following questions and if you want to risk it.

1) How can you be sure you will get the results that you want if you don’t have a detailed contract showing the contractor’s commitment, work schedule, price, and terms of payment.

2)  How can you be sure that the work will comply with current building codes without the required permits and inspections?

3) What will happen if a family member, a neighbour or a worker is injured and the contractor has no public liability insurance and doesn’t contribute to Worker’s comp?

We’ve made the mistake before, so learned it from our experience and insist on written contracts and receipts.