Recently we were called to look at a tile job that a customer was having issues with. She had hired a handyman to do some work for her and had paid for the job in full before he had begun the work. FIRST......please, please do not do this!! It is understandable to pay a portion of an estimate if your contractor is going to have to order supplies before starting your project but for smaller renovation projects (between 2-5k) we rarely charge anything until the job is completed!!
The work was really sad.....shims under tile are not recommended (can you hear the sarcasm in my voice). We did our best to help this customer by writing a letter for her to take to the better business bureau stating the deficiencies that were visible. Hopefully she will be able to recover some of her losses.
The majority of the work had to be completely removed and we started from the beginning so that this particular bathroom is now a bathroom the homeowner can be secure and happy with for years to come. The job is done and our customer is very happy with her beautiful new bathroom.
So how do you make sure that the contractor you are hiring is legit and that the work will be what you have been promised? ASK for referrals and actually call those people. Better yet ask to go see some of their work.
Last summer we had a customer looking to have her kitchen cabinets resurfaced and she asked if she could see some of our work. I arranged to meet her at one of our customers that we had recently done a full kitchen cabinet resurface project for and she got to see first hand the quality of work that we do as well as hear first hand from our customer about the process and our work ethic. Needless to say when we left this new customer was ready to book her project!! If you ask to see pictures that is ok......but seriously it is so easy these days to copy and past anyone's photos online that I would recommend either going to see the work of the contractor/tile installer or at least to call a few references that they provide. If you meet resistance when asking to physically see their work.....that should speak volumes to you and I would recommend moving on in your search! Of course if you live anywhere in the lower mainland we would love to come out and give you a complimentary estimate and discuss your ideas!!
Hey, we would even travel if it means that we get to stay someplace warm ;) (Hawaii) for a reno project! LOL.
The work was really sad.....shims under tile are not recommended (can you hear the sarcasm in my voice). We did our best to help this customer by writing a letter for her to take to the better business bureau stating the deficiencies that were visible. Hopefully she will be able to recover some of her losses.
The majority of the work had to be completely removed and we started from the beginning so that this particular bathroom is now a bathroom the homeowner can be secure and happy with for years to come. The job is done and our customer is very happy with her beautiful new bathroom.
So how do you make sure that the contractor you are hiring is legit and that the work will be what you have been promised? ASK for referrals and actually call those people. Better yet ask to go see some of their work.
Last summer we had a customer looking to have her kitchen cabinets resurfaced and she asked if she could see some of our work. I arranged to meet her at one of our customers that we had recently done a full kitchen cabinet resurface project for and she got to see first hand the quality of work that we do as well as hear first hand from our customer about the process and our work ethic. Needless to say when we left this new customer was ready to book her project!! If you ask to see pictures that is ok......but seriously it is so easy these days to copy and past anyone's photos online that I would recommend either going to see the work of the contractor/tile installer or at least to call a few references that they provide. If you meet resistance when asking to physically see their work.....that should speak volumes to you and I would recommend moving on in your search! Of course if you live anywhere in the lower mainland we would love to come out and give you a complimentary estimate and discuss your ideas!!
Hey, we would even travel if it means that we get to stay someplace warm ;) (Hawaii) for a reno project! LOL.