3 Proactive Steps to Take When Selecting a Contractor
Real story: The kitchen reno that went sideways
Most kitchen renovation horror stories don’t start with “I ignored all the red flags.” They start with “They seemed great, and I just wanted my kitchen back.”
One Calgary homeowner hired a small local company for a simple kitchen refresh. No layout changes, just new cabinets and finishes—about a $25,000 job. The lead installer was excellent: clear scope, tidy site, good communication. Then the lead installer had to step away from the project and wasn’t replaced like‑for‑like, and everything changed.
A second installer started coming “on his off hours” to keep things moving. Quality dropped, communication went fuzzy, and her kitchen was torn apart for longer than planned. Then came the moment that really cost her: the contractor asked for the final payment early “so I can pay my workers.”
Under pressure, she did exactly that - she paid the balance in full. After that, the remaining work got rushed, several deficiencies were never fixed, and the company effectively disappeared. She had to hire another contractor out of pocket to finish and repair the work, with no leverage left over the original firm.
This is not a rare situation – it happens far more often than most people realise, and there are proactive steps you can take to reduce the risk of it happening to you.
3 Proactive Steps You Can Take
Lock down the scope in writing before you sign.
Your contract (or quote) should list exactly what’s included, for example: demolition, disposal, who is responsible for permits, materials by grade/brand, install, finishing, and clean‑up.
Use a staged payment schedule with a real holdback.
Never pay more than the value of work and materials already delivered, and always keep at least 10% back until all deficiencies are fixed and any liens would have shown up.Verify who is actually working in your home - and that they’re covered.
Before anyone swings a hammer, confirm in writing that the contractor:Has current WCB coverage and at least $1M liability insurance ($2M is preferred)
Will only use named employees/subcontractors, not “whoever is free after hours”
Will notify you and get your approval if the lead person changes mid‑project
An injured worker without proper coverage—or a mid‑stream crew swap—is often when quality drops, timelines slip, and you get pressured for early payment.
Where buy better® fits
If you’re planning to spend $25,000 or more on a renovation in the next 3–12 months, you don’t need to sign contractor paperwork alone - even if you’ve managed projects before.
Protected Renovation Support from buy better® puts a neutral expert on your side before you sign, so you reduce the risk of unfair contracts, surprise costs, and stories like the one above.
Insights, never insurance, legal or financial advice.
