Who To Hire For General Home Repairs

My family unit and I always encourage homeowners to do their homework when looking to hire contractors or tradespeople. We go asked all kinds of questions about hiring the right professional for specific projects or jobs. Love getting these questions because I KNOW people want to rent the right person for the task. For example, someone recently asked what practice you lot call a person who remodels a firm? Well, the short answer is a renovator or a general contractor. And then who should be part of your home renovation team?

Should you hire an electrical contractor? What projects tin be done without the help of a professional?

Mike Holmes Kitchen Cabinets

Should You Hire A General Contractor?

If you are planning a major home renovation or a full-scale construction projection, hiring a general contractor is the way to go. They are typically a trained, licensed carpenter or a renovation technician and a licensed contractor.

They are the atomic number 82 project manager and take accountability for the project, ensuring all the tasks are completed to code and to your expectation. They will likewise assess the project's scope, hire the sub-trades, specify the materials, organize the piece of work back schedule, and oversee the entire project.

While the general contractor works with the homeowner to determine on the final pattern and layout of the remodelling, some homeowners may choose to hire an architect or a designer/design firm to design and create plans for them.

Some homeowners decide to take this on from commencement to cease, acting as their own projection managers by hiring each trade on their own.

Fair alarm, this could be more time-consuming, as the homeowner is essentially doing the general contractor's job. This will involve a lot of research. Not to mention if something goes wrong or the work doesn't meet the code, you will have the added cost of redoing the piece of work and paying more money.

You will also be accountable for filing all the required permits. Recall, having a edifice permit DOES NOT include the electrical permit. You lot may demand both. Well-nigh electrical work needs to be reported to ESA by filing a notification of work or "permit" within 48 hours of when electric piece of work starts.

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Why Rent A General Contractor?

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DIY Project Versus Hiring a Professional?

Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

Is it rubber to have on a DIY projection ?
Do I have the time to take this on?
Practise I have the right skills and the right tools to do so?
Is a building permit or other permits (plumbing, electrical) required?

Seasoned DIYers can take on many home projects, like updating a bathroom vanity, sink, and faucet set or changing door hardware —some of the smaller projects effectually the habitation that don't require fierce down a wall or irresolute your electrical.

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5 Repair Projects You Tin Practice On Your Own (DIY)

Should Yous Hire A Handyperson?

Depending on their skill sets and knowledge of the projection, you might also consider hiring a handyperson'southward services. My grandfather was a jack-of-all-trades, master of none – he did it all.

They accept a good general knowledge of simple repairs and renovations. But be conscientious, and practice not hire a handyperson for any task that requires a more specific skill set needed to practice a job safely.

Changing a light fixture can be fairly straightforward, but if y'all are changing the location of the lights or doing anything in a bathroom (a wet zone and a dry zone), I strongly propose yous to contact and hire a licensed electrical contracting business organization .

Other larger jobs that involve structural changes, roofing repairs, bleed cleaning, moving plumbing or electrical, or utility lines also crave licensed contractors .

Licensed Electric Contractors

Mike Holmes and Frank Cozzolino

Mike's "Go-To" Guy, Frank Cozzolino is a Licensed Electrical Contractor

What is the difference between a Licenced Electrical Contracting (LEC) business concern vs. a Master Electrician and a Certified Electrician?

A licensed electric contracting (LEC) concern hires Master Electricians to manage the work and Certified Electricians to do the work.

LECs are the only electrical business authorized to offer electrical work to the public in Ontario. It is also the just business that can file permits with the Electrical Rubber Authorisation (ESA) to inspect and ensure the safety of the electrical work completed in the dwelling house or business.

Note:

ESA licenses these businesses and drives compliance through requirements, including the filing of notifications for electric work. Only a LEC business organization can file an ESA notification or allow. If a contractor asks the homeowner to do it, that's a big red flag! Homeowners must proceed a newspaper trail.

Why hire a Licensed Electrical Contracting (LEC) Business?

Faulty wiring can cause an electrical fire quickly, and electrical DIY or work done by an unlicensed contractor is often the culprit. Unpermitted or unlicensed electrical piece of work is upwardly to iv times more faulty! Replacing faulty work means paying twice, leading to injuries, like shocks or burns, damage, and decease by electrocution.

Use the following checklist to ensure you are hiring a licensed electric contracting business in Ontario:

Note their ECRA/ESA licence number — LEC businesses will have a seven-digit licence number issued by ESA that always starts with a "seven"
Check that their work vehicle displays their ECRA/ESA licence number
ECRA/ESA logo on trucks, quotes and contracts is prominently displayed
Written estimates should include ECRA/ESA licence number and ESA let fees
Check references
Confirm that they will file for a notification or permit and get a certificate of acceptance when work is completed.

Hither is a consummate guide to hiring a Licensed Electrical Contracting Business in Ontario.

HOW TO Detect A LEC BUSINESS?

To find a licenced electrical contracting concern in your area become to ESA Safe .

Blood-red Flags To Sentinel For When Hiring an Electric Contractor

Why Rent A Licensed Plumber? Should they be role of your home renovation team?

If y'all have whatsoever problems with your plumbing like a clogged or leaky pipage, or are thinking of moving your sink or toilet every bit role of a renovation project, then you lot are in need of professional plumbing services and volition need to hire a licensed plumber or Master plumber to do the piece of work.

Shower Pumbing Install

Precise Plumbing working on a shower install for Holmes + Holmes Flavor 1

Plumbing is a licensed merchandise, and information technology takes 5-10 years to become a Master plumber, including taking your carmine seal exam. Primary plumbers work their way upwards from apprentice, journeyperson to master.

The difference betwixt a journeyperson plumber and a Principal plumber is that Principal plumbers tin can own their own business organisation and supervise other plumbers.

Should Yous Hire An Interior Designer or An Interior Decorator as part of your dwelling renovation team?

Mike Holmes and Interior Designer Kimm Cappone

Working with an interior designer saves time and coin and they assistance you create your vision. Mike with interior designer Kimmberly Cappone on location of Holmes + Holmes.

An interior designer will assistance you bring your home vision to life whether you want more than space or need a modify of colour and style. An interior designer volition ensure your vision is executed correctly. They take the expertise and knowledge to guide yous through your renovation journey, from the planning stages, pattern creation to the finishing touches.

Whereas, interior decorators focus primarily on aesthetics and are typically not involved in renovations and structural planning.

Should Y'all Hire A Landscaper?

Under the landscaping umbrella, you volition detect a series of certifications, including mural technician , certified mural director , and certified mural designer .

Sherry Holmes Landscaping

For large gardening or landscaping jobs consult with a licensed professional – onset of Holmes + Holmes.

If yous are looking to sell your habitation and your domicile needs some curb appeal, a landscaper or landscape designer volition certainly be able to spruce things upwards. They have found and irrigation knowledge and tin help with grading issues, retaining walls, and land alterations.

At that place are many different trades that tin aid homeowners maintain or renovate their homes. However, it'south important to understand what each trade does and to hire the right trade for the right task. And always retrieve to take a written contract to certificate everything you have agreed to with your contractor, in case something goes wrong!

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