How do I find a contractor I can trust?
Verify three things before price: the licence the work legally requires, a current liability insurance certificate, and a clearance certificate from the workplace insurance board. Then get three written quotes with a defined scope.
Verification, in order.
Licence. Electrical work in Ontario must be done by a contractor licensed by the provincial electrical authority, and gas work requires certification from the technical standards regulator. Both are registry numbers you can check yourself. Ask for the number, not for the word licensed.
Liability insurance. Ask for the certificate, from the insurer, showing current dates. A contractor who floods your basement without coverage is someone you sue.
Workplace insurance clearance. If an uninsured worker is hurt on your property, you can be exposed. A clearance certificate is free for them to produce.
Then the commercial part. Three written quotes with the same scope of work, materials specified, a payment schedule tied to milestones rather than a large deposit up front, a start and end date, and a written warranty on workmanship. Never pay in full before completion, and hold a final payment until any required inspection passes.
Be suspicious of a quote far below the others, pressure to decide today, cash-only pricing, and any suggestion of skipping the permit. Each of those is telling you what the job will be like.
Answer it with your own numbers
You will need: municipality, category.
Search trades, with the credentials each record listsNext questions
When is a renovation worth the money?
When you will use it. Very few renovations return their full cost at resale: kitchens and bathrooms come closest, and pools, high-end finishes and garage conversions rarely do. Budget it as consumption, not investment.
Ontario
Do I need a building permit for this work?
Yes for structural work, additions, decks above a certain height, new plumbing or electrical circuits, basement apartments, and anything changing use. No for painting, flooring, cabinets and like-for-like fixture swaps. Ask your municipality, because it is free to ask.
Ontario