What I wish I’d known before hiring a contractor

If your handyperson says they can “do it all,” watch out; electrical, plumbing and structural fixes require a licensed professional. A sure sign that contractors can be trusted is if they tell you they’re not the best person to do a particular job and recommend someone else instead.

Watch for these 13 signs you’re about to hire a dodgy tradie.

Good contractors get work through word of mouth, so they don’t really need to advertise. When you’re looking to hire someone, says Steve Maxwell, a widely published home improvement coach, ask friends and family for recommendations. If the job is large, consider several options, ask for at least three references and speak to previous clients before you sign any contracts. Can’t rely on word of mouth? Consider searching for contractors by checking out online renovation review services.

Avoid these home renovation mistakes.

Ask a contractor to inspect your house once a year. Do you need to caulk around your windows and doors? Are any shingles loose? It’s a lot less expensive to hire someone to address those things than it is to replace them after years of neglect.

Here are some home maintenance myths you’ll wish you knew sooner.

Contractors may charge different prices for the same job. Some ask for more when they’re busy. They may also raise their fees for houses that are filthy, so keep yours clean.

Here’s how to clean the 16 dirtiest items in your home.

Many jobs will require about a 10 per cent deposit – this books a contractor’s time and is a sign of the homeowner’s good faith. But they might require more, says contracting expert Steve Payne. If you’re having a new kitchen built, for example, your contractor will want to cover the cost of custom cabinets and counters, neither of which will be reusable if the project doesn’t go forward.

Before you throw something out, ask whether your contractor can repair it. They might be able to fix window frames, furniture and crown moulding – even tree houses and sheds.

Here are 73 things you should never throw out (and how to reuse them).

While many workers will be happy to adjust your sticky door or tighten that leaky tap, don’t act surprised when they charge you. Contractors make a big part of their living from those “while you’re here” jobs.

Watch out for these money lies your plumber might be telling you.

You could pay for the material yourself to cut costs, but don’t ask if there’s any way you can help out in exchange for a lower price. Payne says that the contractor could be held liable if you get injured.

On the other hand, here are 11 home improvement projects you can do yourself instead of hiring a professional.

Always include some wiggle room in your budget. “If you’ve got a contract for $127,000 and you can really only afford $127,000, you’re nuts,” says Payne. No matter how good a contractor is, they don’t have X-ray vision – they might find asbestos, mould, structural issues, plumbing or electrical problems that need to be addressed during your home renovation.

While it may be tempting to hire cash contractors – a handyperson whom you pay under the table, without a contract, avoiding taxes and getting a cheaper rate – Payne warns against it. “If the job goes south, there’s no paper trail,” he says. “You’re totally unprotected.”

These are the 11 secrets all contractors wish first-home buyers knew about.