We had a near miss on a kitchen renovation last fall that taught me a lot about what to verify before signing a contract. Figured I would share the specific questions since I could not find this spelled out anywhere when I was looking.
1. Who pulls the permit?
If they say “you should pull it” or “we don’t need one,” walk away. Any kitchen reno involving moving plumbing, electrical panel work, or structural changes needs a permit. If they cannot be on record as the contractor of record, that is a liability red flag.
2. Who are the subtrades and are they licensed?
In Ontario, plumbing must be done by a licensed plumber (309A) and electrical by a licensed electrician (309A or 442A). Get the license numbers. You can verify on the Ontario College of Trades registry.
3. What is the draw schedule?
Never pay more than 10-15% deposit upfront. A proper payment schedule ties draws to completion milestones, not calendar dates. “Pay when we need materials” is not a schedule.
4. What is your WSIB clearance status?
If a worker is injured on your property and the contractor does not have WSIB coverage, you can be liable. Ask for a clearance certificate dated within 90 days.
5. Can I contact three previous clients from the last 12 months?
Not a portfolio. Not Google reviews. Actual phone numbers of people who will take your call. This filters out a huge number of contractors who have good photography and bad workmanship.
6. What is your process when you hit a hidden condition?
Water damage, old knob-and-tube wiring, asbestos in the subfloor — these are common in GTA homes pre-1980. How a contractor handles unexpected scope is how you find out if they are honest.
7. What warranty do you provide in writing?
One year on labour is standard in Ontario under the Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act for new builds, but on renovation work it is negotiable. Get whatever they promise in writing.
The company that did our kitchen in the end was The Local Builders — they passed all seven. 20+ years in the GTA and they were the ones who flagged old wiring behind our cabinets during the walkthrough before any contract was signed. That kind of heads-up is worth a lot.