Short answer
Before you sign with any renovation contractor in BC, check seven things: a municipal business licence, a registered company you can look up, liability insurance, a WorkSafeBC clearance letter, a written, itemized scope, a payment schedule tied to progress, and a clear answer on who pulls the permits. Then read their reviews.
Most renovation horror stories start with a contractor nobody checked. Every item below can be verified in a few minutes, most of them online, and a good contractor will expect you to do it. We list our own details at the bottom so you can check us the same way.
1. A municipal business licence
Cities in the Lower Mainland require contractors to hold a business licence to work there. Ask for the licence number and which city issued it. Some cities publish their licence lists online, so you can look it up yourself.
2. A company you can look up
If the contractor operates as a company, it should appear in the BC company registry. OrgBook BC lets anyone search by name or incorporation number and shows whether the company is active.
3. Liability insurance
Ask what liability coverage the contractor carries and ask to see proof. If something is damaged during the job, this is what pays for it.
4. A WorkSafeBC clearance letter
WorkSafeBC advises homeowners to get a clearance letter for each contractor, to confirm they are in good standing. It also warns that a homeowner "could be held jointly liable for any unpaid WorkSafeBC insurance premiums" if the contractor does not pay theirs. Clearance letters can be requested online.
5. A written, itemized scope
A one-line quote ("bathroom renovation, $30,000") is impossible to compare and easy to dispute. Ask for demolition, rough-in, materials, finishing and permits as separate lines, and for what is excluded. Allowances for items you have not chosen yet should be stated as numbers.
6. Payments tied to progress
A reasonable deposit followed by payments at clear milestones (rough-in done, drywall done, substantial completion) keeps both sides protected. Be wary of anyone who wants most of the money before work starts.
7. Who pulls the permits
If the work needs permits, the contractor should say so before quoting and should apply for them. A suggestion to "skip the permit to save money" is a red flag: unpermitted work can cause problems when you sell, refinance or claim on insurance. Our Burnaby permit guide explains which jobs need one.
Then read the reviews
Look at how many reviews a contractor has, how recent they are, and whether they describe real projects. Reviews that mention specific rooms, problems and people are worth more than a star rating on its own.
Run these checks on us. Our licence, company registration and reviews are listed on our About and Contact pages, and our quotes are written and itemized.
Get a free estimateOur own details, so you can check us
- Licensed across Metro Vancouver
- City of Vancouver business licence #26-281032 (General Contractor). Look it up on the City of Vancouver licence data
- Registered BC company
- Naimi Contracting Ltd., BC incorporation number BC1390330. Look it up on OrgBook BC
- Insured
- We carry $2 million liability coverage. Ask for the details with your quote.