This week, RenoQuotes.com met up with one of our general contractors on location at a renovation site. During this interview, Yves explains what his job is about and how he guides his clients through their renovation process.

Since the competition is strong in the field of renovation, we asked Yves what he does to stand out among the others.

As a response, he told us that “a good general contractor should be a guide for his client”. According to him, the contractor has to make sure that the client is completely at ease with the project. Of course the client may have some preoccupations but in the end, the contractor should always try to reassure them and guide them through the whole process.

For Yves, the level of trust between a client and a contractor is very important for the well-being of the project. Yves says that a general contractor should:

• Listen to his clients and their needs;
• Do good quality work;
• Finish on time;
• Be able to respond to any question;
• Continue giving good customer service, even after the work is done.

In other words, a general contractor should support their clients right from the first meeting, up to the end of the renovation project. They should always put the clients’ satisfaction first. Therefore, when the work comes to an end, it should not be about the contractor packing their bags and leaving. They should make sure that everything is up to the client's expectations.

Meeting a general contractor

We also asked Yves how a client should prepare themselves to meet a general contractor. According to him, a client should not necessarily prepare for the meeting, but they should have an idea about what type of material they want to use. From then on, the general contractor will guide them for the rest of the project.

If the client has plans made by a designer, that could be helpful but it is not needed since the contractor should be able to guide the client through all the different steps of the project, including choosing the materials and creating the plans. After all, the general contractor will be in charge of the renovation site. Yves adds that not only should the contractor guide the client, but they should also give advice that is adapted to the client’s needs and expectations.

For instance, if the client wants to renovate their kitchen, the contractor could recommend a few stores where they will be able to choose kitchen cabinets or counter-top materials. A good contractor should be able to put themselves in the client’s shoes. When all the choices have been made in terms of materials and plans, the contractor will be able to get the ball rolling.

Last but not least, we asked Yves how much a renovation project should cost.

Yves answered that there is no such thing as an average price for renovations. Too many factors come into play, like the type of room that is being renovated (basement, bathroom, living room, etc.), the size, or the materials that are chosen. For instance, a very basic bathroom renovation project (changing the ceramic tiles, installing a new toilet, repainting the walls etc.) can cost nearly $2000 but the price can easily increase depending on what the client wants.

Therefore, Yves says that people shouldn’t trust renovation or home decor TV shows that often show renovations made for only a few hundred dollars. In reality, these projects usually cost a lot more than what is being presented on TV. 

Since renovating your house can be seen as a long-term investment, you should be ready to pay more for good quality work instead of trying to find the cheapest contractors out there. Prices that are too low are often a sign of bad quality work.