How to Choose

The time has come. You’ve thought about it. You’ve done your homework. You’re going to take the plunge and do a major home improvement.

You think you know what you want, but you also know you’ll need some help with design and to understand your actual possibilities.

It’s going to be a big investment of time and money, so you need to hire the right people.

So now what? How do you select the perfect contractor who will not only work well with you but who will fulfill your renovation dream?

There are many excellent choices in Ottawa, but selecting the right one – the one for you – comes down to a series of questions to ask yourself.

• Is this really the right time?
  It’s the first and biggest one, of course. You should be able to ask your renovator up front what you’ll be facing and to get the tough answers. Do you understand the disruption and mess ahead of you? The shuffling around of people and things in your home? The upset of routines, including your pets?
  
  If you’re ready for that, and the time seems right, what about your contractor’s availability? Will it suit YOUR schedule?
  
  Lagois Design-Build-Renovate guides you through all the many things to consider when it you’re nailing down the timing of your home improvement.

• What is the process?
  Don’t assume anything. There must be a process that outlines the steps in planning, architectural design, and construction. This is so important that if the process is not specifically and professionally set out, it will make the difference between success and failure.
• Lagois Design-Build-Renovate has a 3-step process. It keeps our projects on time and on budget. We’re involved in every step from the earliest planning stages, so we make sure all your expectations are met. We want you to Love Where You Live.

• Can you withstand the pain of a budget?
  Anyone who has been through a renovation will tell you this is the tricky part, and also the most critical. Your contractor must understand exactly what you have to spend, if it’s enough to achieve what you want, and guide you through what is and what is not a sound renovation investment.
  
  
• Lagois Design-Build-Renovate explores your core issues with your living space. We get down to the nitty-gritty of your wish list. Then we prioritize your most important wants according to your budget. We might help you decide, for example, that a mudroom is more important at this stage than a basement renovation. We help you to make sense of it all.

• Exactly WHO is your renovator?
  This is the time to dig, dig, dig into your contractor’s reputation. Get references. Talk to people who are in the middle of a renovation with them, or who have completed one. Ask them: Is this renovator pleasant to work with? What is the quality of workmanship? How tidy are they at the end of each day? Note: The Lagois reputation is superb. Just ask anyone, and see this testimonial. It’s typical of what you will hear.

Do you “click” with your renovator?
Chemistry is so important! There’s no point in having even an excellent renovator if you don’t get a good sense of how you’ll get along. You’ll be spending lots of time together, potentially for months. You’ll be in some tight spaces, especially if you’re living on-site during all the upheaval. Like any good marriage, honest, open and constant communication will be essential. You have to like each other.

At Lagois Design-Build-Renovate, we believe at the end of the day, we’re building a relationship. You are not ever just a “number”. You’re our people, and we care about you. If your renovator doesn’t seem to be ready to be nearby throughout the project and in close contact with you, move on and find someone who will.

Bottom line? Feel the love both ways so you can Love Where You Live!