How to Vet a Renovation Contractor Before You Lose Money

Almost every renovation horror story traces back to a vetting failure. The contractor was wrong on day one and everything that followed was downstream of that. Spend one hour here and you'll avoid most of the pain we see homeowners walk into.

Verify these documents

• SSM registration, searchable on the public registry
• A physical office or studio you can visit this week
• Portfolio with verifiable addresses or client references
• A sample itemised quotation and signed contract template

Four questions that reveal everything

1. Who is my single point of contact, from start to handover?
2. How are variation orders priced and approved during the build?
3. What is your defect liability period after handover?
4. Can I visit a job site you're currently working on?

Eight red flags. Walk away.

• Demands more than 30 percent upfront before any work
• Only communicates by WhatsApp, no written contract
• Pressures you to decide today for a special discount
• Quote is far below everyone else (something is missing)
• Cannot show a single verifiable completed project
• Vague on scope: "we'll handle everything, don't worry"
• Wants payment to a personal bank account, not a company
• Bad-mouths every other contractor without specifics

Any single one of these is a strong signal. Two or more and you're being told the story of your future build, in advance, for free. Listen.