How Much Should That Renovation Cost? How To Find Out If You're Getting Ripped Off

The idea: inform you of what you should expect before you sign on the dotted line.

"We tend to get calls after the fact ... We want to encourage people to call before," Michaels explains. "This launch is a more proactive approach to educate our consumers."

Homeowners can check up on a number of jobs including carpentry, plumbing and roofing. The new initiative hopes to ensure you know exactly how long a job should take - and at what cost - before entering into a contract.

Project Fix It will continue until Labour Day weekend. But you'll be able to continue to call after that date if you have any questions concerning future renovations. Want to know more? Call (416) 392-3082 for additional info.

A checklist when you're renovating:

• Check with Toronto Building to determine if a construction permit is required for the proposed renovation
• Get at least three quotations from licensed contractors
• Ask the contractors for their City of Toronto business license number and verify the information by calling (416) 392-6700
• Get references from other customers
• Enter into a written and signed contract
• Ensure that all work to be done (including site clean up) is clearly stated in the contract
• Ensure that the full price of the job is in the contract
• Pay the full amount at job completion or include a payment schedule in the contract (payments should correlate with the amount of work done by the contractor)
• Include in the contract the name of the company, the business address, phone number, a completion date, and a City of Toronto License number
• File a complaint if you come across illegal activity by calling (416) 392-3082 or e-mail the Municipal Licensing and Standards licensing mailbox at www.taxiline@toronto.ca.

List courtesy: City of Toronto