Hiring the right contractor that will do the job professionally and expediently is no small task in and of itself. The best way to select the right one is to interview at least three or four of them. A good test is to see if they will make it to your meeting on time. Should they arrive promptly you may want to note how they go about discussing your project and how interested they are to begin. The following checklist is a nice way to start:

• Promptness
• Focus
• Timely estimate submission
• Creativity
• Willingness to see your vision (does not tell you how it should be done)
• Good communication
• Knowledge
• Portfolio

All of these are signs of a solid contractor and if you can find someone that will look you in the eye, seems genuinely interested in your project and answers phone calls and emails quickly, you may have found your contractor. Companies like The Reno Pros are large enterprises with a myriad of contractors, but they tend to maintain a small business attitude toward their customers that always places them first. Some of the troubles contractors run into involve taking on too many clients or not accurately bidding for the jobs. Many will attempt to undercut competitors to win the job, but in doing so, they find they have priced the work too low and will attempt to recover these expenses with additional labour hours or upgrades that you may or may not really want. For this reason, it is important to make sure your contractors give you complete estimates that they will agree to in the form of a binding contract. Basement renovations can be tricky especially after sub-floor moisture testing reveals leaks or condensation which will have to be resolved before any flooring or walls can be installed. The small fee that most good contractors will ask for to have their estimate done is generally well worth the money. In general a two to three week basement renovation is not abnormal, depending on how much work needs to be done. Finding issues with moisture and foundation problems can extend the duration of the renovation, but even then the project should not be too inconvenient for the homeowner. Generally speaking, a basement renovation that requires the floors to be lowered would be one of the more costly and time consuming renovations, as the project has to be done in sections in order to maintain the support needed to balance the dwelling above. Professionals like The Reno Pros can do everything from installing carpet, to building a rental apartment with utilities – and do it within budget and on the agreed upon timeframe. This is the type of contractor you should strive to hire in the greater Toronto area, as they will meet your needs and offer a satisfaction guarantee.