Hiring the wrong builder is the most expensive mistake you can make on a build. Here is what to check, in the order that matters, before you sign anything.
In BC, anyone building a new home has to hold a Residential Builder licence from BC Housing. It is a legal requirement under the Homeowner Protection Act, not a badge a company gives itself.
You can check any builder in the BC Housing Licensed Residential Builder registry, and you can check whether a specific home was enrolled for warranty in the New Homes Registry. Both take about five minutes and both are free.
Ask for the BC Housing licence number and check it yourself. Every new home has to be enrolled in the 2-5-10 warranty before construction starts.
Ask for a certificate of insurance and proof of active WorkSafeBC coverage. If a worker is hurt on an uninsured site, the liability can land on you.
These two contracts carry risk very differently. Ask which one you are signing and what happens if the final cost runs past the estimate.
Every build has changes. Ask what triggers a change order, who approves it, and whether you see the price before the work happens.
The City of North Vancouver and the District run separate permit processes. A builder who has not worked with your municipality will cost you months.
Ask for three past clients and one project that ran into trouble. How the builder handled the difficult one tells you more than the other three combined.
Search the Licensed Residential Builder registry on the BC Housing website by company name or licence number. It shows whether the licence is active and what class it covers.
Two years on materials and labour, five years on the building envelope including water penetration, and ten years on structural defects. It is third party insurance required by law, not a builder guarantee.
Three questions. Did the final cost match the original quote. Were problems raised early or after the fact. Would you build with them again.
Bring the list. We will hand over the licence number, the insurance certificate and the references before you ask twice.
