SHODDY renovation and contract work is a sad truth that has left unlucky North Shore residents down in the dumps in the past, but there's a way to make sure the business or people hired are truly making the cut.
The District of West Vancouver's manager of bylaw and licensing services, Steve Simmonds, said making sure a contractor is good to go is as simple as calling the bylaws department.
"While the majority of contractors are legitimate business people, unlicensed contractors do exist," he states in a media release.
"One additional level of checking that can be done is to call the bylaws department to see whether the contractor is properly licensed in West Vancouver. The bylaws department checks the credentials of tradesman before issuing a license."
Owners of for-profit businesses are required by law to have a business license, even if the work is done out of a permanent location or a non-residential business.
This includes trades workers such as builders, plumbers, electricians and landscape gardeners, the media release states.
To check if a contractor has a business license call West Vancouver bylaw services at 604-925-7152. Use the same number to help the district identify unlicensed contractors.
Be prepared with the business or trade name, the owner's name and the business address and phone number.
