No list to scrape
A published directory is an endorsement of people whose insurance, workload and quality I cannot vouch for on any given day. Names are given per project, once I understand the scope — and only names I would use on my own house.
The vetting standard
What a contractor has to clear before I give you their name.
This is published in full deliberately. Even if you never ask me for an introduction, this is the checklist you should be running on anyone you hire — and most of it takes an afternoon.
The short version
Fifteen contractors I would genuinely hire beats four hundred I wouldn’t.
Scarcity is the point. Every review platform is paid placement wearing the costume of a recommendation. This is a short bench, personally chosen, with the standard written down so you can hold me to it.
Every check, every contractor
The checklist in full.
Documentation is collected before anyone joins the bench. Keeping it current is the contractor’s own responsibility — insurance lapses and licences expire quietly, and they are the ones who know when.
Who is responsible for what.
Contractors supply their own documentation — WSIB clearance, insurance certificates and licence numbers — and are responsible for its accuracy and for keeping it current. What I do is choose who is on the bench, based on having seen their work, and hold the paperwork on file.
That is a real distinction and it is stated here rather than buried: this is not an audit, and I am not a guarantor. Verify anything you intend to rely on yourself — the hiring guide shows you how, and it takes about twenty minutes.
| Check | What it means | Kept current by |
|---|---|---|
| WSIB clearance | The contractor supplies a current clearance certificate, and is responsible for sending an updated one when it renews. | Contractor keeps current |
| Liability insurance | The contractor supplies a certificate of insurance showing at least $2M commercial general liability and the policy dates. | Contractor keeps current |
| Trade licence | The contractor supplies their ECRA/ESA number for electrical, TSSA registration for gas and fuels, or Certificate of Qualification for the compulsory trades. | Contractor keeps current |
| Hazard credentials | The contractor supplies documented O. Reg. 278/05 training for asbestos work, C-NRPP for radon, or IICRC for mould and water restoration, as applicable. | Contractor keeps current |
| HCRA licence | Supplied by anyone building new homes or undertaking a substantial rebuild in Ontario. | Contractor keeps current |
| Municipal licence | Supplied where the municipality requires one for that trade. | Contractor keeps current |
| Written quotes | They provide a fixed-scope written quote rather than a verbal number. Non-negotiable. | At intake |
| Permits in their name | They pull their own permits and do not ask the homeowner to do it in order to shift accountability. | At intake |
| Traceable payment | Invoices, an HST number, and payment that leaves a record. A cash-only trade is neither insurable nor lienable. | At intake |
| Three references | Recent jobs of comparable scope. Called personally, not collected as written testimonials. | At intake |
| Work seen first-hand | Yovan has walked their finished work, or has worked alongside them directly. This is the check nobody else can perform. | At intake |
| Warranty terms | In writing, with a stated duration and a clear description of what is covered. | At intake |
If a contractor’s paperwork has lapsed, no introduction is made from it. An empty field is honest; an assumed one is not.
How this works
Four rules I hold myself to.
No referral fee, from anyone
Not a finder's fee, not a percentage, not a gift card, not reciprocal referrals. A recommendation is worth something precisely because it is not bought, and disclosure obligations exist for a reason.
Two names, never one
You should always be choosing. One name is a monopoly; two is a comparison. It also keeps the contractors honest with each other on price and schedule.
Removed on the first serious complaint
Immediately, without debate, and regardless of how long I have worked with them. The bench is only worth something if the standard is enforced when it is inconvenient.
What this is not
Vetted is not the same as warranted.
This distinction matters, so it is stated plainly rather than buried in a footer.
- Contractors are independent businesses. You contract directly with them.
- Documentation was supplied by the contractor on a stated date. I do not independently audit it, and it is not a guarantee of future performance.
- I am not a party to your contract and do not supervise the work.
- An introduction is not a warranty, a guarantee, or an assumption of liability.
- Get everything in writing, from them, before any money changes hands.
When you are ready
Tell me the project.
Describe the work, the property and roughly when you want it done. You get one or two names, the reasons I would use them, and what to ask each of them.
A straightforward first conversation
Questions about a contractor you have already met?
Tell me where you are in the process. We’ll discuss the property, the market, and the questions that matter most to you.