How GTA Property Managers Choose the Best Contractors

Selecting a contractor in the GTA is like a drawn-out game of chance. You’d think with all the choices out there, it’d be simple, but no, the process is anything but. It’s a maze of quotes, vague promises, and the unsettling feeling that you’re going to end up with the wrong person anyway. Property managers in this region are left wading through a sea of options, hoping for some clarity that never seems to come. The stakes are high, and the pressure to get it right is a constant, suffocating presence.

First, let’s talk about the necessity of due diligence. Yes, it’s crucial, but honestly, who has time to vet a dozen contractors when the clock is ticking, and the building needs immediate attention? Yet, here we are, pouring over credentials, licensing, and insurance like we’re expecting to discover some hidden gem. It’s not enough that a contractor has years of experience; they also need to have a spotless record. One slip-up in the past, and suddenly, they’re out of the running. But really, who has a perfect past? We all know that this quest for perfection is nothing more than a farce, yet it’s still the standard we’re held to. It’s exhausting.

Next comes the quoting process, which is somehow even more aggravating. You’d expect that a straightforward job would result in straightforward quotes. But no, each contractor has their own interpretation of the work required, leading to a baffling range of prices. One quote is sky-high, another is suspiciously low, and the rest sit uncomfortably in between. What’s even more frustrating is when contractors try to pad their quotes with unnecessary extras, assuming we won’t notice. Well, guess what? We notice. Every single time. And let’s not even get started on the “hidden costs” that seem to pop up halfway through the job.

References are another thorn in the side of every property manager. Of course, everyone wants to see a list of happy clients, but we all know that references are handpicked. It’s not like the contractor is going to give us the number of a client who’s still fuming about that botched plumbing job. So, what do we do? We make those awkward calls, talk to overly enthusiastic clients who seem just a little too eager to sing praises, and still, we’re left wondering if we’re getting the full story. The whole process feels like a charade, but it’s one we have to play along with. Because heaven forbid we don’t check references, and something goes wrong.

Let’s not overlook the infamous contractor availability problem. In the GTA, the best contractors are booked solid for months. So, even if you do manage to find the perfect candidate, you’re faced with the reality that they won’t be able to start the job anytime soon. And waiting is not an option when you’ve got tenants breathing down your neck, demanding immediate fixes. So, what’s the alternative? Settling for the second-best—or worse, the third-best—contractor, and praying that it doesn’t blow up in your face. It’s a lose-lose situation, and no amount of planning can change that.

But perhaps the most maddening part of this whole process is the lack of communication. Contractors in the GTA seem to have perfected the art of being unreachable. Emails go unanswered, phone calls are dodged, and when you do finally get a response, it’s vague at best. How are we supposed to trust someone with a major property renovation when they can’t even pick up the phone? And yet, we’re supposed to hand over the keys to the building and hope for the best. It’s a level of frustration that’s hard to articulate without coming off as angry—though let’s be honest, who wouldn’t be?

In the end, it’s a balancing act of settling for less and hoping for more. No matter how much time, effort, and energy we put into choosing the right contractor, there’s always that nagging feeling that something will go wrong. And when it does, you can bet we’ll be the first to hear about it—from tenants, from owners, from everyone except the contractor who’s conveniently unavailable to explain what happened. But we keep doing it because we have to, because that’s the job, even if it feels like a thankless one.