The best contractors and home builders in Victoria, BC

Building permits for homes in Victoria come from the municipality the home is in: the City of Victoria, or Saanich, Oak Bay and the other capital region municipalities for homes outside the city. Structural work, additions, new plumbing and electrical work and basement finishing usually need one, while cosmetic updates usually do not. Agree in writing whether you or the firm applies.

Ask for a clearance letter from WorkSafeBC, which confirms the firm is registered for workers' compensation and in good standing, and for a certificate of liability insurance covering the dates of your job. Then read its Google reviews from the last year and ask to see finished work like yours.

A new house in British Columbia must be built by a residential builder licensed by BC Housing and enrolled in third-party 2-5-10 home warranty insurance: two years on defects in materials and labour, five years on the building envelope and ten years on the structure.

A renovation is not a new home, so the new home warranty rules usually do not apply: get the firm's own workmanship warranty in writing, with what it covers and for how long. Renovators in RenoMark, the Canadian Home Builders' Association program, offer a minimum two-year warranty on their work.