Hiring a contractor is a big decision and something that needs to be taken seriously.  We have seen it all too often where homeowners are taken advantage of, the truth is, there are only a few key steps you need to take to ensure you are making a confident and educated decision on who will be working on your project.  The above link takes you to the City of Calgary website where you can find additional information, below are a few quick things you should know and should confirm with any builder you are looking to hire:

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Business License, Business ID Number (Required)

All contractors require a business license, and if they have a valid business license they have a BID. The BID is not a Corporate Registration Number or a Business Number / GST Number.  It is an approval given to each company from the City of Calgary that allows them to perform work within City limits.  Make Sure Your Builder Has This - and confirm the number with the City!

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Provincial License (Optional)

This is a big one, if a contractor is asking for payments (partial or in full) prior to all of the work being completed then they need to be registered with the Government of Alberta.  Basically, if your builder is asking for a deposit or progress payments they need to also have a provincial license.  You can verify by contacting the Consumer Contact Centre at 1-877-427-4088 or visit Service Alberta.

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Ask For References

Should go without saying, but you would be surprised how often this is overlooked.  Get references, real references that you personally contact.  Do not simply rely on website reviews, ask for the addresses and contact information of their past clients that they completed a similar project on.  You can then do a simply drive by to see the completed work as well as talk to other homeowners that have worked with your potential builder. 

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