Guide
How to vet a home-service contractor before you hire
Jun 5, 2026 · Ottawa Home Services Directory · 5 min read
Reviews are a start, not the whole story. A short checklist for confirming a contractor is real, insured, and worth a written quote.
Public reviews are a useful signal, but they are the beginning of your homework, not the end. Before you sign anything, confirm the basics yourself.
The five-minute checklist
- Confirm the business is real and currently operating (a working phone, a real address or service area, a recent web presence).
- Ask for proof of liability insurance, and for trades that require it, a licence or certification number you can verify.
- Get an itemized written quote, not a phone estimate.
- Ask who actually does the work and whether it is subcontracted.
- Read a range of reviews across sources, not one cherry-picked quote.
This directory lists real, operating Ottawa businesses and shows ratings only when they come from a named public source. It does not verify licensing or insurance for you; always confirm those directly with the business before you hire.