What Should I Ask a Builder Before I Hire Them to Build My House in Vancouver?

Five Documents to Ask For First

• The licence number and licence type. Section 14(1) of the Homeowner Protection Act says a person must not carry on the business of a residential builder unless licensed. Search the number on BC Housing's Licence Registry, which said on November 10, 2026 that for a custom home you must hire a licensed builder with general contractor status, and showed 8,140 licensed residential builders in good standing.
• The home warranty provider. Section 22(1) of the Act says a new home must be registered for home warranty insurance before it is built. BC Housing's guide says the builder must arrange it before the building permit, that only insurers authorized by the BC Financial Services Authority may provide it, and that on a custom home built on your own land the policy starts only at the occupancy permit, the move-in or the completion date, whichever comes first.
• A WorkSafeBC clearance letter. It is question 7 in BC Housing's guide. WorkSafeBC's own clearance letter page says the letter confirms a business is registered with WorkSafeBC and paying its premiums, and that if you hire a registered contractor who is not making the required payments, you could be liable for the premiums on the work done for you.
• The limit of the commercial general liability policy. Question 6 in the guide. That policy protects the builder against claims from other people during construction, for example damage to a neighbour's property or a visitor injured on the site. Ask for the certificate and read the limit and the dates on it.
• A sample contract, schedule and invoice from a past project. The guide says a builder's documents tell you how organized the company is and how often invoices will come. A builder who will not share them is on the guide's list of warning signs.

Questions About the Builder

• How long have you been in business? A builder with years of work has steady trades and knows the local permit office. If the company is new, ask about the people's earlier work, because the guide says new builders often bring skills from previous roles.
• Have you built homes like mine, and in my area? Building conditions and permit timelines differ by city, so a builder who has worked in Vancouver can tell you what the City's reviewers ask for. Ask how they choose and check their trades and suppliers.
• Do you build one home at a time or several? The guide says that if the builder runs several projects at once, you want to know whether a construction manager will be on your site at least every couple of days.
• Have there been home warranty claims on your projects, and how did you handle them? The guide says the answer shows how the builder deals with defects.
• Tell me about a disagreement on a past build. The guide says the answer tells you about the builder's communication style, and whether they took responsibility for a mistake.
• Can I have a few references? A builder who is reluctant to give them is, in the guide's words, a warning not to work with that builder.

Questions About Your Project

• Do you have suggestions for my project, and do you see any problems with it? The guide says to be concerned if the builder has no questions for you.
• How do you build an estimate, and what is in it? Many builders give a rough estimate first, a more detailed one once the building plans exist, and a final one once the building permit is issued. The guide says a one-page quote does not give enough information to decide.
• How will you keep me informed? Ask who your main contact is and how often you get updates. The guide notes that some builders use construction management software, such as CoConstruct, for this.
• Who will be assigned to my project, and how often is it under direct supervision? The guide's measure is a construction manager on site at least every other day.
• How do you handle site clean up? Go and look at a site the builder is running now. How it is kept tells you how the company is organized.
• How do you handle changes after construction begins? Changes after the contract is signed are change orders. The builder should have a clear system for writing them down, pricing them and approving them, and the contract should say who may approve them.
• How long will construction take, and what do you do when it falls behind? The guide says the time depends on the home's complexity, and also on the builder's workload and how early they see problems coming.
• What happens after I move in? Ask about the walk-through inspection, the home maintenance manual and who answers questions in the first year.

What to Ask the Builder's References

• Would you hire the builder again, and how were disagreements with the builder, the trades or the suppliers handled?
• Did the builder keep you informed, and were there surprises?
• How did the builder handle the changes you asked for?
• Did the builder work well with your neighbours?
• Was the site clean and safe during construction?
• Was the project on time and on budget, and what caused any delay?
• Did the results match what the builder promised?
• What was the builder's service like after you moved in?

What the Contract Must Say Before You Sign

Warning Signs BC Housing Lists

• Seems evasive or will not provide references.
• Does not seem curious about your project.
• Gives you a price that seems too low to be real, or a price based on little information.
• Will not discuss holdbacks.
• Has poor reviews or testimonials, or poor communication in the first stages.
• Has a negative attitude toward past clients or projects.
• Is unwilling to provide documents such as sample contracts, schedules or invoices.

Check What You Are Told