Quality construction and consistency are the foundation of everything we do. This is reflected in our smallest jobs through to our biggest projects. Our work speaks for itself, always.
Cardinal Carpentry is dedicated to creating a working environment focused on the health and safety of our employees, our clients, and our community. We carry 5-million-dollar liability insurance, and our team is covered by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB).
Our Process
1. Contact Us
Please fill out our contact form and tell us a bit about yourself and the project that you have in mind. Do you have drawings? Are you working with a designer? Have you considered a budget and timeline? Considering all of these details is a great start.
2. Let’s Meet
After reviewing your project details, we can schedule an on-site visit to take measurements and brainstorm ideas. During this meeting, we will get to know you and the space you are looking to renovate.
3. Proposal
After reviewing all of the information provided, such as details from our walk-through, and connecting with any designers or architects, Cardinal Carpentry will provide you with a Project Proposal. Our Project Proposals contain a detailed scope of work, total estimated project cost, and a projected timeline. Take your time to review this document, and feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions. These proposals are not set in stone, and this is a great time to make adjustments and changes that suit your needs and budget.
4. Contract Signing
After you have accepted our Project Proposal, we will send a Project Contract for you to sign. The Project Contract has all of the details provided in the Project Proposal, as well as a payment and project schedules and any other relevant details to your project.
5.
Preparing for your renovation
Prep-work is a great way to not only ensure a smooth renovation, but to expedite the renovation process. Your prep-work can be as simple as providing us with house keys and alarm codes, or it may involve a list of tasks to help protect and prepare your home and the furnishing within your home.
6.
Pre-Construction Meeting
Before construction begins, we will schedule an on-site meeting between you, Cardinal Carpentry, the lead carpenter and all necessary trades specialists. This meeting allows you to get to know everyone involved with your renovation before it starts. It also allows all members of the team to address any site-specific ideas or concerns before the project begins.
7.
Construction
Your contractor, Kiki will oversee all work and will communicate with you and the construction team throughout the duration of the project. During construction, you can expect regular written, and verbal progress reports. Kiki is available by phone or email throughout the day to answer any questions you may have. If there are any unforeseen issues or obstructions discovered, as there often can be, it will be shared with you as soon as possible.
8.
Post-Construction
Once your project has reached completion, it’s time to start enjoying your new space. After we’ve gone, we encourage you to review our work and take note of any deficiencies. Within two weeks of project completion, we will schedule to return and address these items, leaving you with a perfectly finished space!
Cardinal Carpentry ensures all of our labour with a one-year post-construction warranty. We are proud to stand by our work.
It all starts with a plan.
Preparing For Your Renovation:
Communication with Contractor
Clear communication is a crucial component of any renovation. Be sure that your contact information is up to date throughout the duration of your project. It is often beneficial to choose one person to be the main point of contact throughout the day. This avoids confusion and loss of information. Any unforeseen changes to the scope of work will be communicated immediately upon their discovery.
Communication with Family and Neighbours
Keeping the site clean and safe is a priority for Cardinal Carpentry, but work sites can still be dangerous. If you have young children living at home, be sure to discuss the dangers of the worksite with them. We recommend that all children stay away from the work area. If the work being done affects the neighbours, or we need access to the neighbour's yard to complete the job, be sure to discuss this with them before the project starts. It's courteous and will ensure a smoother operation.
Make Arrangements for Pets
Cardinal Carpentry is a very pet-friendly company that has a lot of experience working around animals. If you have pets at home during the renovation, please inform us of any precautions that need to be taken to ensure your furry friends are safe and comfortable. If it's a large-scale renovation, we may ask that you make arrangements for your pets off-site to guarantee their safety.
Access to Home
Before the renovation begins, we ask that you make copies of any keys needed to access the work areas. Our standard work hours are from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm. The contractor will typically place all keys in a lockbox on site. Please share any lock codes, or security codes with your contractor. Remember to contact your security company to inform them that the smoke alarms and sensors may be affected by the work being done.
Consider Making Other Living Arrangements
There may be times when we ask you to vacate your home during the renovation. For example, if spray foam insulation is part of your Project Contract, the house must be clear for 24-48 hours after installation. If hazardous materials, such as asbestos, are discovered, you may be asked to remain off-site while it is being remediated.
Preparing Your Home
Once you have prepared yourself for your renovation, you can do a few things to prepare your home. The following steps can help to ensure the ease and cleanliness of the renovation.
• Remove all valuables and fragile items from the work area.
• Clear the work area and any walkways used to access the work area as much as possible.
• Change furnace filters often throughout the duration of the project.
• Remove pictures from walls, empty shelves and clear all surfaces in and around the work area.