Renovation & Painting – Frequently Asked Questions

1st String Painting & Renovation has 25+ years of renovation & painting experience. Our longevity in the industry is due to our commitment to our clients in providing great value, and a quality finished product.

1st String Painting & Renovation  is a full service general contracting company. We provide both residential and commercial renovation services. These include kitchen, bathroom, living room, basement and home office renovations, as well as commercial and industrial painting and custom home projects.

We only use licensed sub-trades for licensed sub-trade work. We guarantee that a plumber will be doing the plumbing work and an electrician will be doing electrical work and not the other way around. This philosophy ensures that our work gets done by qualified, experienced personnel, so it’s done right the first time.

1st String Renovation & Painting Service carries several legal requirements that protect our clients, those who work with us, and ourselves. These include:

• Workmen’s Compensation
• Liability insurance with two million dollars of coverage for each occurrence (we have never had to claim)
• Inter-municipal license to operate in Greater Victoria
• GST registration

Should you require more details we will be happy to provide them.

Yes. A ‘work order’ should be mutually beneficial to all parties. Therefore, everything is completed in writing so there are no surprises. The benefit of a ‘work order’ is that all the project details are spelled out, whether it is the scope of the work to be performed, the time allotment in which the work is to be fulfilled, or the terms of payment. The document also outlines the duties and responsibilities of each party. Not all ‘work orders’ are the same. However, each one should include:

• Scope of work
• Timetable of commencement date and completion
• Cost
• Progress payment schedule

Our warranty is for one full year on labour. Product warranty is dependent on the manufacturer’s warranty. Please note that in cases where a homeowner chooses to supply materials for a project (e.g. a homeowner buys plumbing fixtures for us to install) any warranty issues that arise from such supplied products are the responsibility of customer.

Yes. We use only products of the highest standards that meet or exceed building codes. There are few, if any, substandard products in today’s marketplace. Where contractors run into trouble is when they try and use products not designed for a specific application. We make sure this does not happen. In addition to using correct products for their intended use, we make it a habit to inform our clients that using the cheapest product in not always value for money. In some cases, using higher quality, more expensive products can lead to significant savings in the long run.

We are more than willing to show you our work provided we have the homeowner’s permission. We do, however, keep a library of photos of our previous work for you to look at.

The best time is now. Although some things, such as exterior painting, are best left to warmer weather, most renovations can occur year round.

If you feel comfortable drawing out some ideas for a new kitchen, then by all means do so. It is useful, however, to put together a wish list of things you’d like to see in your kitchen. This information will help us come up with a design that’s right for you.

Depending on the scope of the renovation, consulting with an interior designer/decorator can be very beneficial.

When retrofitting a kitchen for today’s needs, there are a couple of elements that are often overlooked and should be included even if you are only replacing cabinets.

Electrical is another element not to be overlooked. Many older homes predate the use of small appliances and electrical requirements are often insufficient. It’s also a great time to revisit your kitchen’s lighting, especially around food preparation areas. Consider under-cabinet lighting, above-cabinet indirect lighting, pot lights, or traditional fixtures. Don’t forget new LED light fixtures for energy savings.

The size of the renovation and the impact it will have on your living and sleeping quarters will ultimately dictate whether or not you can continue to stay there during construction. The other factor of living in a building under construction is that you will sacrifice private time with your family.

With full kitchen renovations, unless your home offers an area for a make-shift kitchen, this is a renovation that should occur while the homeowners are vacant from the premises

With 1st String, you can expect all renovations performed to current building codes by qualified trades people. A safe & clean job site is always maintained from start to finish, as well as an ongoing dialogue to keep the customer informed as the project progresses.