Most contractors in Ottawa are honest professionals, but the city's active renovation market also attracts a minority of operators who take deposits and disappear, dramatically underbid to win work they cannot deliver, or pressure homeowners into rushed decisions. Contractor scams cost Ontario homeowners millions of dollars every year, and the losses are often unrecoverable because the operators leave no paper trail. The good news is that nearly every scam relies on the same handful of tactics, and once you recognize them, they are easy to avoid. This guide explains the most common contractor ...
Scams tend to follow recognizable patterns. Knowing them in advance makes the warning signs obvious.
The most common scam is simple: the contractor demands a large upfront deposit, sometimes 40% to 50% of the project cost, then either never starts the work or completes a small amount and vanishes. By the time you realize what has happened, the money is gone and the business is unreachable. This is ...
Be especially cautious of contractors who show up unsolicited, often claiming they were working nearby and noticed a problem with your roof, driveway, or chimney. These pitches rely on urgency and fear. Legitimate Ottawa contractors rarely need to canvass door to door, and Ontario's consumer protect...
After major storms or hail, out-of-town operators flood affected neighbourhoods offering fast, cheap roof or siding repairs. They collect deposits, do shoddy or incomplete work, and leave the province before problems surface. Always prefer established local contractors with a verifiable Ottawa addre...
Individual red flags are not always proof of a scam, but two or more together should end the conversation.
Demands for large cash deposits, requests to pay in cash only, pressure to pay the full amount upfront, or insistence on payment before any work begins are all serious warning signs. Cash leaves no trail and offers no protection if the work is never done.
No physical business address, only a cell phone and no company email, no proof of insurance or WSIB coverage, refusal to provide references or a portfolio, and a business name that seems to change frequently are all signals to walk away. Legitimate contractors are easy to verify.
High-pressure sales tactics, today-only pricing, and refusal to give you time to review a written contract are designed to stop you from doing your homework. A trustworthy contractor expects you to compare quotes and check references.
A few disciplined habits make you a very hard target for scammers.
Confirm the contractor's business registration through the Ontario business registry, verify general liability insurance directly with the insurer, and check WSIB coverage at wsib.ca. Search the company name alongside words like complaint or scam, and read reviews across multiple platforms. Five min...
Never start work without a detailed written contract, and never pay more than a 10% to 15% deposit. Structure the remaining payments around completed milestones, and hold back a final 10% to 15% until all deficiencies are corrected. Always pay by cheque or traceable electronic transfer so you have a...
Under Ontario's Consumer Protection Act, contracts signed at your home as a result of door-to-door solicitation can often be cancelled within a cooling-off period. If you feel pressured into signing, you may have more options than you think. When in doubt, contact Consumer Protection Ontario before ...
The disappearing deposit. A contractor demands a large upfront payment — often 40% to 50% — then never starts or abandons the job. Keeping deposits to 10% to 15% and tying payments to completed milestones is the simplest protection.
Not always, but unsolicited door-to-door pitches are a common scam vehicle, especially after storms. Legitimate Ottawa contractors rarely need to canvass neighbourhoods. Ontario also limits unsolicited door-to-door sales of certain home services, and you may have cancellation rights if you sign under pressure.
No more than 10% to 15% of the total project cost, and never more than 25%. Anything beyond that, or a demand for full payment upfront, is a major red flag. Pay by cheque or electronic transfer, never cash.
Confirm their business registration in the Ontario business registry, verify general liability insurance with the insurer directly, check WSIB coverage at wsib.ca, and read reviews across Google, HomeStars, and the BBB. Search the company name with words like complaint or scam.
Document everything — contracts, payments, photos, and communications. Contact Consumer Protection Ontario, file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, and if money was taken without work performed, report it to police. Acting quickly improves your chances of recovery.