Help Your Community Protect itself from the Underground Economy

Each year, and in every community across Canada, home owners invest over $70 billion to maintain and improve their homes. Unfortunately, in too many cases, they fall victim to contractors who promise a lower price – so long as nothing is written down.

The underground economy in home renovations and repairs is a big problem. It puts law-abiding contractors at a competitive disadvantage. It costs governments billions each year in lost revenue. And it results in many home owners getting ‘ripped off’ as a result of shoddy work, lack of building permits and inspections, and no warranty or recourse when ‘cash-only’ contractors don’t deliver what they promised.

Get it in Writing! is a national consumer information program operated by the Canadian Home Builders’ Association in collaboration with the Government of Canada. It provides home owners with objective, how-to information on safely hiring a contractor to work on their home – with a proper written contract that protects them.

Get it in Writing! also explains to home owners why doing things the ‘right way’ matters to them. It tells home owners that without a written contract, they will have little or no recourse if the work is done badly, or not at all. It cautions homeowners that, in the event of a workplace accident, they could be held liable for worker  injuries. It explains how municipal building permits and inspections protect them, and alerts them to the potential problems if permit requirements are not followed. In short, Get it in Writing! helps homeowners understand the considerable risks they face if they take a ‘cash’ contractor's advice to ‘skip the paperwork and save some money.’

Local Home Builders’ Association and CHBA members work hard to spread the Get it in Writing! message. We also invite municipal governments and elected leader to participate to help ensure residents make informed choices when they hire a contractor.

The toolkit provided here includes short messages, graphics and videos that you are free to incorporate in your communications with consumers. All this material includes links to the Get it in Writing! website, where home owners can learn about the simple steps needed to hire a contractor the smart and safe way.