I will be moving over within the next 12 - 18 months and intend to start a building services business i.e heating & ventilation, plumbing, electrical etc. Has anyone set up a similar business? , if so what would you describe as the pros & cons of doing business in Canada as opposed to the UK?

(Comparisons from other types of business sectors would also be interesting)



Thanks for any feedback.

Where are you heading to?

Hi JonboyE

At the moment it's between Vancouver & Calgary or just maybe ... Halifax.

You are planning on hiring contractors or doing this all yourself?

Hey Snowdude, I have a home renovation company here in Toronto , I was a chef in the U.K. and was brought over here by Canada`s major first class hotel chain many moons ago ,but that`s another story . I do not know what doing this kind of kind of business is like in the U.K. , but here you will need licenses for heating and plumbing , also for electrician . Unless you plan to hire licensed professionals,in which case I can not see anyone working for a brand new company that does not have any customers . You can start off on your own but will need references from past clients . to put it in a nut shell you are going to need a hell of a lot of luck. Unless you come over with lots of $$$$$$`s to buy an existing company. If you are planning to emigrate here who is going to sponsor you ??. I think you need to do a lot of thinking things through .

If the work is being carried out by you, be aware that most trades people have a journeyman certification (an apprenticeship and final exam to say that they are competant at what they do - roughly 4 year apprenticeship and 4 years of proven work experience in each field), whilst I don't think that NOT having these would be an issue for private jobs, if you were contracted to work for a big company they may want to see our credentials.

I don't think you would be able to write the exam to get a certification in plumbing, electrical, carpentry and brickwork - you'd have to prove about 32 years of relevant experience in the respective fields lol.

So this could be business. I'll send you a PM.

I thought touting was not allowed?

hi snowdude
i came over to toronto 15 months ago, it took me 3 months to sort out plumbers licence, contractors licence public liability set up as a corporation etc, once you have all that together you are up against weekend warriors carrying out the work with out any licences etc. have a look on craigslist .ca toronto, skilled trades, look to the licence details at the bottom. i would say it is 50/50 that customers would like it if you are licenced, but if they can get the job done for a few bucks less they will go for it.
the most important thing is to come over and spend time researching the whole working living thing especially in the winter in minus 20 deg.
you have to look up previous posts on people who have gone back and why?
then if it seems right, go for it.
my name on b.e. is still waiting, this comes from the fact that it took us seven years from fist applying to moving here, it can be a long slog and we are just about settled.

best wishes and good luck

I would think that this sector is flooded with local companies so lots of research would be needed. I do not have any actual info for Vancouver but i'm sure a quick scout through the local directories will show up dozens of electricians/plumbers/building contractor etc.
Certainly here in Kelowna we are spoiled for choice with these service companies and they were all hit to an extent earlier this year when we had the gloom and doom of the "Global Recession"
As others have said there are lots of rules and regulations but it can be done. We bought an existing business and there were still things that i didn't know several months on. I got a fine for not dispalying a commercial vehicle decal on the works truck. Just hand over $35 per vehicle and bobs your uncle i was legal again.
I had never owned a business before so cannot compare it to the UK but i'm sure there is as much red tape there as here. I do pay a local bookeeping service to do all my paperwork and then a good accountant for the year end stuff as that was something i didn't want to get wrong.

No I don't do tools anymore so I will be managing a combination of direct & sub -contract labour.

Hi Pete,

Sorry but I think you and one or two others have misunderstood my question. I know full well how to start, manage & profit from the type of business I have described - in the UK.

What I'm looking for are comparatives. How does doing business in Canada compare with the UK in for example the key areas below in the experience of any BEP business people.


1) business property - more/less expensive to rent or buy,

2) staff - more/less hardworking, reliable,

3) unions - is it difficult to fire poor staff,

4) customers - in the construction industry all customers have the potential to be difficult and stiffing subbies was at one time a national sport for some of them, things are better now but "getting contractual" is still far too common.

5) getting paid - the full amount anyway - difficulty getting paid is the accepted by many as normal in the UK .

6) health & safety - currently the only growth industry in the UK.

Hi SW,

Registered companies like yours will never compete (nor should you try to) with the cash in hand brigade. What you need to do is make yourself stand out from them. Get a smart van with smart decals keep it clean all the time, (I used to wash mine every single day) admittedly not in -20!. Get yourself a good logo/ image and get it on absolutely everything. Get top quality brochures, stationary, website etc etc it really doesn’t cost that much. Make sure you and your staff turn out in full logoed work gear, snickers / dickies etc keep it reasonably clean.
If you do this you will look different to the cash guy working out of the back of his car and the customer will perceive added value and be prepared to pay for it.
Trust me, it works!

Hi Printer,

What line are you in?

I will would need to locate to an area with lots of competition anyway as I see this as where the work is plus competition can often provide a ready source of skilled workers.

Agreed you need to set yourself apart, however before all the dressing up, you need to offer a top quality product and exemplary customer service. We hire contractors regularly, uniforms and the fluff means nothing to us from a contractor.We are looking for reliability and exceptional quality workmanship.

Not one of our contractors arrives in a uniform or gives us fancy brochures.

We do not hire cash in hand guys either. Every contractor we hire has come at the recommendation of someone else.