How to Rebuild After the Alberta Flood

Dear Friends of Pinnacle,

We have spent the last few days helping several of our Client families with the early stages of recovery efforts from the flood. Amongst the devastation we have all felt the renewed sense of community spirit and the kindness and compassion of the entire Calgary community and beyond. 

In talking with people in these severely flooded areas, we have reached out to provide not only our manpower but our support and expertise in guiding these homeowners as to what steps to take next to rebuild their homes. The feedback has been overwhelming positive and we have been encouraged to share this with our entire Pinnacle community; even if you haven’t been directly affected by the flood, please pass this information on to any of your friends and family that may be dealing with flooded homes and businesses. 

I think the most prevalent piece of information we can share with all of you, is that unfortunately along with bringing out the best of the community, an emergency situation also brings out the worst in the scam artists preying on those affected by the devastation. These unscrupulous people will very soon be on the phone and at your door posing as reputable contractors. We caution you – PLEASE DO NOT engage in any work with someone wanting deposits before starting work that cannot produce a written contract! They must also produce a valid City of Calgary Business license, a valid Bonded (pre-paid Contractor’s license), and hold a BBB A+ rating in order to mitigate your risk when dealing with them. Obviously this is an extremely emotional time for all families affected by this flood emergency and the desire to re-build as quickly as possible is on everyone’s minds; however hiring a fraudulent operator posing as a legitimate contractor will only add insult to injury. 

In an effort to help you move forward as quickly and efficiently as possible, we have put together a list of questions, compiled from the recommendations of third party consumer protection organizations that include the CRHBA (Calgary Region Home Builders Association), CMHC (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation), Better Business Bureau (BBB) and RenoMark™. Only the most qualified and reputable companies will be able to answer these questions; establishing the trust necessary to ensure you have a worry free Renovation after all you have been through. 

  1. Are you a RenoMark™ Renovator? 
  2. Are you a member in good standing of the Canadian Home Builder’s Association – Calgary Region? 
  3. Do you abide by the RenoMark™ and Canadian Home Builders’ Association Calgary Region Code of Ethics? 
  4. Are you registered with the Better Business Bureau; if so what’s your rating? 
  5. Do you have any unresolved or unanswered complaints at your local Better Business Bureau?
  6. Do you have Business Liability Insurance, and do you carry Workman’s Compensation Insurance?
  7. Do you offer a warranty on your work; if so does it comply with RenoMark™ requirements ? 
  8. Do you take care of all applicable permits with the City or neighboring MD’s? 
  9. Do you have proper City Licensing as a Contractor? 
  10. Do you charge a deposit? (If so do you have a pre-paid contractor’s license?)
  11. Do you know about the lien regulations & requirements of the Alberta Government? 
  12. Have you been in business 10 years or more?
  13. Do you offer Tours of completed projects? 
  14. Do you have an actual Design Studio where I can compare products? 
  15. Do you provide a written contract proposal that includes a start date, completion date, full details of the work and material, and the complete cost? (Do you guarantee these details?)
  16. What steps do you take to maintain a safe, organized & clean worksite and are you SECOR or COR certified? 

To download this complete document that discusses these questions in details, click here and review the section DNA Expert Industry Questions.

As well, here is an additional list of resources: 

Calgary Updated News On Progress & Services: 

Volunteer and Donation Opportunities: 

Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers continue to go out to all our neighbors in Calgary and surrounding communities affected by the flood. 

From your Friends here at Pinnacle Group.