c/edmonton-contractors

Got roasted by a foreman for my caulking technique on a job in St. Albert

This old foreman watched me lay a bead on a window frame and said 'you're wiping it clean, not spreading jam on toast.' He showed me to tool it wet with a popsicle stick instead of my finger. Anyone else get a weird specific tip that actually worked way better?

2 comments

jamesm48•22h ago

Realized I'd been mixing mortar WRONG for 6 years

I was at a job site in Mill Woods last week and an old mason watched me for a minute. He said "you're putting the water in first, aren't you?" and I felt like an idiot. Turns out dry ingredients first then water makes it way stronger and less crumbly. Has anyone else been doing basic stuff backwards their whole career?

3 comments

bettyfox•3d ago

Debate: licensed electrician vs. a handyman for a panel upgrade in Edmonton

I went with a licensed electrician for my 200 amp panel swap last summer and paid $2800, while my neighbour used a handyman for $1500 and his inspector flagged every junction box during resale, so which is the smarter bet for a simple service upgrade in this city?

2 comments

brown.gavin•8d ago

Just found out most Edmonton basement Reno's skip vapor barrier inspections

I was reading through some old city permit records from 2019 and saw that nearly 60% of basement finishes in Mill Woods got flagged for missing proper vapor barrier seals. Found it buried on the city's inspection stats page while looking for something else. That's wild to me because I always thought every contractor knew that was step one. Has anyone else run into this or is it just the cheap crews cutting corners?

3 comments

thomas.parker•9d ago

Had the worst week of my contracting career last February

I was working a basement reno in Sherwood Park and the homeowner kept changing their mind on the layout. After 4 days of re-framing walls I finally told them we needed a solid plan or I'd walk. They got offended and left me a bad review on Facebook even though I finished the job on time. Has anyone else dealt with clients who expect free revisions past the first agreed design?

2 comments

the_tara•11d ago

Pro tip: ignore the guy who says you don't need a vapor barrier in Edmonton basements

My buddy Dave who's been framing houses for 15 years told me a vapor barrier was overkill for my basement reno last fall. I listened to him because he's done this way longer than me. Now I've got moisture stains showing through my drywall after one winter. Has anyone else had a contractor give them bad advice that cost you money to fix?

4 comments

the_joel•12d ago

Shoutout to the concrete guy who showed me how to float properly

I used to just screed and leave it, but after watching him take the time to float a driveway off 156 Street, I started doing it too. It cuts down on cracking in the first year for sure. Anyone else pick up better finishing tricks from watching a pro on site?

2 comments

brian_rivera59•14d ago

Guy I hired for concrete work told me to wait 7 days before sealing, I did 3 instead

I had this guy from a crew out of St. Albert do my driveway last month. He was pretty old school, been doing concrete for like 20 years. He told me to wait a full week before putting sealant on because the concrete needs to cure right or it'll flake. I thought he was just being slow and old fashioned so I went ahead and sealed it after 3 days cause I had a BBQ planned. Big mistake man. Now there's these weird white patches all over and the sealant is peeling in spots. Shoulda listened. Has anyone else ruined their driveway by rushing a cure time?

3 comments

andrew_rodriguez•18d ago

Heard a contractor say 'we'll make it work' and I just knew we were in trouble

Last week I was walking through a basement reno in Mill Woods and overheard the foreman tell the homeowner 'don't worry, we'll make it work' about the plumbing. Red flag city. I've been around enough to know that phrase usually means they're about to hack something together instead of doing it right. Has anyone else got a gut feeling from a specific phrase a contractor dropped?

3 comments

daniel_walker•19d ago

My skepticism about spray foam insulation backfired bad

I had a crew quote me $2,800 to seal my garage attic in Edmonton last month and I thought they were padding the numbers. After three weeks of battling ice dams and frozen pipes I caved and let them do it. Anyone else here get burned by hesitating on insulation work?

2 comments

troy832•21d ago

Lost $600 on a foundation repair that didn't even fix the crack

Hired a guy named Dave from a crew off Kijiji to fix a basement crack near my place in Mill Woods. Paid him $600 up front and he just sprayed some foam in there that peeled off after 2 weeks. Now I've got water coming in again and he won't answer my calls. Has anyone else dealt with a shady foundation contractor around here?

2 comments

charlie_ellis•21d ago

Warning: That "simple" bathroom reno took me 6 weeks not 2

Thought I could refresh our master bath in a weekend. Tore out the old vanity and found water damage behind it. Then the subfloor was rotten. Then the new tile I ordered was backordered 3 weeks. Ended up being without a shower for 6 weeks total. Anyone else have a contractor promise a timeline and then vanish when things go sideways?

3 comments

finleyh89•1mo ago

That moment my foundation pour went sideways in St. Albert

I was pouring a slab for a garage last September when the truck showed up 45 minutes late and the concrete was already starting to set in the mixer. Had to work with a crew of 3 to get it down and level in under 20 minutes before it got too stiff. Anyone else had a concrete delivery go wrong and had to scramble?

3 comments

claire_ramirez•1mo ago

Hired a local crew for my basement reno and they went MIA for 2 weeks

I booked Classic Renovations out of Edmonton for my basement drywall and taping back in March. They showed up for one day, did part of the mudding, then ghosted me for 2 weeks with no call. Has anyone else had contractors disappear like that in Edmonton or was I just unlucky?

3 comments

jamesfox•1mo ago

That concrete finisher who told me to wet the slab before stamping...

Old timer named Pete insisted I spray the slab down just before the stamp went on. Saved me from a total tear-out on a 400 square foot patio job last Tuesday. Any of you guys do this or just stick to the release powder?

3 comments

oliviagrant•1mo ago

Three quotes in one week and I nearly lost the job

I bid a garage foundation in St. Albert last Tuesday, gave them my number, and the next day three different contractors came in under me by $2000 each. Turned out they all use the same cheap concrete supplier that cuts corners on mix ratios. How do you guys spot these lowball bids before you even start digging?

4 comments

oliviagrant•1mo ago

Chatted with a concrete guy named Gary who totally changed my pour strategy

I was talking to Gary over at Sherwood Park Concrete last week about a small patio slab I messed up. He mentioned that he always wets the subgrade the night before a pour, even in summer, to stop the base from sucking moisture out too fast. I never thought about that before, but it makes sense with our clay soil here. Has anyone else tried pre-wetting their base or do you just go for it dry?

2 comments

nancybailey•1mo ago

Old roofer named Dave told me to always use ice and water shield on low slope roofs, but I skipped it on a shed and now I'm dealing with leaks 6 months later

I mean, Dave's been doing roofs for 30 years and he swore by it, but I figured a shed was overkill and now I'm patching it up anyway, so who else has had a contractor give you advice you ignored and regretted?

2 comments

dylanmurray•1mo ago

Noticed a huge difference in my basement flood repair after switching contractors mid-job

The first guy left my sump pump pit half dug and took off with my deposit, but the second crew had everything dry and sealed in 3 days flat, has anyone else had to fire a contractor partway through a job?

3 comments

allen.charlie•1mo ago

That week in July with Basement Renos was a nightmare

We hired Basement Renos to finish our basement. Day one they showed up late. Day three they broke a water pipe. Flooded the whole space. $3,200 in damage to my stored stuff. They left a crew alone on Friday and they just left at noon. I had to call the owner. He blamed his guys. Has anyone else had a crew just walk off like that?

3 comments

butler.finley•1mo ago

Quotes from Millcreekpainters and Strathcona Painting Co - who to choose?

I've narrowed my search for Edmonton painters down to Millcreekpainters and Strathcona Painting Co. They both seem like solid local businesses. Who would you guys pick for a large exterior job (siding, trim, and a detached garage)?

2 comments