Calgary trades,
hired with your eyes open.

Browse by trade

What each trade covers and what to look for. Named businesses go up only once their insurance and any Alberta licence are checked, and that list is still being built.

• Plumbers

  24/7 emergency

  Drain calls, water heater swaps, leak repairs, full bathroom plumbing. Ask for their Alberta journeyperson certificate.

• Electricians

  Permit-friendly

  Panel upgrades, EV chargers, sub-panels, smoke alarm wiring, basement reno wiring. Most of this needs a permit, so ask who pulls it.

• Roofers

  Inspections

  Asphalt shingles, repairs, hail-damage inspections and ice-dam fixes. Ask to see WCB and liability insurance dated this year.

• Painters

  Interior + exterior

  Residential interior, and exterior in the summer season. calgaryhousepainting.com takes painting quote requests.

• HVAC technicians

  Furnace + AC

  Furnace service, AC install, hot water tank, gas line work. Gas work needs a licensed gas fitter, so ask for the ticket.

• Finish carpenters

  Trim + cabinetry

  Built-ins, trim, custom cabinetry, stair work, hardwood thresholds.

• Drywallers

  Patch + new

  Patches, new boarding, level-five finish for difficult lighting. Ask how they control dust.

• Flooring installers

  Hardwood + tile

  Hardwood, engineered, LVT, tile. Ask whether trim transitions and underlayment are in the quote.

• Concrete and landscaping

  Seasonal

  Driveways, sidewalks, retaining walls, sodding, planting. Spring and fall priority.

• General handyman

  Small jobs

  The small-jobs trade for the things you cannot quite name. Drywall patch through hanging a TV.

Questions to ask before you hire

Walking in with these makes a big difference. Save the list, ask them all, and watch how comfortable they are answering.

1. 1
   Can I see your WCB and liability insurance, dated this year?

   A pro carries both and shows them on request.
2. 2
   How long have you been doing this trade specifically, not contracting generally?

   You want trade-time, not management years.
3. 3
   Will you pull a permit for this scope, or does code allow you to skip one?

   Either is fine. Hiding the question is not.
4. 4
   Who specifically will be on site each day, and are they your employees or subcontractors?

   Affects accountability if something goes wrong.
5. 5
   Have you done this exact scope on a Calgary home of this age before?

   1970s-bungalow plumbing is not 2010 infill plumbing.
6. 6
   What is your warranty, in writing, and what voids it?

   A real warranty has terms. "We stand behind our work" is not a warranty.
7. 7
   Can you give me two Calgary references from work completed in the last 6 months?

   Recent references catch tradespeople who used to be good.
8. 8
   What is the total all-in cost, and what specifically triggers a change order?

   A trade who lists triggers up front is unusually honest. Hire them.

What this site is about

A short list of what we cover, and what is coming next.

• By trade

  Plumbers, electricians, roofers, painters, HVAC, finish carpenters, drywallers, flooring. All Calgary.

• What to check

  WCB, liability insurance, permits and a written warranty. The questions above cover each one.

• Painting quotes

  Our sister site calgaryhousepainting.com takes painting quote requests today.

• Ask Dusty

  Tell him your job. He explains which trade you need and what a fair quote looks like.