Risks worth knowing about
A plumber should confirm. This is general information about homes of this age in Western Canada. Many houses have been partly repiped or renovated. Only looking at the pipes tells you what you actually have.
House-age decoder · Calgary & area
The year your house was built says a lot about its pipes.
Slide to your home's build year. We'll show the plumbing that was typical then, what tends to go wrong with it, and what a check costs. No sign-up needed.
41 years old
Supply:
Drains:
Sewer line:
Typical for the era, not a survey of your house. Renovations change everything.
Your decoded house
What homes from this era usually have
Recommended checks
Pre-ticked for your era. Tick or untick to build a sample estimate (CAD, plus GST).
Ticket wall
Every tech shows their tickets. You can check every one.
In Alberta, plumbing and gas fitting are certified trades. Ask anyone who comes to your door which tickets they hold. Here are ours, with how to verify each.
Licences & permits
Permits aren't red tape. They're a second set of eyes.
A permit means a City inspector checks the work after we're done. It also matters when you sell, insure or claim. Here's how it works with us.
What usually needs one
- Any gas line, gas appliance or furnace work
- Water heater replacement
- Backwater valve install
- Repiping, new fixtures, basement bathrooms
Who pulls it
- We apply for it, under our licence
- The permit number goes on your quote and invoice
- We book the inspection and attend it
- Outside Calgary, permits come from your town or its permit agency. We handle those too
Red flags to watch for
- "We don't need a permit for that" on gas work
- Asking you to pull the permit in your name
- A large deposit with no written contract
- No licence number on the quote
| What | Number | How to check |
|---|---|---|
| City of Calgary business licence | BL-0471 (sample) | Ask the City's business licence office, or ask us for a copy. |
| Alberta prepaid contractor licence | PC-555-0142 (sample) | Needed when a contractor takes payment before finishing work. Check with Service Alberta's consumer office. |
| WCB-Alberta account | 5550100 (sample) | Request a clearance letter through WCB-Alberta. |
| Liability insurance | $5M (sample) | We email the certificate before work starts. Check the insurer and the dates. |
| Trade certificates | On each tech card | Ask to see the card, then confirm with the issuing provincial trades office. |
Winter emergency
Pipe frozen at minus thirty? Do this first.
Pick what's happening. These are general first steps to limit damage while you wait for help. If anything feels unsafe, leave it and call.
Book
Book an inspection or ask a question
A licensed plumber calls you back within one business hour (sample promise). For a burst pipe or gas smell, don't use the form. Call.
- OfficeMon–Fri, 7 am–6 pm
- Emergency line24/7, a real person
- AreasCalgary, Airdrie, Cochrane, Chestermere, Okotoks