It’s been one year since Calgary suffered the costliest hailstorm in our nation’s history.
It caused $500 million in insurance claims.
Like many, our house was affected, as the hail chewed out the siding and the roof.
The insurance company was generous: A complete redo of the roof and siding.
At the same time, we did an interior reno. So work was underway inside and out.
Inside, I debated for months about which grey paint colour to choose.
I wrote to designers Jean Larette in California and Alykhan Velshi here. They like Benjamin Moore Grey Owl, and Metropolis.
I picked a similar colour, ironically named “Hailstorm” from General Paint.
There’s a link between paint and shingles: Painting, decorating siding and re-roofing don’t require permits under the Alberta building and safety codes.
This means no extra fee, but also no inspection.
In an unusual move, I asked our insurer to have the new shingles inspected.
The inspector found the roof was not done to code, or to warranty specifications.
It didn’t have the proper underlay felt or eaves protection, and some nails needed to be redone and re-caulked.
Our roofer’s response? “No one builds to code in Calgary, and we’re not paid to do it to code.”
With no inspection process, I can see why.
Alberta Municipal Affairs (which issues the building safety code) says the City of Calgary could still require re-roofing permits.
The city seemed flummoxed by the idea.
No doubt.
Why would the city implement permits for re-roofing and siding when the Alberta building codes make it exempt?
Another provincial excuse is that the code is for safety, not warranty.
Yet somehow the state has to assist its citizens in not getting ripped off by poor construction practices.
Minister Hector Goudreau is proposing to protect new homeowners with higher fines for code violations and a longer warranty period to make claims.
But there’s little consumer protection for all that hailstorm warranty work.
In the end, our roof was re-shingled by another roofer. You bet, we’ll have it re-inspected.
I’ll take the responsibility for inspecting our lovely grey paint.
