Searching for a contractor or a licence number: consult the Licence holders' repertory.
Searching for a contractor or a licence number: consult the Licence holders' repertory.
Searching for a contractor or a licence number: consult the Licence holders' repertory.
This page contains information regarding the steps related to the work to be done following the floods.
Click on the topic that interests you:
In order to return home safely, consult safety advice and checklists following a flood by clicking on the links below:
Caution! Electrical work must always be carried out exclusively by a contractor holding the licence subclass 16.0 – Electrical contractor. Therefore, an owner cannot carry out work relating to electrical installations in their residence (e.g. install or replace outlets, switches, lights, electric baseboard heating, wiring, etc.).
Here are a few safety precautions to observe:
Consult the Checklist following a flood - Electricity [Fr]
of the Corporation des maîtres électriciens du Québec.
Propane gas is a useful and safe source of energy when observing certain basic safety rules. If you use it recklessly, propane gas can become a time bomb, as it poses risks of asphyxia and explosion.
Many heating apparatus can give off carbon monoxide (CO): generators, heaters, barbecues, propane-powered refrigerators, etc. CO is a treacherous gas since it is invisible, colourless, odourless and non-irritating. It can cause light to severe intoxication as well as deadly poisoning.
Here’s what to do to avoid intoxication:
Using construction radiators powered by propane to dry off your building requires great caution and is subject to regulatory requirements, the most important being listed below:
A propane-fired barbecue, as any outdoor apparatus, should always be used outdoors. Never store a propane cylinder inside.
To avoid fire risks, keep the barbecue away from walls, windows, patio doors, trees and shrubs. Refer to the manufacturer’s instructions to learn about the clearance to maintain between your appliance and any combustible material.
If you own a propane-powered apparatus, make sure the valve is closed.
When you enter a building, if it smells like rotten eggs or boiled cabbage, it might be the sign of a gas leak. Notify immediately the fire department.
Never store your propane cylinder indoor. If propane cylinders are inside the building during a flood or for the ones you own, make sure the valve is tightly closed and take them outside. Put them in an upright position, at least 3 metres for the building. If propane-powered apparatus, equipment or propane tanks have been flooded, they must be verified by a contractor specialized in gas before reusing them. Gas suppliers who carry out repair or installation work on apparatus or tanks must hold the appropriate RBQ licence.
Consult the Checklists following a disaster of the Corporation des maîtres électriciens du Québec (CMMTQ):
Here is some advice concerning heating systems:
Consult the Checklists following a disaster of the Corporation des maîtres électriciens du Québec (CMMTQ):
Before using your plumbing fixtures, contact your municipality to make sure the municipal sewer system is functional. If you own a septic system, consult Urgence Québec’s advice. After, several actions are recommended:
Consult the Checklists following a disaster – Plumbing [Fr] of the Corporation des maîtres électriciens du Québec (CMMTQ).
If your building is equipped with an elevator or elevating devices for disabled persons, read the following advice:
If you own a fuel oil tank used in a single-family house, the RBQ recommends that you have its integrity verified by a specialized contractor before reusing your installation.
Many service stations and other petroleum equipment installations (fuel oil tank of a heating system, marina, user outlet, etc.) can be found in areas that are currently flooded. There are high risks that the integrity of these installations be jeopardized.
In order to avoid fire risks and contamination of soil, groundwater and bodies of water, the RBQ reminds you that as an owner or operator of these installations, you must have your equipment verified by a qualified person before reusing it.
If you witness a petroleum spill, you must contact the ministère de l’Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques. It is responsible for implementing environmental measures in the event of soil contamination resulting from leakage or spilling of petroleum products. It also manages all aspects related to any other dangerous “residual” materials, such as used oil.
Under chapter VI of the Safety Code, holders of a permit for the use of petroleum equipment must inform the RBQ of a disaster involving petroleum equipment installations within 24 hours after its discovery.
In order to ensure building safety, many precautions must be taken concerning the building’s structure, exterior and interior claddings as well as any installation, before, during and after repairing work.
Information about the precautions to observe, and about the available help can be found on the following webpages:
Once the house and the materials have dried off, it’s time to rebuild. You can do it by yourself or hire a specialized and licenced contractor. Whether you carry out the rebuilding work by yourself or hire a contractor, make sure to follow the different regulations.
You can do some of the work yourself. However, work related to electricity, gas and petroleum equipment must be entrusted to specialized contractors holding valid licences in the appropriate subclasses.
Only contractors holding a building contractor’s licence are authorized to carry out construction work and offer financial guarantees. When you hire a licenced contractor, you are eligible for licence security, which ensures compensation for damages as a result of faulty performance or non-performance of construction work.
Make sure your contractor holds a valid licence in the appropriate subclass for the work you wish to carry out. To do so, consult the Licence holders’ repertory, or call us at this toll-free number: 1-800-361-0761.
Moreover, if your contractor must hire subcontractors, they must also hold the appropriate licence for the work they carry out. Do not hesitate to ask your contractor for the list of subcontractors he intends on hiring for your rebuilding work. Similarly, you can check whether they hold a valid licence in the appropriate subclass by consulting the Licence holders’ repertory, or by calling us at this toll-free number: 1-800-361-0761.
The hourly rates required by a contractor are largely fixed by collective agreements applicable in the construction industry according to specific areas of activities:
Consult the CMMTQ’s basic hourly rates for pipe fitters, refrigeration mechanics, tinsmiths and fire-protection mechanics [Fr].
The CMEQ calculated how much an electrical contractor should charge, taking into account how much it costs him to serve his customers. The price for materials and furniture as well as taxes must be added to hourly rates.
Consult the CMEQ’s hourly rates recommended for construction electricians [Fr].
Note that an electrical contractor does not have to follow these recommendations, and may therefore charge a different rate.
Before hiring a contractor or a disaster recovery specialist to carry out work, a few steps are necessary.
Make sure your contractor you intend to hire holds a valid licence that is appropriate for the work to carry out. To do so, consult the Licence holders’ repertory, or contact the RBQ at the toll-free number: 1-800-361-0761.
You can also consult the following webpages:
If a contractor comes to your house and solicits you, check if they hold an itinerant merchant’s permit by consulting the Office de la protection du consommateur’s [Fr] website or by calling 1-888-672-2556.
Before signing the contract, demand a written and detailed quotation for the price of the work. The contractor also has the obligation to provide you with any relevant information regarding the nature of the work they plan to carry out and the materials and time necessary to carry them.
The contractor should list, in the quotation, details of the work to carry out, in which you distinguish the work eligible for the financial assistance program.
A complete quotation should include, among others, the following information:
By getting quotations from different contractors, you will be able to evaluate the cost of the work and make comparisons beforehand.
Once you have selected a quotation, demand that a written contract be established with the contractor. There are two main types of contract of enterprise.
The first type is a lump sum contract. It fixes a total and global price for the whole work planned with the client.
The second type of contract is the hour or time and material contracts. The client must pay the contractor at an hourly rate fixed in advance, and pay the material bought to carry out the work.
A complete quotation should include, among others, the following information:
The scope of financial guarantees provided by the contractor must be indicated in the contract. Relevant documentation concerning the manufacturer’s guarantee must be given to the client.
You can ask to sign the paper testifying of the time and material provided after every workday of the contractor.
Once the work is completed, you can ask the contractor to give you the defective parts that have been replaced.
The RBQ advises you to verify whether the contractor has a valid third party liability insurance and a general insurance that will adequately cover their possessions, materials and equipment. You can ask your contractor for a proof of insurance coverage.
You may check the progress of the work, the quality of the materials used and of the work done, as well as the expenses incurred at any moment.
For further information or to file a complain or report, visit the Contact the RBQ webpage.