Door-to-door construction scams return to Ottawa this spring

Ottawa police are warning homeowners to be vigilant this spring as door-to-door construction scams return to the region — a perennial problem that doesn't seem to be going away. 

Det. Shaun Wahbeh said fraud investigators received a report of one of these alleged scams earlier this month, and he expects to hear about more. 

Wahbeh said the trend, which began about five years ago, tends to involve people coming to Canada from across the Atlantic and working illegally for cash. 

"So they'll have thick Irish accents, some people will say Scottish accents, and usually they get migrant workers to do all the legwork," Wahbeh explained. 

He said they typically follow the same pattern: A contractor will knock on a homeowner's door and pitch repair work to their foundation, driveway or chimney. Often, they'll say they're already working in the neighbourhood and will offer the homeowner a great deal.

Wahbeh said they usually demand a deposit up front, and sometimes secretly cause damage to use as leverage.

Typically, the contractors will start the work but won't finish, or do a very poor quality job. 

"They're technically not allowed to work in Canada, they're not even Canadian citizens. They're coming here, doing the work, getting the cash deals and then moving on," Wahbeh said. 

Police have issued warnings to homeowners in the past, including in 2023 when construction scams cost Ottawa residents an estimated $250,000 over the course of two weeks. 

• Hamilton police arrest 2 U.K. men in roofing fraud targeting seniors
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Last August, police in Hamilton arrested two men from the U.K. whom police say arrived in Canada that June and were targeting seniors and other vulnerable people with a roofing scam. 

Bad for business

Nick Ford, owner of Integrity Masonry in Ottawa, said he's been called by five separate homeowners over the past two years for help repairing damage left by alleged scammers. 

He recently got called to a property in south Ottawa where the homeowner had hired a company to repair his chimney. After setting up scaffolding and doing demolition, the workers never returned. 

Ford said the contractors ripped out a chimney cap, damaging the chimney liner. The homeowner must now hire HVAC installers to check for carbon monoxide risks. 

Ford said these kinds of incidents give his trade a bad name. 

"It's upsetting because ... there is that stigma with construction trades," he said. "These jerks are screwing people over, but ... when you're a legitimate operation you have to charge for your costs first."

I feel like a fool for having engaged these guys, going door-to-door and doing such shoddy work and then disappearing.- John Holden, homeowner

Homeowner John Holden said he's thankful he didn't pay the company a deposit up front and was able to cancel the contract, but he also filed a police report, worried others might fall victim. 

"I feel like an idiot, I feel like a fool for having engaged these guys, going door-to-door and doing such shoddy work and then disappearing," Holden said.

He described the contractor who came to his door as a charming man in his 50s with what he described as an Irish accent.

CBC attempted to contact the company that Holden hired to do the work, but there was no response by deadline.

Warning the neighbourhood

Across the city in Kanata's Beaverbrook neighbourhood, homeowner Jennifer Fryer issued a warning on social media after what appeared to be the same contractor did questionable work on her neighbour's property, prompting another police report. 

"This neighborhood is full of senior citizens and young families and it is a neighborhood that was built in the 70s, so there is a lot of work that may be needed to be done, but I don't like the fact that people are taking advantage and upselling the work that needs to be done," Fryer said.

Her neighbour, who didn't want to be identified for fear of repercussions, told CBC the company they hired came knocking to do some parging along the foundation, but then the scale of the job escalated to the point where the contractor warned the house could collapse without an $84,000 repair job.

After getting a second opinion, the homeowner suspected something untoward and contacted police. 

Fryer said she hired the same company to do work on her property, but after filing the police report she got her deposit back with an apology.

"He has an Irish or Scottish accent. He is very persuasive and outgoing at first," she said, describing the man who came to her door.

Ottawa police advise residents to ask prospective contractors for references, compare quotes and look them up on websites such as the Better Business Bureau.