Services Agreement

We're excited to work with you on your project. This contract protects both you and Green Ladder by clearly outlining what we're doing, how we'll do it, and what you can expect from us. All the specific details about your project, including what we're building, materials we're using, timeline, and pricing, are outlined in your provided estimate. This document covers the general terms that apply to how we work together. By signing your estimate, you confirm that you have read and agree to this Services Agreement. Questions? Call us at or email [email protected] ; we're here to help. Who's Involved YOUR CONTRACTOR: Green Ladder Contractors Ltd. 316 Energy Way #116, Red Deer County, AB T4E 0A7 Phone: Email: [email protected] Website: www.greenladder.ca Alberta Insured Contractor, Insurance No.: ZAT30684 GST Registration No.: 785188954RC0001 WCB Alberta Account No.: 10948175 Your Project Details Where we're working: As specified in your estimate. What we're doing: Your complete project scope, materials, specifications, timeline, and pricing are detailed in your estimate, which forms part of this contract. If the Contract and Estimate Conflict: If there's any conflict between what this contract says and what your estimate says, your estimate takes priority for project-specific details (scope, materials, timeline, and pricing). This contract governs the general terms of how we work together. What We're Building We'll complete all work exactly as described in your estimate; that's where you'll find every detail about materials, phases, and specifications for your project. What It Costs Your total investment is detailed in your estimate. All pricing, payment milestones, and any options you've selected are outlined there. How Payment Works You'll make payments according to the schedule in your estimate. If your estimate doesn't specify a custom schedule, here's our standard approach: 40% Deposit When you sign this contract; gets your project scheduled and materials ordered 50% Progress Payment When primary installation is complete 10% Final Payment When your project is finished and we've walked through it together Legal Holdback Requirement (Alberta Law) Alberta law requires a 10% holdback from payments to protect against potential liens from our suppliers or subcontractors. Your 10% final payment acts as this holdback and will be released 60 days after project completion, as long as no liens have been filed. Payment Details When to pay: within 7 days of receiving your invoice for each completed milestone Late payments: interest applies at 1.5% per month (18% annually) How to pay: cheque, e-transfer, or bank draft Our Right to Suspend Work If a payment is not received within 7 days of its due date, we will notify you in writing. If payment is not received within 5 business days of that notice, we may suspend all work until the overdue amount is paid in full. Any timeline delays resulting from a payment suspension are not our responsibility. This right does not waive our right to file a builder's lien under Alberta's Prompt Payment and Construction Lien Act. Timeline Your estimated timeline is in your estimate. What "Substantial Completion" Means Your project is considered "substantially complete" when: All work described in your estimate is finished according to the plans and specifications The work meets Alberta Building Code requirements You can use the completed space for its intended purpose Only minor deficiencies or punch-list items remain (if any) This is important because your final payment and warranty period are tied to substantial completion, not perfection of every minor detail. If Things Take Longer Than Expected Sometimes things happen that are outside our control. We won't be responsible for delays caused by weather, material shortages, permit processing, changes you request, or unexpected conditions we discover. If we hit a delay, we'll let you know right away and give you a new timeline. Permits and Inspections Who Gets the Permits: Unless your estimate says otherwise, we'll work with you to obtain the required building permits. Meeting Code Requirements: All our work meets Alberta Building Code standards and your local municipal regulations. We'll coordinate any required inspections with your local building department. Your Part: Under Alberta law, you (the homeowner) are ultimately responsible for making sure permits are in place before work starts. You'll also need to give inspectors access to your property when needed. The Materials We Use All the specific brands, products, and finishes for your project are listed in your estimate. Everything we supply will be new, high-quality, and suitable for its purpose. If Something Becomes Unavailable: If a specified material becomes unavailable, we'll notify you in writing and suggest an equal or better substitute. We won't make any substitutions without your written approval. Changes to Your Project If you want to change the scope, materials, design, or timeline after we start, we'll document it in a written Change Order that both of us sign before we do the changed work. Each Change Order will clearly show what's changing, how it affects the price, how it affects the timeline, and any impact on warranties. Change Order Pricing: Work outside the original scope is billed at $95 per person, per hour, plus materials, unless we agree on a fixed price for the change. If We Discover Something Unexpected: Your price assumes your home's existing structure and foundation are in good shape (unless your estimate says otherwise). If we uncover hidden problems, like rot or structural issues, we'll address them through a Change Order. Important: No Verbal Orders Please don't ask our crew directly to do extra work. Our crew are not authorized to agree to a change, price one, or waive anything in this contract. Changes go through the office in writing, so it is documented and you know what it costs before it happens. If changed work goes ahead anyway: if you direct a change on site and we carry it out, that work is chargeable at the Change Order rate above, whether or not a Change Order was signed first. We will document it and invoice it the same way. This is not permission to skip the paperwork. It protects both of us: you are never billed for something you did not ask for, and we are not left absorbing the cost of something you did. If you carry out work yourself: if you perform work this contract says we will do, or alter our work, without an agreed Change Order, any additional labour, disposal or rework we incur as a result is chargeable at the same rate. What's Not Included Unless specifically mentioned in your estimate, these items are NOT part of your project price: Specialized electrical, plumbing, or HVAC work (we're happy to coordinate with licensed trades if you need these) Landscaping restoration beyond basic grading Repairs to existing structural or foundation problems (handled through a Change Order if we find them) Work required by unexpected site conditions (like bedrock or underground utilities) Furnishings, fixtures, or decorative accessories Any work not described in your estimate Your Warranties Our Workmanship Guarantee We guarantee our labour and installation from the day your project is substantially complete. If something goes wrong because of our workmanship inside that period, we fix it at no charge to you. The term depends on what we built: 2 years: decks, railings, pergolas and gazebos, sheds, hot tub surrounds, outdoor fireplaces, retaining walls, structural framing, and interior renovations. 1 year: fences, patios, walkways and steps, privacy screens, and landscape lighting. If your project covers more than one of these, each part carries its own term. The warranty document we hand you at completion states the term for your project in writing. Solid Wood Moves, and That Is Not a Defect Pressure-treated lumber is sold wet, and cedar is a natural product. Both shrink, check, cup, twist and grey as they dry and weather. That is the wood behaving normally rather than a fault in our work, so it is not something we can warranty at any point in the term. What we do warranty is how the wood was fastened, framed and installed. Stains, Sealers and Paint: 1 Year Applied finishes on exterior wood wear out. Alberta sun and freeze-thaw take a finish down in a few seasons no matter how well it goes on. We warranty the application, meaning coverage, adhesion and workmanship, for 1 year. Fading, wear and the need to recoat are maintenance, not warranty. Repairs and Work Tied Into an Existing Structure When we repair, resurface or build onto something we did not originally build, our warranty covers the new work only. It does not cover the existing structure underneath or beside it, or movement in that structure, because we did not build it and cannot stand behind how it was put together. We will always tell you what we found and what we recommend. Work of this kind carries a 1 year term on the new work. Materials You Supply or Specify If you supply a material yourself, or you choose a product after we have recommended against it, we cannot warranty that material or how it performs. We will still stand behind our installation of it. Any manufacturer warranty on a material you supplied is between you and that manufacturer. Framing for Builders and General Contractors When we frame as a subcontractor, we hand a shell to a builder who then finishes it. We warranty our framing labour to that builder for 2 years, built to the drawings we were given. We do not offer an independent structural warranty to the eventual homeowner, because we do not finish or control the completed building. On a new home, that coverage comes through the builder under Alberta's New Home Buyer Protection Act. Material Warranties You'll receive all manufacturer warranties for the materials we supply. We'll give you all the warranty paperwork when your project is finished. What the Warranties Don't Cover Damage from misuse, neglect, or lack of maintenance Changes made by others after we're done Extreme weather or natural disasters Normal wear and tear Drainage problems or landscaping changes you make later Movement or settling in parts of your home we didn't replace How to Get Warranty Service Contact us in writing if you notice a problem. We'll come take a look and fix anything that's covered within a reasonable time. Green Ladder Contractors Ltd. 316 Energy Way #116, Red Deer County, AB T4E 0A7 [email protected] Include a description of the issue and photos if possible. Insurance and Licensing We carry: $2 million in liability insurance (to protect you and your property) WCB (Workers' Compensation) coverage for our team We'll provide proof of all this upon request or before we start work. Your Insurance: You're responsible for keeping your homeowner's insurance current during the project. We recommend notifying your insurance company about the construction; you may need to adjust your coverage to reflect your home's increased value when we're done. Your Right to Cancel Buyer's Right to Cancel You may cancel this contract from the day you enter into the contract until 10 days after you receive a copy of the contract. You do not need a reason to cancel. If you do not receive the goods or services within 30 days of the date stated in the contract, you may cancel this contract within one year of the contract date. You lose that right if you accept delivery after the 30 days. There are other grounds for extended cancellation. For more information, you may contact your provincial/territorial consumer affairs office. If you cancel this contract, we have 15 days to refund your money and any trade-in, or the cash value of the trade-in. To cancel, you must give notice of cancellation at the address in this contract by a method that will allow you to prove that you gave notice, including registered mail, fax, or personal delivery. If You Cancel After We've Started If you cancel after we've already ordered materials or started work (after the 10-day period above): You'll pay for work we've satisfactorily completed You'll pay for materials we've already ordered or received that can't be returned We'll refund any amount you've paid beyond those costs We may keep a reasonable amount for restocking fees, supplier cancellation charges, and admin costs (we'll document and show you these) Our Right to Stop or End the Work We would rather finish every job we start, and we almost always do. But we need a way out of a situation that has stopped working, in the same way you have one above. If any of the following happens, we will tell you in writing, describe the problem plainly, and give you 5 business days to put it right: A payment is overdue, as set out in Our Right to Suspend Work above You direct work outside the signed scope, or carry out scope yourself, without an agreed Change Order You will not sign a Change Order for work you directed and accepted We are denied safe access to the work area, or the site becomes unsafe Anyone at the property behaves abusively toward our crew or our subcontractors, or puts them at risk The condition of the property was misrepresented to us, or a known hazard was not disclosed If it is put right inside those 5 business days, we carry on as normal and that is the end of it. If it is not, we may suspend work. If it stays unresolved after that, we may end this contract on written notice. If we end the contract this way, you pay for the work we completed up to that point, for materials we ordered or received that cannot be returned, and for our reasonable costs of packing up and leaving the site. Anything you have paid beyond that, we refund. We do not charge a penalty for ending a contract, only what we are genuinely out of pocket, and we will document it and show you. This does not affect our rights under Alberta's Prompt Payment and Construction Lien Act. On the safety of our people: we have a duty under Alberta occupational health and safety law to protect our workers. If that duty and this contract ever pull in different directions, that duty comes first, and we will remove our crew from a site we believe is unsafe for them. Nothing in this section reduces your own cancellation rights set out above. When Unexpected Things Happen Neither of us is responsible if we can't meet our obligations due to things completely outside our control, like severe weather, natural disasters, pandemics or government lockdowns, government orders, labour strikes, material shortages, or transportation delays. If something like this happens, we'll let you know right away and do our best to work around it. If the delay lasts more than 60 days, either of us can end this contract, and you'll pay for work completed up to that point. If We Disagree About Something First: Let's Talk It Through If a dispute comes up, we'll first try to work it out through honest conversation. Either of us can start that conversation by describing the issue in writing. Next: Mediation If we can't resolve it within 14 days, we'll bring in a neutral mediator in Alberta to help us find a solution. We'll split the mediation costs equally unless the mediator decides otherwise. Last Resort For disputes involving amounts under $25,000, either party may pursue binding arbitration through an Alberta arbitrator. For disputes involving amounts $25,000 or greater, either party may pursue the matter in Alberta courts. In both cases, the prevailing party may seek recovery of reasonable legal fees. This doesn't affect anyone's rights under Alberta's construction lien laws. Responsibility What We're Responsible For: Claims, damages, or expenses that result from our negligence or intentional misconduct, our breach of this contract, our failure to follow laws or regulations, or injuries or property damage caused by our work. What You're Responsible For: Claims that result from your negligence or intentional misconduct, misrepresenting your property's condition to us, not telling us about known hazards, or interfering with our work. Except for cases involving bodily injury or death, neither of us can be held liable for more than the total contract price. Access to Your Property We'll need reasonable access during normal working hours (typically 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Monday to Saturday, respecting local noise bylaws) and any other times we agree on. Please help us work efficiently by keeping the work area clear of personal items, pets, and obstructions; removing or protecting anything that could get damaged during construction; giving us access to water and electricity; and showing us where we can store materials and place waste bins. Please give your neighbours a heads-up about the upcoming construction. Construction work unavoidably involves some noise, dust, debris, and temporary inconvenience. We'll do everything reasonable to minimize disruption, but we can't eliminate it completely. For everyone's safety, please keep pets and children away from the work area. Keeping Things Clean We'll keep your worksite reasonably clean and safe throughout the project, removing hazardous materials and debris at the end of each workday. When we're done, we'll: Remove all construction debris and unused materials Haul everything to a licensed disposal facility (recycling what we can) Sweep and clean the work area Do final touch-ups as specified in your estimate Walk through the completed project with you If there's anything you want to keep (like salvaged wood or old fixtures), just let us know where to leave it. Working with Subcontractors We sometimes bring in qualified subcontractors (like electricians, plumbers, or other specialists) to handle portions of your project. We remain fully responsible for all their work as if we'd done it ourselves. We pay all subcontractors and suppliers directly; you'll never receive a bill from them. All our subcontractors are properly licensed, insured, and qualified for their work. Photos of Your Project We may take photos during and after your project for documentation and warranty records. We may use photos of your completed project (without identifying information) in our portfolio, website, social media, print ads, and publications. We won't use your name without permission, share your specific address, or show photos with you or your family without permission. By signing your estimate, you consent to the marketing use of project photos as described above. Confidentiality We won't share the financial details of this contract with anyone except when required by law or court order, for insurance purposes, for financing purposes, with our professional advisors (lawyers, accountants), or with government agencies for permits or licensing. Legal Details Governing Law: This contract is governed by Alberta law and federal Canadian law. Any legal matters will be handled in Alberta courts. Complete Agreement: This contract, along with your attached estimate and any signed change orders, is our complete agreement. It replaces any previous discussions, emails, or verbal agreements about this project. If Part of This Contract Isn't Valid: If a court finds any part of this contract unenforceable, the rest of it still applies. Changes to This Contract: Changes are only valid if we both sign them in writing. Verbal changes don't count. Official Notices: Any official notices must be in writing and delivered by hand, registered mail, email, or courier. Emails are considered received the next business day if sent before 5:00 PM. Independent Contractor: Green Ladder is an independent contractor, not your employee or partner. We handle all our own taxes, workers' compensation, and business obligations. Currency: All dollar amounts are in Canadian dollars (CAD). Business Days: Monday to Friday, not including Alberta statutory holidays. This contract is governed by Alberta's Consumer Protection Act and Prompt Payment and Construction Lien Act. We recommend having it reviewed by a licensed Alberta lawyer before use