Should I tell my Orleans drywall contractor the house's age before work?

Yes, and the year 1990 is the reason. Health Canada says asbestos was used in some building materials before 1990, listing surface treatments such as paint, putty, drywall, caulking, sealants and spackling. Cutting, sanding, scraping or drilling into those materials can release fibres.

Health Canada's advice is to hire a professional to test before renovating or remodelling a house built before 1990. If the test comes back positive, the next step is a qualified asbestos removal specialist, not a drywall contractor. That work belongs to ottawaabatement.com.

Tell your contractor the age of the house and any test results before they start, so a test can be planned before anyone cuts or sands.

A few other things worth passing along when you first speak with a contractor:

• which rooms or surfaces are being worked on
• whether any previous repairs have already been done and what materials were used
• any visible staining, soft spots or damage

None of this is unique to Orleans; the same Health Canada advice applies across Ottawa. The house's age is simply the clearest signal that a test should happen before work begins.

Start with the contractor: ask directly whether they want a test result before they quote or before they start, and whether they can recommend a testing professional or whether you arrange that separately through ottawaabatement.com.