What Fort McMurray evacuees need to know about restoration work

Right now, many restoration companies in Alberta are hiring skilled trades workers to clean up and repair fire-damaged homes in Fort McMurray.

They're the people that will be cleaning up smoke damage, replacing burned wallsand scrubbing away foul, toxic odours.Some companies have taken out ads for the jobs, and their priority is to hire FortMcMurray-basedworkers.

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But home owners have to becarefulabout who they hire. Heather Mack of the Insurance Bureau of Canada helps to inform homeowners about what to do when they return home, and how to handle the restoration process.

"If you start doing cleanup on your own, it's a good idea to take pictures," Mack said. "Keep receipts for anything you've bought for the cleanup. Then talk to your company about how they're going to do the restoration."

FortMcMurrayresidents may be allowed to start returning to their homes on June 1, as part of a phased re-entry plan announced this weekby the Alberta government.

Aspeople are allowed back in and restoration work begins, Mack recommends going with restoration crews preferred by yourinsurance company. These companies are held accountable if the homeowner is unsatisfied with the work.

But the customer still gets to choose who does the work and that's especially important for a city also dealing with an economic downturn.

"There's a lot of interest in using people based in FortMcMurray, using Alberta labour and supplies. If that's important, contact your insurance company," Mack said.

FortMcMurrayhomeowners can expect to have contractors knocking on their door, and somewill come promises of quick fixes for cheap quotes. Contractors don't typically ask for money before the job has been completed.

After the High River floods, 5,000 insurance adjusters were on the ground. With 80,000 to90,000people affected by the wildfire, many more are expected in and around FortMcMurray.

"We saw after the 2013 floods there were cases of fraud," Mack said. "Contractors that were given money up front that never delivered the work."