Buying, selling & moving
Unoccupied, but far from undisturbed.
Trades in and out all day, doors unlocked, systems partly disconnected — a vacancy with more people in it than an occupied house.
Typical duration
Months
Notice you get
Planned
Contactable?
Yes
Dominant risk
Freeze during disrupted systems, plus access exposure
A renovation vacancy is unusual because the property is empty of residents and full of everyone else. Trades come and go, doors are unlocked through the working day, materials and tools are on site, and the building envelope may be open in places.
Systems are frequently partly disconnected. Heat may be intermittent, water lines capped, power run on temporary circuits. In an Alberta winter that combination is a freeze risk with extra steps.
Renovations also routinely fall outside standard homeowner coverage. A property under significant renovation often needs a specialised policy, and assuming otherwise is a common and expensive error.
What makes this different
Every situation on this site is empty for a reason. These are the things specific to this one.
Unoccupied but heavily trafficked
The security and access profile is the opposite of an empty house — the risk is who has been in, not whether anyone has.
Building systems intentionally disrupted
Intermittent heat and capped water are normal here and dangerous in January.
Coverage frequently does not apply
Standard policies commonly exclude properties under major renovation.
What typically goes wrong
- Intermittent heat through an Alberta winter
- Doors unlocked during working hours, materials on site
- Coverage that may not respond during the works
- No independent record of condition through the project
Services
What this situation usually involves
In roughly the order people add them.
Vacant Home Checks
Scheduled physical visits to an unoccupied property, with a timestamped photo record and a written report after every visit.
Photo Documentation
A timestamped photographic record from each visit, kept as a running visual history of the property.
Temperature & Freeze-Risk Observation
A recorded interior temperature reading at each visit, with freeze-risk observations through the Alberta winter.
Contractor Access & Attendance
A representative opens the property for a scheduled trade or professional, logs arrival and departure, and secures it afterwards.
Weather Event Check
An additional visit booked after hail, wind, heavy snow or extreme cold, documenting any impact on the property.
Other buying, selling & moving
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