Urgent Repiping in Harvest Hills

When Michelle discovered she needed to address the Poly B plumbing in her Harvest Hills home, timing was critical. Whether driven by an upcoming sale, an insurance requirement, or simply the peace of mind that comes from resolving a known issue, she needed the work completed quickly. The challenge? Her request came in as a last-minute booking heading into a long weekend.

Urban Piping accommodated Michelle’s timeline by scheduling the crew to work through the holiday weekend. This flexibility meant her project stayed on track despite the compressed scheduling window—an important consideration for homeowners facing deadlines or dealing with urgent plumbing concerns.

The project began with comprehensive site preparation. High-impact Ram Board protected all tile and hardwood surfaces throughout the home, while professional-grade carpet liner covered every traffic area. Light plastic sheeting draped over furniture in work zones, and the team carefully cut access points in the drywall, saving the pieces for reinstallation.

The repiping replaced all polybutylene lines with Rehau color-coded Class A PEX piping featuring UV barrier protection. Every fixture received new Dahl shut-off valves for both hot and cold supply lines, along with braided distribution hoses for faucets and toilets. Brass exterior garden faucets and a city-appropriate laundry box completed the plumbing upgrades.

Following the pipe replacement, the team addressed the drywall repairs. This included boarding, mudding, taping, and texture matching to ensure ceiling repairs blended seamlessly with the existing finishes. The wall access points received paint matching to restore Michelle’s home to its pre-project appearance. A professional-grade four-stage HEPA air scrubber ran throughout the work to maintain indoor air quality.

The project concluded with a thorough cleanup that removed all prep materials and debris, followed by vacuuming and wiping down the entire home. For homeowners considering Poly B Replacement Calgary services, Michelle’s project demonstrates that quality work doesn’t have to wait—even when timelines are tight, experienced contractors can deliver results that meet both schedule and quality expectations. This commitment to excellence is further illustrated in the Douglas Woods Grove case study, where a similar focus on efficiency and thoroughness resulted in satisfied homeowners despite challenging timelines. By choosing expert services and maintaining clear communication, projects like these can successfully balance the demands of time with high standards of workmanship. Ultimately, these examples serve as reassurance that investing in quality solutions can lead to lasting improvements in home safety and comfort. Homeowners should educate themselves about when to replace Poly B plumbing to avoid potential issues down the line. proactive maintenance and timely replacements can prevent costly repairs and enhance the overall reliability of home systems. Remember, addressing plumbing concerns early can significantly contribute to a safer and more comfortable living environment.

About Harvest Hills and Its Poly B History

Harvest Hills is an established community in northeast Calgary, originally planned in the early 1980s as part of the Calgary North Area Structure Plan. Economic conditions delayed development, but construction resumed in 1987 with the earliest homes completed in 1989. The neighborhood experienced its major building boom throughout the 1990s, creating a mature community with tree-lined streets and established landscaping that newer developments cannot match.

The community centers around Harvest Hills Lake, an 18-acre water feature surrounded by walking paths and open playing fields. This central amenity gives the neighborhood a distinct character and provides residents with lakeside views and recreational opportunities. The former Harvest Hills Golf Course, which closed in 2016, is currently being redeveloped to add new housing while preserving the community’s character.

Housing in Harvest Hills consists predominantly of single-family detached homes with some townhouse developments. Properties typically feature three to four or more bedrooms, reflecting the family-oriented nature of the community. Architectural styles range from bungalows to two-story designs, with many homes featuring developed basements and attached garages.

The construction timeline—late 1980s through the 1990s—places Harvest Hills squarely within the polybutylene pipe installation era. Homes built during this period commonly received Poly B plumbing, which was standard practice in Canadian residential construction from approximately 1985 to 1997. For Harvest Hills homeowners, this means many properties contain original polybutylene piping that is now 25 to 35 years old.

Common Challenges in Harvest Hills Homes

Harvest Hills homes present specific challenges that contractors encounter during Poly B replacement projects. The neighborhood’s 1990s-era construction means these properties often feature design elements and finishes that require careful handling during repiping work.

Two-story construction is common in Harvest Hills, requiring access points on multiple levels to reach pipes running between floors. The vertical pipe runs connecting upper bathrooms to main-floor kitchens and laundry areas must be addressed systematically, with access points planned to minimize disruption while ensuring complete replacement of all polybutylene lines.

Developed basements add another layer of complexity. Many Harvest Hills homeowners have finished their lower levels over the years, concealing pipe runs behind drywall and ceiling finishes. Accessing these pipes requires cutting through finished surfaces, followed by careful repair work to restore the space to its previous condition.

Textured ceilings remain prevalent in homes from this era. Whether popcorn, knockdown, or California-style textures, matching these finishes after drywall repairs demands skill and attention to detail. Poor texture matching is immediately noticeable and can detract from a home’s appearance and value.

The paint matching component of Michelle’s project highlights another consideration. Wall colors fade over time, and finding an exact match years after original construction can be challenging. Experienced contractors know how to blend repairs so they’re virtually invisible once complete.

Harvest Hills’ proximity to major transportation routes—including Deerfoot Trail and convenient access to the Calgary International Airport—makes it attractive to busy professionals and families. These homeowners often need flexible scheduling to accommodate their commitments, making a contractor’s ability to work around tight timelines particularly valuable.