COMMUNITY HELPS SAVE WOMAN’S HOME
Mill Woods property damaged by massive infestation of carpenter ants, black mould
Karla Touet had worked hard for several years to save up to buy her first home. So when the carpenter ants came marching in, even though her home was severely damaged and compromised, she wasn’t about to give up.
Karla sought out advice, and it seemed that there was a common thread in the advice she received considering the extent of the damage — walk away and claim bankruptcy.
Karla’s story is a little different. She grew up in foster care, so she never really experienced home ownership like many of us do. She would often dream of one day becoming a homeowner and having a place she could truly call her own.
She gained employment as a painter to work toward her goal and formed a company, First Class Interior Painting Inc., and hired some employees. Her little painting business was also a little different.
Karla focuses on craftsmanship over production. She would work 16 hours a day, six days a week, going without payroll for months to invest in her team. She focused on training and learning cutting-edge painting techniques. She even provides health benefits for her employees.
After four years of working with the bank to qualify for a mortgage, she finally got the go-ahead on financing. (It is often much more difficult for a self-employed individual to qualify).
Excited about the approval, Karla went looking for her first home. She found one, but after the inspection turned up some significant problems she decided to walk away. Then she found what was to be her new home. It passed inspection with flying colours. It wasn’t anything big and expensive, it was a modest home built in an older Mill Woods neighbourhood, but it was going to be hers.
Karla became a homeowner in 2016. Two years later an ant marched in, then another, and another. She called the exterminator, who treated for the infestation, but the ants came back in bigger numbers. The exterminator came in again, but the ants still came back. The exterminator said she should go looking for wet wood, as it was likely attracting the ants.
Then came the hammer! Karla opened up her living room wall on July 19 to discover a massive carpenter ant colony eating her home, as well as a black mould issue.
Karla could no longer sleep at night, and when she did she had nightmares of ants crawling all over her. When she sat quietly in her living room she could hear the ants eating her home. She was completely devastated.
Karla brought in contractors to get estimates to remove the mould, repair the damage, and seal the home properly, but in the process they discovered asbestos that would have to be abated beforehand. The cost of all the repairs and remediation was going to be well over $100,000. Financially speaking, she would be further ahead to walk away and forego the $50,000 she already invested in her home and claim bankruptcy.
There are, of course, some problems with that strategy.
People who claim bankruptcy are unable to act as directors of corporations, so that would cause some difficulties for Karla’s painting business.
Also, she wouldn’t be able to purchase another home for at least seven years. But the biggest problem with that strategy is that it meant that Karla would have to give up and surrender to her devastating circumstances, losing what she so desperately coveted for so many years — her own home.
A mutual friend brought Karla’s story to my attention. When I heard about her situation I was literally devastated for her. It completely resonated with me. My wife and I had recently sold our home for lot value, due to damage stemming from water infiltration.
As I learned more about her and her story I was moved to do whatever I could for her. I immediately shared her story with our membership, the Realtors Association of Edmonton.
This is undoubtedly any realtor’s worst nightmare, helping a client find and purchase their first home only to find out that it is a total money pit. I challenged my fellow realtors to step up and contribute $100 each if they could, or whatever was in their hearts to give.
Many stepped up, providing donations and suggestions. Karla’s GoFundMe page went from $3,000 to more than $12,000 in a day.
One anonymous donor later offered up a $5,000 donation, pushing the total to over $18,000.
There was hope! However, after a few days the donations slowed, and it was obvious there was not going to be enough money to do the work. The light at the end of the tunnel faded. Was she going to lose her home?
We investigated options. Karla and I looked at everything we could think of, including the title insurance she purchased, CMHC insurance, a potential lawsuit (as there was evidence that suggested the defects were known and covered up) and any other available options.
Karla’s original realtor was reluctant to get involved, as it may be problematic with a potential impending lawsuit. What I saw was a young lady who refused to give up and was prepared to do anything she could to save what she so desperately fought for. However, the bottom line was that this problem was bigger than her. She needed help and lots of it, she needed a community … and the community was about to show up.
Acting on the advice of a friend, Karla wrote a heartfelt letter to the Carpenters Local Union #1325 pleading for help. Ian Robertson — a carpenter from the union — got involved. He put together and headed up a team of men and women to donate their time and expertise. For two weekends, a bunch of carpenters, a photographer, some of Karla’s friends and myself removed the home’s exterior sheeting and rotten wood and resealed it with new sheeting, wood, insulation and Tyvek. Ian personally dedicated himself to this project and spent several days working on her home.
Without these selfless men and women from the carpenters’ union Karla would have most certainly lost her home. I was honoured to work beside these selfless heroes, and was moved by their kindness and willingness to give up their days off to help a complete stranger.
And there was more help coming. Many local businesses stepped up. An asbestos monitoring company, Hi-Tech Inc., donated their services; an asbestos abatement company, Advanced Remediation Solutions Inc., drastically reduced its fees to remove the asbestos; Big Steel Box donated a container for her furniture; Nelson Lumber and Consolidated Gypsum provided all the building supplies at a steep discount; Monarch Exterior Centre Inc., Royal Building Products, Roofmart and Convoy donated all the supplies needed to do the siding, soffit and eavestrough. Volunteers from Alberta Sound Exteriors, MGD Exteriors, Topline Builders, TRO Eavestrough and Curtis West Building Products all worked together to install the siding, soffit and eavestrough to completely reseal her home and keep all the moisture out.
While there is still lots of work left to do, Karla is finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. It looks like she won’t be homeless and she won’t face bankruptcy. If you are moved to donate to her GoFundMe
Without these selfless men and women from the carpenters’ union Karla would have most certainly lost her home. I was honoured to work beside these heroes.
campaign please do so. She has yet to finish the work on the inside of her home, including flooring, drywall, paint and interior finishes.
I am completely humbled after witnessing all the goodwill, compassion and generosity in our community. I am proud to call Edmonton my home and live alongside the courageous, selfless, and giving men and women who, together, have done so much for a young women who was unable do it for herself.
And, I have a new friend, Karla. She is truly an amazing and inspiring woman of action. Her resilience and tenacity to fight for her dreams and never give up is an example for us all.
Heather & Dennis Faulkner are realtors with RE/MAX Real Estate. They can be contacted with all your real estate questions at faulknergroup@shaw.ca. Visit them online at www.heathershomes.ca or on Facebook and Twitter @faulknergroup.