Resilient Home Retrofits
Spryfield and Upper Hammonds PlainsApplications for the residents of Spryfield and Upper Hammonds Plains are open.
Pilot project to protect homeowners against flood risk
Flooding is impacting Canadian households more than ever. The average cost of a flooded basement is $43,000. Insurance can help, but half of Canadians are unaware of the steps they need to take to ensure they have proper flood coverage.
Homeowners from the communities of Spryfield and Upper Hammonds Plains can apply to take part in our Resilient Home Retrofit Pilot Project. As a participant, Clean Foundation will work with you to learn how overland flooding in these communities impacts your home and will help you identify and install upgrades that better protect your household from the impacts of flooding.
Program benefits:
- Free Flood Risk Assessment.
- Home upgrades that may reduce flood risk at no cost to you.
- A custom retrofit maintenance guide.
- Seventy-two hour Emergency Preparedness Kit.
- Free Home Energy Assessment.
- Information on eligible provincial and federal energy rebates.
Possible upgrades include:
- repairing foundation cracks;
- sump pumps;
- backwater valves;
- window well covers;
- flood alarms;
- french drains;
- bioswales;
- gutter alignment; and
- building rain gardens.
Am I eligible to apply?
You may qualify for the Resilient Home Retrofits pilot project if:
- You own a single unit detached home (The following are not eligible for the program: semi-detached, row house or multi-unit buildings).
- As a property owner you consent to participation in the program.
- The property has been in good standing with respect to municipal taxes, rates or charges.
- Your home is located in either the community of Spryfield or Upper Hammonds Plains.
Applications for the residents of Spryfield and Upper Hammonds Plains are open.
Step-by-step to Resilient Home Retrofits
Submit an application
Submit your interest in the Resilient Home Retrofit pilot project by completing an online application. Once reviewed we will contact all applicants to let them know whether they have been approved or not. A total of 20 applicants from the HRM will be selected for assessment.
Complete your assessments
Clean will work with the 20 approved applicants from the HRM to schedule two-to-three home visits to conduct a Flood Risk Assessment and a Home Energy Assessment.
During the assessments, advisors from Clean will look at all aspects of the interior and exterior of your home. Information collected onsite will be used to select the ten homes to receive retrofit upgrades. All 20 participating homeowners will be contacted by Clean with recommended retrofits for your home, even if you have not been chosen to receive retrofit upgrades.
Approve plans and begin work
Once you have agreed to the recommendations, the advisor will contact the necessary contractors to perform the work. Retrofits will be completed by community-based contractors – benefiting the local economy.
Maintain upgrades
After all work has been completed, you will be given a customized guide on how to maintain your retrofits. We will contact you to schedule a post-retrofit evaluation within 12 months of completing upgrades to your home to follow-up on your satisfaction with the work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How much will this cost me?
A: Clean will deliver a turnkey style retrofit at no cost to the homeowner. Future flooding events can cost up to $43,000 to repair a flooded basement. The retrofit work should dramatically decrease the impact of these events. However, maintenance of the retrofits and energy sources (such as power and batteries) may have a cost depending on the retrofit to your home.
Q: How much time will this project take?
A: The initial assessment will take approximately 90-minutes, depending on the size of your home and yard. The length of time of the contractor work will depend on the retrofits you and Clean agree to.
Q: Will you come back after the work is completed?
A: If selected for participation, you will be contacted for an initial assessment of your home. This will involve a walkthrough of your house, where Clean will discuss and identify your flood-risk concerns.
Q: What will the Home Energy Assessment and Flood Risk Assessment entail?
A: If selected for participation, you will be contacted for an initial assessment of your home. This will involve a walkthrough of your house, where Clean will discuss and identify your flood-risk concerns .
Q: How intrusive will the upgrades be?
A: Depending on the nature of the upgrades some flexibility may be required in your schedule to allow for contractors to come into your home and complete the work. The length of time for the retrofit work will depend on what your home needs and what you agree to. Clean will recommend the most effective retrofits for your home.
Q: Why would my home not qualify?
A: The Resilient Home Retrofit Pilot Project will focus on 20 homes each from both Halifax Regional Municipality and the Town of New Glasgow. Clean’s focus, is to provide retrofit work for homes that are considered a high flood-risk based on Graphic Information System analysis. As part of the pilot, we will be preparing lessons learned for how to best protect Nova Scotian homes from future overland flooding events. Our hope is that this project will be able to continue beyond the pilot and more homes can receive support.
Resources for all Nova Scotians
Understanding your insurance coverage
Across the province insurance companies are seeing an increase in claims from weather-related events, including overland flooding. Take time to ensure you understand your coverage to protect your home and reduce potential insurance costs.
Preparing for climate related emergencies
There are many resources available to help homeowners better prepare for all types of climate-related weather events. Spend time learning about prevention strategies that can help you protect your home such as mitigating health risks and reducing your insurance and clean-up costs.
Contact us
Have a question about Resilient Home Retrofits?
Email us at: RHR@cleanfoundation.ca
Resilient Home Retrofits Pilot Project is supported by:
