If you’re one of the many homeowners who has been bothered by a renovation project that’s been lingering for some time or you just lack the means to get it done, a new Calgary company may be the answer.
JobJar uses a database of tradespeople to help supply them with a stream of work by connecting them with people who need help with small projects around their home.
As a result, homeowners can have the satisfaction of seeing a job well done while some skilled worker get the chance to get some more recognition for their company.
Kenzie Dutka, the marketing director at JobJar, says that when you post a job on their website, they will respond with multiple quotes on how much it will cost to do.
“They’re local, independent contractors. We are trying to empower local skilled doers, newcomers, anyone who’s interested in succeeding in the construction industry.”
The company holds a friendly competition on its Facebook page to help people in different Calgary communities with some of their own jobs. The winner is treated to free labour on a job of his or her choice and the ability to pay that privilege forward to someone else.
“We’ve found through this campaign that everyone comes together and it’s such a uniting force within Calgary. We truly believe that business is about doing great by doing good and that is first and foremost for us.”
Brighton Parks, the winner of Friday’s work day says the company really helped him out when he got caught up in a project on his home.
“I had a painting job that was sort of half started so it was nice to get some help with that. That’s what the guys are doing today.”
He says JobJar is a great system and the competition has made him feel closer to the community in which he lives than ever before.
“You get people who may not be able to or just can’t do small jobs around the house and it connects them with people who can do that.”
Parks chose Shannon Wilson as the co-winner for the free labour for the day. She says that she just had surgery on her hip and is awaiting a shoulder operation too, so the work was beyond her.
“The few things that I asked them to do have been on my mind for a number of years. I just don’t have the ability to do it. I just don’t have that skill,” Wilson said. “These young guys will just get in there and get it all done for me.”
As for the work crews, they say the opportunity to lend a hand helps them out too.
“I’m fairly new to Calgary and fairly new to JobJar,” says Ethan Borle. “They told me about it and it sounded great and we’re always looking for opportunities to lend out some of the skilled work that we can do. It was an easy ‘yes’ for us.”
His company, Borle Brothers Contracting, has been in business for the past five years but this is the first year they are in the City of Calgary.
“JobJar was definitely a way to kick start that again and just see and meet new people. They might be smaller jobs, but they have the potential to lead to bigger stuff that we like to do more of.”
JobJar conducts their community initiatives, targeting a different community in Calgary, every single month. To sign up to be a part of the database and have the chance to win some free labour of your own, you can visit the company’s website.
(With files from Alesia Fieldberg)
