Signed a plumbing contract in my Calgary home yesterday, can I cancel?

Yes, almost certainly. Alberta's Consumer Protection Act gives you 10 days to cancel a direct-sales or prepaid contract, for any reason, counted from when you receive the written copy of the contract. That 10-day window starts the day you received that written copy, and yesterday's signing means you are well within it.

What the cancellation right covers

A contract signed at your home is a direct-sales contract, and a business that takes money before all the work is done is a prepaid contracting business that must hold an Alberta prepaid contracting licence issued by Service Alberta. If work has already started inside the 10 days, the business can charge a reasonable amount for it. If they do not hold one, your cancellation window can stretch to up to one year.

The same extended right applies if the written contract is missing required information. Under Alberta law, a proper prepaid contract must include the names and addresses of both parties and any salesperson, the date and place the contract was signed, a detailed description of the work and materials, itemized prices, the total price with taxes and payment terms, the start and completion dates, the cancellation rights, and both signatures. A copy must be given to you when you sign or within 10 days. If yours is missing any of those elements, the cancellation period extends beyond the standard 10 days.

To cancel, put your notice in writing and deliver it to the contractor. Keep a copy and note how and when you sent it. Once you cancel, the contractor must refund any deposit within 15 days.

Before you decide, it is worth checking a few things about the contract itself. Confirm the contractor's trade certificate (plumbing work for pay requires a certified journeyperson or a registered apprentice working under one, under Alberta's Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship Education Act), their Alberta prepaid contracting licence through Service Alberta, and a WCB-Alberta clearance letter confirming their account is in good standing. If the work needs a permit, the City of Calgary issues plumbing permits, and the contract should say who is pulling it.

If you do decide to proceed rather than cancel, make sure the written contract spells out the full scope, a fixed price or the hourly rate and call-out fee, the equipment by model, who takes out the permit, whether wall or floor patching is included, disposal of old materials, and the warranty terms on both parts and labour in writing.

Hold onto the signed contract, any receipts, the permit and inspection records, and the warranty documentation once the job is complete.