After the arson of his business's warehouse in 2012, Matt Pond, owner and president of Wilf's Restorations got a first hand experience of what his clients go through.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat fire we had here made me a better restoration contractor,SA国际影视传媒� said Pond.

SA国际影视传媒淚 understand what it's like to go through the emotion of losing everything so now I have a way better understanding of my clients. It's made me a better restoration contractor.SA国际影视传媒�

Wilf's Restorations, since Pond took it over from his father in 2005, has become a business that finds work on some of people's worst days.

Whether a fire or flood or fallen tree has severely damaged a home, it's Wilf's who does the repair work of restoring the home.

But it isn't just home restoration that keeps their business a float.

SA国际影视传媒淲e do everything from fires and floods to sewer back ups to crime scene clean up and bio hazards,SA国际影视传媒� said Pond.SA国际影视传媒淎ny of the problems that come up in people's homes involving emergency work. We do fuel and oil spill clean up, steaming frozen pipes, and we have a carpet cleaning van. Whatever is required.SA国际影视传媒�

And this diversity of work keeps the Wilf's company phone ringing almost constantly.

SA国际影视传媒淚t's easy to get carried away with what we do and the phone could ring at any time,SA国际影视传媒� said Pond.

SA国际影视传媒淚t's very hard to plan and stick to a schedule in this line of work. We don't necessarily look for those big contracts or home building work. We just help people out when there's emergencies.SA国际影视传媒�

Pond said what he does is a balancing act, making both homeowners and the insurance companies that hire him, pleased with his work.

SA国际影视传媒淭he clients have gone through something traumatic so it's more than just doing a a renovation,SA国际影视传媒� said Pond.

SA国际影视传媒淢ost people's homes is their biggest investment. When I started this restoration I was just a kid in my twenties, walking into someone's home with a huge loss and I'd have to win them over. So you learn really quick how to deal with people.SA国际影视传媒�

Asbestos removal

A large part of the history of Wilf's in the North has been asbestos removal.

SA国际影视传媒淚ts how the business was pioneered,SA国际影视传媒� explained Pond.

SA国际影视传媒淢y dad worked at Giant Mine for most of his career and he became a journeyman carpenter. Then in 1998 the mines had a big layoff so my dad went and took the asbestos abatement course. He started his businesses and that was Wilf's Maintenance.SA国际影视传媒�

Wilf's Maintenance eventually turned into Wilf's Renovations while Matt was still working there, but when he took over, he had the vision to get into restoration work to keep up with competing companies and offer a unique and needed service.

Since then, the company briefly expanded to an office in Fort McMurray, Alta. where his working crew ballooned up to 60 employees working on homes after the 2016 fires.

SA国际影视传媒淔ort Mac was very demanding,SA国际影视传媒� Pond recalls. SA国际影视传媒淚t required me to be there at least a week a month and I just got tired of the travel. So I made the decision to shut that division down.SA国际影视传媒�

Today, the company holds steady at 10 employees, but that number is never constant. Due to the nature of the work, that number could expand at any given time, Pond said.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou just never know what the next job is going to be,SA国际影视传媒� said Pond. SA国际影视传媒淭hat's what I love about my work. It's forever changing.SA国际影视传媒�

Rather than expanding to a new town or opening a new office like the Fort McMurray operation, Pond and his wife Claire McCafferty, have new business plans in Kam Lake.

SA国际影视传媒淲e are opening a new flooring store,SA国际影视传媒� said McCafferty. SA国际影视传媒淧eople thought we might have been going out of businesses because we were thinking about selling our current warehouse and moving to another property, but we're using that for our new store.SA国际影视传媒�

The couple said there is no competition in town for the business, which will go hand-in-hand with Wilf's, though being a separate entity.

SA国际影视传媒淲e're just rolling it out, but all we need is one more permit and our displays to show up, but soon you can look out for us there.SA国际影视传媒�

The couple said the yet unnamed business will be opening very soon not far away from their Melville Drive shop.