Don Amyotte's Bio
I still remember passing tools to my dad as a 3 year old building our new home in Millwoods, Edmonton. I was helping my dad and my uncles who had each purchased lots near each other in the booming 80’s. Now all retired, one uncle was an electrician, another was a carpenter, and the other two were plumbers, one being my dad. From a young age, I fell in love with buildings even though at the time it was on the construction side of it. I would jump into my dad’s work van any chance I could to go help and work with tools. I thoroughly enjoyed being on any job site!
In my teens and while in post secondary, I apprenticed under many master journeymen who preached pride in the work you did and the quality of work you left behind that will affect others and the final product. I was trained to be efficient and diligent with my tasks and jobs. I was also trained on countless tools and equipment gaining more and more experience in the construction industry with large prefab concrete companies, framing and carpentry contractors, electrical contractors and plumbing contractors. I’ve been involved with so many interesting projects like the remodelling of Commonwealth Stadium for the City of Edmonton’s preparation of hosting the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) World Championships in Athletics in 2001.
I studied Architectural Technology and Building Materials Sciences at NAIT from 2000-2002 learning building codes, civil & structural design, architectural history, building envelope design, science of building materials and of course many hours of manual design/drafting and CAD or AutoCAD (computer aided drawing). I worked as an Architectural technologist for 3 years and then took on a fantastic opportunity with a large engineering firm designing buildings, structures, civil plans, pipelines and refinery maintenance drawings for the oil and gas industry.
After hitting a plateau with my education and work experience, I realized I missed the residential and commercial buildings. I started planning the next stages of my life as I decided I would work for myself and become an independent home inspector. While working full time and supporting a young family of 3 boys, I studied at night once the boys were in bed. I would eventually complete the Carson Dunlop Home & Property Inspection program and earned my certificate. I loved the challenge of inspecting homes for clients knowing it would be one of their biggest purchases they’ll ever make. I was passionate about finding out everything I possibly could about the house and then report it all to the client as valuable facts and information, not an opinion. I especially loved helping first time home-buyers and new to country clients and teaching them all they would need to know to live comfortably and maintain their new home.
When the market crashed around 2012, I struggled with my home inspection business and tried to find work... anything that was related to any of my work experience. After a long search as no one was hiring, I lucked out and landed a position as a maintenance person at a head manufacturing plant and office of a large oil and gas company. I went from small repairs of the plant and office area to being responsible of maintaining multiple large buildings, manufacturing plants, shops, office buildings and corporate guesthouse that the company owned. I also took a facilities management course through BOMI International.
Times got slow again in the oil and gas industry and more layoffs throughout Alberta were coming again and I was one of them. I was doing as many home inspections as I could to sustain some sort of income along with any handyman work and small renovation jobs that came my way while looking for a more stable full time job. I came across a property management position with a realty firm and I was able to get my foot in the door with all of my acquired knowledge and work experience. I learned a lot in a very fast pace about managing properties to the point that I had 12 apartment style condos downtown and some commercial buildings in and around Edmonton in my management portfolio. I learned the ins and outs of planning for scheduled maintenance of each building, coordinating contractors for renovations and repairs, dealing with tenants and owners regarding notifications and activities happening within their buildings as well as chairing Board meetings in the evenings with all condo board members.
I soon left the property management scene as I quickly realized that if I was to work long crazy hours doing something I really enjoyed, I may as well work those crazy long hours working for myself again doing everything I absolutely love; helping others with their properties. Helping Hands Property Services was born! I wanted to develop an “old-fashioned” style service company that can help in any way imaginable regarding the management, maintenance or inspection of any residential or commercial property. Too often I’ve seen seniors or unsuspecting people being taken advantage of. I grew up helping out my grandparents with the maintenance of their home so that they could stay as comfortably at home for as long as possible. I understood and was sympathetic to this and knew how important it was.
Helping Hands Property Services represents my core values and everything I think a genuine, honourable company should be. Helping Hands Property Services is a company that will treat others the way you’d want to be treated and will go the extra mile when it matters. Taking pride in our work and making sure our clients are completely satisfied and smiling before completing any job is something we stand for. I studied and have been part of every stage a building or property will go through from planning and designing, to construction as well as maintaining, managing and inspecting them. Helping Hands Property Services is fully capable of expertly handling any residential or commercial property need! How can we help you and your property today?
