Warning: Experiences with Said Gandour, also known as
Said Ghandour or Omar/Mohamad Ghandour, operating as Quality Renos
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I am sharing my first-hand experience and official public records regarding contractor Said Gandour (also known by Said Ghandour, Omar/Mohamad Ghandour and related businesses, Quality Renovations, YYC Custom Renovations Ltd., First Choice Contracting, OGS Renovations).
This page cites Alberta government alerts, rulings, and consumer reports so readers can verify everything directly.
At a Glance
- Paid: $1,900 in deposits
- Actual work: Demolition + misaligned posts (ALL had to be removed because of unacceptable depth)
- 10+ missed dates with shifting excuses
- Materials removed from property without consent
- Promised PARTIAL reimbursement: Delays, excuses and not paid as of this writing (past deadline)
My Experience
On July 22, 2025, I engaged Said Gandour – also known as Said Ghandour, also known as
Omar or Mohamad Ghandour, operating as Quality Renos to replace storm-damaged fencing. I was asked to pay 2 pre-payments totaling $1,900 toward a $2,835 contract. I didn’t realise until later that he was not allowed to ask for pre-payment because of a ruling against him by Alberta Services.
Only demolition and partial cement/post-setting were completed, with posts visibly misaligned. (I have removed ALL posts revealing insufficient depth – averaging 10 inches – when 24″-48″ was promised) and posts easily broke through the thin cement. More than 10 promised work dates were missed, and materials were later removed from my property without consent.
A partial refund was eventually negotiated but repeatedly delayed and never fulfilled.
Timeline of Contractor Promises and Failures
| Date Promised | What Was Promised | What Happened | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 25, 2025 | Fence Agreement Made | Agreement signed, $1,000 requested. Deposit paid | Completed Written contract available. PRE-PAYMENT contravenes Alberta Services ” Alberta Prepaid Contractors Act” |
| July 27, 2025 | Assurance that posts would be dug below frostline (min 28″ Frostline 46″) | Promised holes —Quote: “24–36 inches deep is more than enough” | Serious Breach: We had to remove posts by “QUALITY RENOVATIONS” (August 28) revealing — actual depth of post beneath ground level only 10″. Cement pour was only 8″ below ground. ((Images below)) |
| July 29, 2025 | Start demolition | Demolition done, $900 demanded & paid | Demotion Completed. Promise to finish the job later |
| Jul 29–30, 2025 | Send receipts for $1,000 + $900 “tomorrow” | Delayed; said “final invoice (would be issued) when complete”; eventually issued $1,900 receipt | Late |
| Aug 2 / Aug 4, 2025 | Start work (Sat or Mon) | No show; pushed to Wed/Thu | Broken Promise |
| August 6, 2025 | Set posts with cement | Posts installed but visibly misaligned and not deep enough | Insufficient, Incomplete |
| Â | Â | FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE | Â |
| August 12, 2025 | Arrive “before 2:00” Work Tuesday | No show, no communication | Broken promise |
| August 13, 2025 | “Today or tomorrow” | No arrival either day | Weather excuse used |
| Aug 18–19, 2025 | Work Monday or Tuesday | No show | Broken Promise |
| August 15, 2025 | Fence will be finished by Wednesday | Not completed | Unrealistic promise Not Completed |
| August 19, 2025 | Confirm prior Wednesday promise | No work done | Ignored follow-up |
| August 20, 2025 | Project to be “done tomorrow” / Fence done no later than Wed | Admitted: “Won’t be fully done today” | Still not completed |
| August 21, 2025 | Finish back fence and gate / Arrive at 2:00 PM to work & discuss side gate price increase | Specifically told me on the phone that he would be in no later than 2:00 PM. While I worked in the front yard, he came early and took fencing supplies purchased for my fence from my yard. I called and he said, “Yes, I took it. I don’t want to work for you anymore!” | Serious Breach No completion; Instead he removed fence materials from my property |
| Aug 22–25, 2025 | Refund negotiations | Stalled again, he claimed “out of country” until Sept 17. Records show he was still giving estimates to Calgary customers as recently as August 31. Would not pay me in the method he had me pay him (e-bank transfer) No cheque; no tracking | Excuses, shifting deadlines |
| Sun, Aug 24, 2025 | Refund payment (multiple methods offered incl. interac bank transfer which I used to pay him) | Refused all options, insisted only on mailing cheque. Ignored request for me to pick up cheque from “accountant.” Agreed to send cheque by registered mail | No cheque received; ignored all alternative payment solutions |
| Aug 26–28, 2025 | Proof of mailing | Claimed “accountant sent it”; no tracking; no cheque received | Promise Broken |
| Aug 29, 2025 | He Asked if cheque had arrived | I gave Final notice: I repeated “provide proof of registered mail within 24 hrs or review + escalation to Alberta Services/Small Claims will happen” | Deadline issued |
| Aug 31, 2025 | Provide proof of mailing | No proof, no cheque | Final breach |
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Continued…
| Date Promised | What Was Promised | What Happened | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sept 2, 2025 | Deadline passed for Cheque including grace period. | I follow through on reviewing Mr Gandour and beginning legal action. Mr Gandour states “I canceled the Cheque and put a stop payment just because you put a bad review” | I informed him “Contracts cannot prohibit you from posting honest reviews or filing a complaint-those terms are void.Canadian Legal FAQs” |
| Sept 2, 2025 | Mr Gandour Claims “I just put a lien on your home today $5000” | He followed up with a threatening” Get Ready” |  |
Official Warnings & Rulings
The following links provide official records, government alerts, independent consumer complaints, and media coverage about this contractor. They confirm that my personal experience is not an isolated case, but part of a larger pattern of unlicensed work, broken promises, and unresolved disputes. These external references allow you to verify the facts for yourself and see how regulatory bodies and other homeowners have reported similar issues.
Alberta Consumer Alert: Identifies Omar/Mohamad Gandour and affiliated companies for unlicensed prepaid contracting. Read alert
Director’s Order (2021): Ordered to stop entering into prepaid contracts under the Fair Trading Act. Read order (PDF)
BBB Profile: Multiple consumer complaints and notes regarding pending government action. View BBB record
Others’ Reports
Multiple consumers report deposits taken, poor communication, and unfinished work under “First Choice Contracting” and “Your Custom Renovations.”
LINK HERE
Basement development left incomplete; allegations of rebranding to avoid accountability.
Link here
Not accredited; page notes pending government action and unresolved complaints.
Evidence & Documents
Download supporting documents:
Post Alignment Concerns
(Aug 6, 2025)
Shawn: “My neighbor noticed the posts were not aligned. Can you confirm that your people checked on the straightness and level of the posts?
Contractor: No response in writing. On the phone (ANGRY)
“I AM A PROFESSIONAL! I KNOW WHAT I AM DOING! YOUR NEIGHBOUR CAN KISS MY SHOE”
*
EXTRA NOTE FROM ME – I’m not an expert but ALL other fencers who have looked at this “work”, shake their heads and say it’s completely wrong. I can supply other contractor’s comments and written concerns.
Missing Side Gate Holes
(Aug 10, 2025)
Shawn: : “Can you tell me what your plan is with the side fence/gate? I don’t see any holes there.”
Contractor: “They will be dug and done too.”
*
EXTRA NOTE FROM ME – They never were dug… or done, even though there were many promises. His initial quote was far off the mark for the job and he tried to compensate along the way by raising the price.
Removal of MaterialsÂ
(Aug 21, 2025)
Shawn: Contractor promised to come in at 2:00 to finish the back fence and discuss work on the side fence.Â
While I was in the front yard working, Mr Gandour removed the chain link fence material and top posts in my yard were taken. (see picture to the left)
 I called him right away. He said he took nothing but asked if I had a camera? I said no but my neighbour has one on the back alley and we will look at the images.
Contractor responded:
“I took the material and I don’t want to work for you anymore”
Mon: AUG 25: When I asked : Do you still have the chain link that you took?
He replied. “Nope I don’t I’m not working for free and giving you material.”
This from someone who took 1900 dollars and put in little work and the result means I will have to pay for it all to be removed and disposed of.
NO Proper End PostsÂ
(August 25, 2025)
Shawn: When I said that end posts or terminal posts were not at the ends or at the gate, he said
Contractor: terminal posts are for commercial use
*
ALL of his posts were 1 5/8
Recommendation for Calgary Use 1 5/8″ posts for line posts (fine for residential chain link). Use 2 3/8″ or larger for terminal, corner, and gate posts.
Asked of professionals are teminal posts just for commercial use, the answer was:
No, terminal posts are not only used on commercial properties;Â they are essential for the structural integrity of any chain link fence, regardless of whether the property is residential or commercial.Â
Terminal posts, including corner posts, end posts, and gate posts, provide the necessary strength to anchor the fence fabric at the ends, corners, and any other points of significant direction change or grade variation, which is crucial for stability on any type of property.
Insufficient depth (August 28)
Shawn: When IÂ told him about another contractor saying that most fencers don’t take into account the frost level in Calgary when it comes to digging holes and I asked him how deep the holes would be, he said that he knew what he was doing and that he was a professional
In reality: We removed a loose pole and discovered that he had only placed the post in to a depth of 10.5 inches and the cement at 8 inches (NOT EVEN A THIRD OF THE SUGGESTED DEPTH)
A common guideline is to have at least one-third of the total post length buried in the ground. So, if you have a 6-foot fence, you’ll need a 9-foot post to have 3 feet in the ground, but in Calgary’s climate, you’ll need to add to that to meet the frost line requirement.Â
WOBBLING and SPINNING
(August 18, 2025)
Shawn: I can supply videos of poles that wobble in the dirt, that can spin in “secure” cement and all but two of 9 that the thin amount of cement allows for the entire pole and connected cement to rock back and forth in the dirt. When I wrote “I am meeting with two contractors on Tuesday” Contractor: Let’s wait to see what they say my posts are goodExample 1 of “Quality Reno” Post
(August 18, 2025)
Shawn:Â This example of the Posts put in by Quality Reno would in NO WAY held up to the stress of even having the chain link attached.
Post Line misalignment
(August 18, 2025)
Shawn: This perspective is a line strung between both end posts. Every contractor who saw this after Mr. Gandour left this job was astounded that this could have been done by even an amateur.Â
End post easily pulled from the ground
(August 18, 2025)
Shawn: This is an example of an end post. (Which was the same size – 1’5/8 inch as the rest of the posts – End posts are supposed to be larger posts.) It was easily pulled out by one person. This is not an isolated example. I have video of ALL posts being removed in this way. Simply picking them up out of shallow holes. The only struggle was with the end post at the other end which was stuck to some roots in the ground.  ((ALL VIDEOS ARE AVAILABLE))
How to Protect Yourself
- Verify a valid Prepaid Contracting Licence (Service Alberta).
- Use a written contract with scope, schedule, staged payments.
- Pay in milestones after verifiable progress.
- Demand receipts with legal business name + contact.
- Report issues to Consumer Protection Alberta, BBB, and insurer.
Disclaimer
This page reflects my first-hand experience and links to official government alerts, rulings, and public consumer reports. All statements are based on documented communications, receipts, and cited sources. If any cited information is later corrected by the issuing body, I will update this page.