Who we call
A homeowner's directory for the Halifax Regional Municipality: the lawyers, lenders, inspectors, movers, cleaners and trades our clients and we have actually worked with, plus well-reviewed local companies to fill the gaps. Nobody pays to be listed, and we earn nothing when you hire them.
A note from Don
After fourteen years and a few hundred closings in HRM, I have learned that the difference between a stressful year in a home and an easy one usually comes down to who you call. This list is my answer to the question I get most often from clients: "Do you know somebody who can…?"
Two kinds of names are here. Don's go-to listings are the people my clients and I have actually worked with. Rated listings are locally owned HRM companies I selected from public Google reviews and credentials in October 2026 to fill the gaps. Local pick means chosen on credentials and longevity where reviews are thin.
Get a quote, ask for proof of insurance, and if anyone here lets you down, I want to hear about it. That is how the list stays good. And if you are ever unsure who to call, call me.
Lawyers, lenders, inspectors and the professionals around a purchase or sale.
Real estate lawyers
Boutique real estate and wills and estates firm on Brownlow Avenue, Dartmouth.
Danielle MacLean's Dartmouth team. Best Lawyers "Tier 1" for real estate law in Halifax, 2025 and 2026.
Real estate, family and estate law from Kings Wharf, Dartmouth. In business since 2011.
Full-service Nova Scotia firm. Downtown Halifax office on Hollis Street; Quinn Street office 902-425-5297.
Mortgage brokers
Associate mortgage broker: pre-approvals, purchases, renewals and refinances.
Accredited Mortgage Professional with 100 five-star reviews and years in the Halifax market.
Associate mortgage broker: purchases, renewals and refinances.
Residential and commercial mortgages: purchases, refinances and investment properties across HRM.
Jacob, Jack and Cyrus are at Premiere Mortgage Centre, 100-123 Chain Lake Drive, Halifax.
Home inspection
Certified Master Inspector, infrared and radon certified. He does the pre-listing inspections on our listings.
Septic inspections and sewer-line camera scopes with written and video reports, since 2000.
Accountants and tax
Owner-run CPA firm at Purdy's Wharf: small-business and corporate tax, HST and tax planning.
Kempt Road practice for personal returns, small-business and corporate filings, bookkeeping and CRA matters.
Appraisers
Dartmouth firm with 30+ years; AACI, CRA and P.App designated appraisers for homes, land and commercial.
Bedford Highway team of nine appraisers, established 1992: single-family, condo, multi-unit and land.
Dartmouth; residential and commercial valuation since 1983.
Home insurance
Lower Sackville brokerage that shops multiple insurers for home, auto and business policies.
Home, auto and life insurance plus mutual funds and financial advice; Dartmouth and Lower Sackville.
Independent and locally owned since 1947 (Bedford); shops several insurers for home, tenant and bundled policies.
Privately owned family brokerage on Joseph Howe Drive for 70+ years; home and auto, including the CANS program.
Atlantic Canadian brokerage serving communities since 1944; quotes for home and auto.
Financial planning
CFP-led financial planning firm at Queen's Marque, downtown Halifax.
Fee-only financial planning, no products sold and no commissions, for a clear second opinion.
Movers, cleaners, stagers and the first calls after you get the keys.
Movers and junk removal
Burnside-based crew for local and long-distance moves, packing and storage; BBB A+ accredited.
Family-run Dartmouth mover since 2001; packing, storage and furniture assembly; BBB A+ accredited.
Locally owned Dartmouth crew for residential moves and packing; BBB A+.
United Van Lines agent, the pick for long-distance and cross-country moves.
James answers the phone himself. Pre-sale cleanouts, estate clearouts, next-day service.
Cleaning: listing, move-in and move-out
Laura and her team do the cleans on our listings, used to real estate deadlines.
Move-in, move-out and pre-sale deep cleans for homeowners and landlords; nine-plus years.
Staff bonded and insured to $2M; "Deluxe Clean" deep service with inside-appliance add-ons.
Flat-rate "Moving Clean" on a landlord-approved checklist, with photo confirmation.
Home staging and handyman
Amanda stages our listings. She makes a home photograph beautifully and show even better.
Registered and fully insured; small jobs, drywall, doors, decks, mounting, and a "home prep for sale" service.
Plumbing, electrical, heating and the trades that keep a house running.
Plumbers
Red Seal team out of Fall River; service calls, emergencies, drain cameras and renovations. BBB A+.
Water heaters, drain snaking and hydro-jetting, oil-to-electric boiler conversions; quick pre-sale fixes.
Brothers Josh and Logan Jeffries; well and sump pumps, radon mitigation; BBB A+ accredited.
Family-owned since 1990: plumbing, boilers, water heaters and heat pumps under one roof, open 24 hours.
Electricians
Donnie has handled the electrical on our clients' homes for years: panels, repairs and renovation wiring.
Fully licensed and insured; panel upgrades, EV chargers and Generac generators (Nova Scotia's Elite+ dealer).
Residential service calls and electrical home inspections across HRM since 2012.
Heating and heat pumps
Boilers, hot water tanks and heating systems, plus plumbing; Burnside shop, open 24 hours.
Family-run Bedford shop with Red Seal techs; heat pumps plus oil, gas and propane furnace service.
Hammonds Plains; ductless installs, oil-to-heat-pump retrofits and HRVs; BBB A+ accredited.
Cole Harbour heat-pump installer with a perfect score across 147 reviews.
Heating oil delivery
Locally owned; free automatic delivery, no contracts, seniors' and e-transfer discounts; BBB A+ accredited.
Lower Sackville; auto-fill, app ordering, no contracts, all of HRM; BBB A+.
Appliance repair, carpet cleaning, ducts and chimneys
Licensed, insured, factory-trained techs for all major appliances; 90-day warranty; open seven days a week.
Carpets, area rugs, upholstery and mattresses; pet odour and stain removal; service en français.
Family-owned, Burnside; ducts, dryer vents, mini-split and HRV cleaning; fully insured and bonded.
Licensed and insured; HRV, dryer vent and mini-split cleaning plus Aeroseal duct sealing.
WETT-certified, licensed and insured; inspections, sweeps and chimney masonry repair.
Marcel Ouellette's Halifax company since 1976; BBB A+ accredited.
Windows, contractors and water treatment
Dartmouth, since 1987; sealed-unit replacement, custom shower glass, railings, 24/7 emergency boarding.
Kitchens, bathrooms, basements, decks and additions with a two-year workmanship warranty; BBB accredited.
UV, filtration and softening for well water, since 2002; BBB A+.
Painters
Coady Sanford's crew; interior and exterior with a three-year workmanship warranty and daily cleanup.
Locally owned since 1994; licensed and insured, two-year warranty, free colour consultations.
In-house crews (no subs) for painting and drywall repair; 24-hour estimates; BBB A+.
Pest control and locksmiths
Licensed owner-operator Jared McDonald; mice, ants, wasps and raccoons; home protection plans.
Family-run, licensed and insured, BBB A+ accredited; rodent-proofing repairs and guaranteed work.
Certified technicians; Home Protection Plan with four visits a year including emergencies.
Family-owned Dartmouth storefront, 35+ years; rekeying, deadbolts, keypad locks, 24/7 emergency. Rekey after closing.
Family-operated Clayton Park shop since 1996; rekeying, high-security locks and safes.
Roofs, yards, trees and everything the Nova Scotia weather throws at a house.
Roofers and garage doors
Asphalt-shingle specialist since 2013; CertainTeed Master Shingler, fully insured, BBB A+; metal and flat roofs.
Red Seal, GAF-certified installer with the GAF System Plus warranty; fully insured, COR certified, BBB A+.
GAF Master Elite contractor with transferable workmanship guarantees of up to 30 years.
Dartmouth, since 1991; repairs, openers and replacements; after-hours emergency on the same number.
Beechville, since 1993; springs, cables and openers for all makes; LiftMaster dealer.
Lawn care, landscaping and snow removal
Interlock patios, retaining walls, walkways, drainage and grading across HRM.
HRM-wide weekly mowing and maintenance plans, plus residential snow removal; Consumer Choice Award.
Owner-operated Bedford crew; mowing, fertilizing, aeration, overseeding and cleanups.
Licensed and insured; lawn mowing in season and driveway snow clearing in winter. Quick replies by text.
Dylan Crew's Dartmouth crew; driveway snow and ice management, plus drainage and retaining walls in summer.
True seasonal contracts (Nov 1 to Apr 30) with salt and ice control included; fully insured, since 2014.
Tree service, window cleaning and pressure washing
ISA Certified Arborists since 1989; removals, pruning, hazard assessments and emergency storm work.
Established 2004; ISA Certified, TRAQ-qualified arborists; 24/7 emergency removals.
Sectional removals in tight urban yards, pruning and cabling; a perfect score across 167 reviews.
Bedford owner-operator; fully insured, BBB accredited; windows, house soft wash, decks, gutters and roof moss.
House washing, window cleaning, decks and patios across HRM.
Exterior window cleaning with de-ionized water and carbon-fibre poles, seven days a week.
Who to call in the first two weeks.
Utilities, services and address changes
Start, stop or move service through MyAccount; give 10 days' notice. Outages (24h): 1-877-428-6004.
Start service online at least five business days ahead. Same number, 24h, for water or sewer emergencies.
Check the availability map for your street. Gas emergency, 24/7: 1-866-313-3030.
Halifax-based local internet provider; sign-up starts with an address check. Call or text.
Garbage, recycling and green-cart schedules (HFX Recycles app), plus road and municipal requests.
Notices arrive in January; appeals are free but due within 31 days of mailing. Call us if yours looks high.
Order mail forwarding online or at any post office; it starts in three to five days. Set it up before closing day.
Update the address on your driver's licence and registrations at any Access Nova Scotia centre.
Change your address online (card must be more than 12 months from expiry) or contact MSI Resident Services.
Deeds and ownership records. Your lawyer pulls these at closing; keep your copy with the closing documents.
National partners of Royal LePage that extend offers to our clients. Quote the code when you book; these come from Royal LePage's national Preferred Supplier program (June 2026) and can change or end without notice.
| Supplier | What they do | Client offer | How to claim it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-800-GOT-JUNK? | Full-service junk removal: pre-sale cleanouts, estate clearouts, moving-day leftovers. | $50 off residential junk removal (excludes minimum loads and single-item pricing) | Code ROYAL50 when booking · 1-800-468-5865 · 1800gotjunk.com |
| WOW 1 DAY PAINTING | Interior and exterior painting finished in a single day. | $250 off painting jobs over $1,000 before tax | Code ROYAL250 when booking · 1-888-969-1329 · wow1day.com |
| Shack Shine | Window washing, power washing and gutter cleaning in one visit. | $25 off | Code ROYAL25 when booking · 1-888-808-7751 · shackshine.com |
| Sleep Country | Mattresses and sleep essentials. | $50 off $250+, $225 off $1,000+, $500 off $2,000+ (expires December 21, 2026) | Code PREFRLP in store or at sleepcountry.ca |
| Baskits | Gift baskets delivered across Canada since 1985. | 10% off gift baskets and boxes | Code RLP10 at baskits.com |
| CarGenerator | Portable inverter that turns your car into a quiet backup generator. | $100 off plus free shipping | cg.spectraproducts.ca |
| The Brick | Furniture, mattresses, appliances and electronics. | Preferred pricing, luxury appliance brands not sold in store, a dedicated account manager | Ask Don to request your appointment |
| Wayfair Professional | Flooring, lighting, appliances, furniture and décor. | Member pricing, consolidated delivery and installation, free design service on large projects | Ask Don; enrolment is free |
| TELUS SmartHome Security | 24/7 monitoring with smart locks, lights, thermostat and HD cameras. | Up to $1,400 in home equipment included; monitored security can save up to 20% on home insurance | 1-855-787-8277 · telus.com/SmartHome |
| TD Mobile Mortgage Specialists | Mortgage specialists who come to you, evenings and weekends. | Competitive rates and flexible mortgage features | Ask Don for an introduction |
| A Buyer's Choice Home Inspections | Canada's largest home inspection company; Zdenko Juric does our pre-listing inspections. | Preferred supplier for service; co-branded reports and a digital repair-request list | 902-830-9904 · abuyerschoice.com |
| Allied Van Lines | Local, long-distance and international moving with 24-hour customer service. | Preferred supplier for service | alliedvanlines.ca/find-an-agent |
1-800-GOT-JUNK?, WOW 1 DAY PAINTING and Shack Shine serve most of HRM; enter your postal code in their online booking to confirm. Not sure what applies to you? Call Don and he will sort it out.
A few favourite spots
The Barrington Steakhouse & Oyster Bar, Barrington Street, downtown Halifax. Don's go-to steak in the city; book it for the night you close. 902-407-5001.
The Roastory Specialty Coffee, 12 Ella Lane, Unit 106, Bedford. Join Don here the first Saturday of every month for the Owning Halifax coffee meetup. Everyone is welcome. 902-490-2222.
Know someone thinking of a move?
Most of our business comes from people passing our name along. When someone you refer buys or sells with us, a lobster dinner lands on your doorstep as a thank you. Text Don their name, or have them mention yours.
Not sure who to call?
Call or text 902-219-0703, or email don@donranni.com. If anyone on this page lets you down, tell us. That is how the list stays good.
The businesses on this page are shared as a courtesy. "Don's go-to" listings are companies our clients and we have worked with; other listings were selected from public Google reviews and credentials in October 2026 and have not been personally vetted. We receive no compensation for any listing. Please obtain your own quotes, confirm licensing and insurance, and check current reviews. 2026-27 edition, updated October 2026.
