An estate liquidator takes responsibility for the contents of a home and converts them into money, donations, or disposal. In practice that means sorting and cataloguing what is there, researching what has resale value, pricing it, running the sale — on-site, by auction, or online — and then clearing whatever is left so the house can be listed or handed over. Some firms handle the whole chain; others specialise in one part of it, such as appraisal or auction. The listings in this directory say which.

Most estate sale and liquidation firms work on commission — a percentage of what the contents sell for — rather than an hourly rate, which aligns their incentive with yours. Some charge a minimum fee if the total sale is small, and clearing or disposal of unsold items is often quoted separately because it is a cost rather than a revenue. Appraisals are more commonly billed as a flat fee or hourly. Rates vary widely by firm and by what is in the house, so get two or three written quotes and make sure each one states what happens to unsold goods.

A weekend, on-site estate sale suits a typical Alberta family home with a full household of everyday goods — buyers come to you and most of it moves in two or three days. An auction, increasingly run online through platforms serving southern Alberta, suits collections with real collector demand: tools, farm and shop equipment, art, or antiques, where competitive bidding sets a price a fixed tag can't. Consignment fits a handful of higher-value pieces you're willing to let a shop sell over weeks rather than days. Many Cochrane firms will suggest a mix once they've walked the property.

In Alberta, the person named in the will — or appointed by the court if there is none — is called the personal representative, and is responsible under the Wills and Succession Act for identifying, securing, and valuing the estate's assets, household contents included. Before anything is sold, secure the property, locate the will, and get a defensible appraisal of anything of real value. If the estate needs a grant of probate or a grant of administration under the Surrogate Rules of the Court of King's Bench of Alberta, that process can take a few months and shouldn't hold up basic securing of the house. Sentimental items should go to family before a liquidator prices the sale. If beneficiaries disagree or the estate is contested, talk to the estate's lawyer before any contents leave the house. This directory is not legal advice.

Not necessarily. A grant of probate (if there's a valid will) or a grant of administration (if there isn't) from the Court of King's Bench of Alberta is what lets the personal representative deal with certain assets — bank accounts, real estate, investments — but ordinary household contents can usually be sorted, appraised, and prepared for sale before a grant is issued, as long as nothing is being distributed to beneficiaries yet. If the estate is small or informal, some Cochrane families skip a full probate process altogether. When in doubt, or if any beneficiary might object, check with the estate's lawyer before selling anything of significant value.

For a typical Cochrane family home, expect two to four weeks from the first walkthrough to an empty house: about a week of sorting and cataloguing, the sale itself over a weekend, and then removal of whatever is left. Acreages and larger properties outside the city, or estates with a significant collection needing formal appraisal, take longer — and winter weather can add time to any outdoor or garage clearing. If the house is already listed for sale, give the liquidator the closing date at the first conversation; it usually sets the whole schedule.

A reputable Cochrane firm sets out the plan for unsold goods in writing before the sale: donation to a charity that will pick up, consignment for the few pieces worth waiting on, and disposal or recycling for the rest. Clearing is labour, so it's normally billed separately rather than folded into commission. Ask specifically who pays for the bin and haul-away, and whether the house is left broom-clean when they're done.