What requirements does a contractor need for excavation and underpinning?
7/26/2017 at 11:55:04 AM
I have an engineered drawing for a basement patio and walkout with permits from the Scarborough Board. This would be approximately 8' high walls with an 10'x10' patio and stairs. It was designed with poured concrete.
What credentials, trades licenses and insurance should I be asking for from the contractor? I was told that if underpinning is done, special insurance is required. They have WSIB (I checked and they are eligible for a clearance letter).
Thank you.
7/27/2017 at 1:59:00 PM
Hi Nikki, yes, you do need to make sure the company you hire has adequate insurance if underpinning is required. My company carries 2 million liability, as we mostly do residential projects on houses up to that value in building construction. If the company is underpinning you need to make sure they can cover the worst-case scenario - which is having the home - and any adjoining homes - become written off by a major error in underpinning. You also need to be careful that any subcontractors being used are covered under their contract and are not actually working directly for you. This can happen by accident but can make a huge difference when collecting insurance claims. Make sure that the only person you are paying by formal invoice is the company you are working with directly, and they are insured. Good luck!
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