Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Excavation, Demolition, or Bobcat Contractor

Demolition and excavation contractors are very important in the Toronto recycling industry. Development wouldn’t be able to continue without the use of contractors in excavations, bobcat services, and demolition.

When you need to tear a building down to make room for a new construction, you call demolition contractors. When you need a site cleared so that you can move forward with redevelopment, excavators and bobcat operators come in handy.

The obstacles in front of your construction are what Toronto contractors like us specialize in removing. When hiring an excavation, demolition, or bobcat contractor, there are no doubt questions you want answered. What your prospective contractor says in response will communicate a lot regarding how they do business and whether they’re worth hiring.

Does your excavation contractor have a business license?

Anyone with a bobcat or excavator can do the work if they’re experienced enough. They aren’t operating legally though if they aren’t under a business license. By hiring a contractor where everything’s official and they are a legitimate business, this ensures your interests are protected.

Is your excavator and demolition crew licensed, certified, and trained?

Your excavation and demolition crew should be properly certified, experienced, and fully trained. This may seem obvious but if you don’t ask this question, you could run the risk of allowing someone on your construction site with the potential to cause a health and safety accident. A safe and efficient excavation or demolition requires a specific set of skills. Techniques, tech, and safety regulations sometimes change. The contractors you hire should have updated knowledge on what the expectation is of them in their roles.

Is your excavator or demolition crew experienced?

It’s one thing to say you’re experienced and it’s another thing to be experienced. Ask about past projects your contractor has worked on. The best way to ensure a job gets done safely, according to schedule, and on budget is to go with a team that’s done this before.

Should the excavator or demolition company I hire be insured?

You want to protect your interests, as should an excavator or demolition contractor. Contractors uninsured shouldn’t even be entertained. An excavation or demolition should only be done by those properly insured and trained to carry out the work.

Does the excavator or demolition service have references?

If this is the first time hiring a Toronto excavation or demolition service, don’t hesitate to ask for references. A contractor should be used to being asked for references and willing to provide them. These will include past projects they have worked on and preferably similar environments like the one you’re asking them to work in.

How important is it to conduct an asbestos inspection before a demolition?

Asbestos is serious business. Any building that’s about to be demolished should be thoroughly inspected beforehand to ensure asbestos is safely removed. You shouldn’t be discovering asbestos as you’re undergoing deconstruction or demolition.

Asking for an estimate from an excavator or demolition service

Obviously, a big concern you may have in hiring an excavation or demolition contractor is schedule and budget. Any experienced contractor will usually provide a free no-obligation estimate on demolition and excavation, often complete with the schedule on which they would work. The quote should be fairly accurate to what the finished expense will be. It is integral to understand everything that’s included and what isn’t. Ask about the specifics. Not every estimate is the same. You don’t want a surprise come payment time, with services that weren’t originally included or additional fees.

How will the clean-up of materials be handled after demolition or excavation?

Understand how materials will be cleaned up after demolition. Sometimes, cleanup will be included in the initial estimate and quote. Other times, it can be an additional cost. Ideally, you don’t want to be handling the mess yourself although a dumpster or mini bin rental can be arranged to assist with that. As much of the materials as possible from a demolition should be recycled however, this isn’t always possible.

Is there a way to salvage demolition materials to be reused?

As a site is demolished, a lot of recoverable materials are produced. Even the concrete is recoverable. Metal is particularly desirable. An experienced Toronto demolition contractor likely has relationships with local recycling plants, waste disposal methods, and organizations open to accepting materials that will otherwise be thrown into a landfill somewhere. The more landfill space we save through a smart, eco-friendly demolition, the better.

What level of priority will health and safety be given on-site?

If you’ve ever had someone get hurt on your construction site, you know it’s not a good feeling. Health and safety should be a top priority for any contractor you hire. Especially in demolition, you want to have a safety plan in place that covers the property, the people on it, and the contractors completing the job. Minimize environmental hazards, protect others, and know the risks of hazardous materials.

What is the cancellation policy around a demolition or excavation?

The unfortunate thing about construction in Toronto is that often, plans change. There are cancellations or postponements, or unexpected events that push back the schedule and/or increase the overall cost. Before signing a contract with a demolition or excavation contractor, know what the cancellation clause is. You want to save yourself time, effort, and money, and ensure your contractor’s acting in the same way. Both parties should be aware of the risks involved.

There are no better 11 questions to ask a contractor doing excavations, demolitions, or offering bobcat services than these. If you’re looking for high-quality, reliable excavation and demolition contractors, contact Core Mini Bins today. We are more than happy to answer all these questions and any others you may have. Our utmost priority is to conduct a safe, efficient construction operation while recycling and salvaging as much of the material as possible. We maintain a commitment to excellence that is unparalleled in the industry. As your construction partner, you can hold us to that.