How do I vet a sewer contractor?

01 /What makes a sewer contractor trustworthy?

Verifiable facts, not confidence. A trustworthy contractor is one whose people hold the credentials the province requires, whose company you can identify and find later, who carries insurance and workers' compensation, and who puts the job in writing on the basis of evidence you can see. Reviews and friendly service help, but they cannot replace any of those.

Sewer work raises the stakes because most of it is buried. Once a trench is backfilled or a liner is cured, you cannot inspect the joints, the bedding or the grade yourself. The checks below are how you make sure someone accountable did, and that you have a record if something fails.

02 /Does a sewer contractor need to be a licensed plumber?

It depends on the province and on the work. In Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario plumbing is a compulsory trade, so the person doing plumbing work must be certified or a registered apprentice. In British Columbia and Manitoba plumbing is a voluntary certification trade. Quebec requires a contractor licence from the Régie du bâtiment du Québec. Drain clearing and camera work may fall outside some definitions, so confirm with the province if it matters.

Wherever you live, ask who will actually be on site and look that person up, not just the company owner. A company can hold a licence while the crew doing your job is made up of labourers and apprentices; that is normal, but a certified person should be responsible for the plumbing and named on the permit where the municipality requires it.

03 /What paperwork should I get before any sewer work?

Five documents cover most of the risk: proof of the trade credential, the company's legal name and address (and a city business licence where required), a certificate of liability insurance, a workers' compensation clearance where your province offers one, and a written contract. The Government of Alberta's hiring advice lists the contract contents: a detailed description of the work, materials, subcontracting, who gets permits, code compliance, clean-up, an itemised payment schedule, warranties, the insurance certificate, the WCB number and how problems will be resolved.

• Alberta: WCB-Alberta says that if you do not have a clearance letter and the contractor has not paid its premiums, you may be liable for them. Get one before work starts and before paying.
• British Columbia: WorkSafeBC says homeowners could be held jointly liable for unpaid premiums and recommends a clearance letter for each contractor.
• Ontario: WSIB's clearance policy does not apply to householders who directly retain a contractor for exempt home renovation work at their own home. Ask anyway; it costs you nothing to request.
• Alberta prepaid contracting: a business that sells at your home and takes payment before finishing the work needs a prepaid contracting licence, which you can check with Service Alberta's Find a Licensed Business search.

04 /What should a sewer quote include?

Enough detail that another contractor could price the same job from it. That means the method, the pipe material and size, the length and exact start and end points, how the line will be reached (pits, trench or cleanout), who arranges locates and permits, what surface will be restored and to what standard, what happens if they find more than expected, the warranty, and a recorded video before and after.

Compare quotes line by line on scope before price. The cheapest quote often leaves out restoration, the permit or the city connection. Sister site SewerQuotes.com goes deep on reading and comparing sewer quotes.

05 /What are the red flags when hiring a sewer contractor?

Pressure, secrecy and shortcuts. Walk away or get a second opinion when a contractor pushes you to sign on the spot, will not share the camera video, jumps from a clog to a full replacement without showing you why, suggests skipping the permit, wants most of the money up front, deals only in cash, or has no business address you can find.

• A "today only" price for work that is not an emergency.
• An unsolicited visit or call offering sewer work.
• A camera shown live on a phone but no recording offered.
• Findings described in words only: "your line is shot".
• A quote with no length, no start and end points and no method.
• Reluctance to give an insurance certificate or clearance letter.

An emergency changes the order of things, not the standards. At night, authorise the clearing and the camera; decide on any repair later with the video in hand. Getting a second opinion explains how to have a diagnosis checked.

06 /How should I pay a sewer contractor?

In stages tied to completed work, by a method that leaves a record. A modest deposit, a payment when the main work is done and inspected, and a final payment after restoration and the post-work video is a common pattern. Alberta's hiring advice suggests finding out whether a deposit is refundable and on what conditions, and warns against contractors who demand a large down payment to buy materials.

• Tie the final payment to the permit inspection passing and the video being delivered.
• Hold back the restoration portion until the surface is actually restored.
• Pay by cheque, card or bank transfer to the business named on the contract, not to an individual in cash.
• Get a final invoice that lists the work done, the permit number and the warranty terms.

07 /How do I check a contractor quickly?

Run the Sewer Contractor Vetting Checklist for your province and job: it lists the checks that job needs, turns the missing ones into questions to send, and explains any red flags. Then look up the credential on the register yourself, email the questions, and put the answers next to the quote.

For price context, see the cost answers page; for which method suits which defect, read your repair options. Regional locate services and programs are on the across Canada page. If you want another set of eyes on a quote or a contractor's paperwork, send it to the desk.

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