The Dos and Don’ts of Hiring Piling Contractors

Whether you require the services of piling contractors for a building extension or a new build, hiring contractors you can rely on is imperative for a structurally sound foundation. Hiring piling contractors is an important task, so consider the dos and don’ts listed below:

When hiring a piling contractor, do:

Check their accreditations

Piling contractors are highly skilled professionals who must always follow the rules and regulations set out by leading agencies and industry associations. To ensure the contractors you hire are committed to staying compliant and adhering to the regulations set out by these associations, ask which industry accreditations they have.

The British Drilling Association, NHBC Standards and The Construction Index are all trusted associations to look out for.

Check their experience

Before you hire piling contractors, it’s imperative to check they have plenty of experience in their field. There are many ways to do this, but one of the most effective is to look at their portfolio. If they’ve worked with lots of domestic and commercial customers and have gained a long list of positive testimonials, this is a sign that they’re experienced and established.

Request a quote

To make sure your chosen contractors can offer the piling services you require within your pre-determined budget, make sure you request a quote. This should be free; if a company charges for an initial quote, this may be a warning sign.

When hiring a piling contractor, don’t:

Ignore warning signs

There are several warning signs you mustn’t ignore, including:

• A lack of insurance: If the contactors aren’t insured, don’t trust them to complete works on your property. In the event that something goes wrong, insurance will be needed for financial support.
• No site visit: If the contractors don’t offer a free site visit, this is a warning sign. No company, however qualified, should be confident in their ability to undertake a piling project without inspecting the site area.
• No structural engineers: If the contractors don’t work with trusted structural engineers, it’s time to look elsewhere. The calculations needed for piling services must be 100% accurate to ensure the project is structurally sound.

If you spot any of these warning signs, don’t ignore them. Doing so could land you in a difficult position in the future.

Be afraid to ask questions

This is your construction project, so it’s important to be fully aware of the processes in place and services offered by your chosen piling contractors. Don’t be afraid to ask questions; any reliable and established company will be able to explain the services they offer without using tricky jargon.

Choose a contractor without a guarantee

Unfortunately, foundation and piling problems can begin to develop as a result of soil erosion and extreme weather conditions. For this reason, all piling contractors should offer a guarantee on their services; this ensures that if you do run into problems, you have a dedicated company on hand to take care of the repair services to the highest of standards.

This guarantee should also be insurance-backed to make sure you don’t find yourself in a tricky financial position.

For piling contractors you can rely on, Belowground Ltd is the top choice for domestic and commercial customers in Bristol, Exeter, London and beyond. With a 12-year insurance-backed guarantee on all our projects, you can look to us for complete professionalism in every area of piling and foundation services. For more information, get in touch with the team at Belowground Ltd today.