Hiring a demolition contractor is partly about price and mostly about risk. The wrong choice can damage what you meant to keep, upset neighbours or tenants, cause work stoppages and leave you holding the liability. For projects in Toronto, where buildings sit close together and the rules come in layers, these questions help separate careful contractors from optimistic ones.
1. Can you show a WSIB clearance certificate?
In Ontario, a WSIB clearance confirms a contractor is registered and its account is in good standing. Without one, the business that hires the contractor may be liable for unpaid premiums, up to the labour portion of the contract. Ask for a current certificate and check it through WSIB’s clearance service before work starts.
2. What insurance do you carry?
Commercial general liability insurance covers damage to third parties and their property. Ask for a certificate showing the coverage amount and, where needed, naming you or the landlord as an additional insured. Many commercial buildings set their own minimum.
3. Will the scope be in writing?
A good contractor turns the walk-through into a written scope: what’s removed, what’s retained, how it’s protected and what the space looks like at handover. If the answer is “we’ll sort it out on site,” expect arguments later.
4. What’s excluded?
Every quote has limits. Make sure the exclusions are written as named responsibilities. “Electrical disconnect by the owner’s electrician before start” is useful. A vague line about items “by others” isn’t. The first tells everyone what to do; the second invites an argument.
5. How will you handle designated substances?
Ask how the contractor uses the survey report, who does any abatement and what happens if the crew finds a material that wasn’t listed. A clear, calm answer is a good sign of experience with older buildings.
6. Who handles permits and approvals?
Demolition permits, tree permits, street occupation for a bin and building management bookings each have an owner. Get clear answers on who applies, who pays and who chases the response.
7. How will you protect the site and the neighbours?
Look for specifics: floor protection, dust barriers, hoarding, sprinkler coordination and a plan for noise. In occupied buildings, ask how they’ll work with management and other tenants day to day.
8. How will debris leave, and where will it go?
The answer should cover the route, the schedule, the bins and the destination. Contractors who sort material on site can usually tell you where each stream ends up.
9. Who will be on site, and how do I reach them?
You want a named supervisor and a phone number someone actually answers. Ask how changes get approved during the job and who can authorise them.
Red flags
Be wary of a quote far below the others with no explanation, a contractor reluctant to put the scope in writing, missing insurance or WSIB paperwork, and pressure to start before approvals are in place.
Once you have the answers, compare them side by side. On projects in Toronto, the cheapest quote and the strongest one often come from different contractors, and the gap usually shows up in the details: who handles the elevator, the permits, the protection and the cleanup.
Ask SiteClear the same questions
We welcome them. SiteClear has worked across Toronto and the GTA since 2018, carries WSIB clearance and $5 million in commercial general liability coverage, and builds every job around a written scope and an agreed handover. Calls are answered 24/7. Request a free estimate or call 647-693-1416.
