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Choosing a foundation contractor comes down to things you can check yourself before you sign: the RBQ licence and its subclasses, proof of liability insurance, a detailed written quote, a written warranty and references from comparable jobs.
And one question comes before all the others: does the contractor explain why your foundation is moving before proposing a repair?
In this guide, you will learn:
- Why the diagnosis comes before the price on a foundation job
- How to read an RBQ licence in the official register and which subclasses cover your work
- What a quote, a contract and a warranty must spell out in writing
- The checklist to keep in hand during your meetings
Diagnosis before price with a foundation contractor
A foundation that moves always says something about the ground it sits on. In Quebec, four causes keep coming back: clay soil that swells and then shrinks from one season to the next, freeze-thaw cycles that work on the concrete and masonry around the frost line, a failing perimeter drainage system and hydrostatic pressure from a high water table during the spring thaw. A competent foundation contractor names the cause before naming a price, because the same crack is treated differently depending on whether it comes from concrete shrinkage or soil settlement.
This is the first selection criterion and you can judge it from the very first visit. Ask where the movement is coming from, what was observed outside the building and what would happen if things were left as they are for two years. A solid answer relies on concrete observations: the shape of the crack, its width, the grading of the lot, the condition of the window wells, signs of moisture in the basement. Our guide on how to tell if a foundation crack is serious details these signs. Our foundation repair and replacement service always starts from this reading of the building.
Check the foundation contractor's RBQ licence
In Quebec, the Building Act requires anyone who carries out or has construction work carried out to hold a licence from the Régie du bâtiment du Québec, the body that enforces the Construction Code. The check is free and takes five minutes.
Search the RBQ licence holders' repertory
The RBQ publishes a licence holders' repertory where you enter the licence number shown on the quote or simply the company name. The entry displays the company's name and contact information, its Quebec enterprise number (NEQ), the RBQ licence number, the classes and subclasses held, the surety company, any outstanding claims or compensation paid and any restrictions for public works purposes.
Then compare the legal name shown in the register with the one on your quote and on the contract. A licence number borrowed from another company is spotted right there, in fifteen seconds.
Licence subclasses for foundation repair work
An RBQ licence only authorizes the work covered by its subclasses, published in the schedules of the list of licence subclasses. For general contractors, 1.2 “Small buildings” and 1.3 “All buildings” are the most common on residential jobs. For specialized contractors, the ones that apply to a foundation job are 2.5 “Excavation and earthwork”, 3.1 “Concrete structures”, 3.2 “Small concrete works”, 4.1 “Masonry structures”, 2.6 “Piles and special foundations” for heavy cases and subclass 7 “Insulation, waterproofing, roofing and siding” for waterproofing.
Ask which of these subclasses specifically covers the work described in your quote. Perimeter excavation, rubble stone repointing and polyurethane injection do not call for the same qualifications.
The foundation contractor's liability insurance
Before work begins, ask for a copy of the company's civil liability insurance certificate. This coverage applies to damage caused during the job to your property, to a neighbour's property or to a third party, which matters when an excavation is dug two feet from a shared fence or a paved driveway.
Three things can be checked on the certificate: the exact name of the insured, the period of validity and the amount of coverage. The name must match the one on the contract and on the RBQ licence. A call to the insurer listed on the document confirms in two minutes that the policy is still in force. If the contractor has employees, also ask for their CNESST certificate of compliance.
A foundation contractor's detailed written quote
A foundation quote is read line by line. Ask that it specify the length to be excavated in linear feet, the chosen method (polyurethane injection, exterior sealing, steel anchors, partial replacement), the materials and the type of membrane installed, the restoration of the lot, the start and end dates, a payment schedule tied to the actual progress of the job and the situations that would trigger an extra.
A price given verbally cannot be verified on the day of a disagreement: insist on the written version, signed and dated, before any payment. Also ask who will do the work on site, an in-house crew or subcontractors, and who supervises the job day to day. Three detailed quotes prepared on the same scope of work give you a real basis for comparison, on method and materials as much as on price. Our guide to foundation crack repair cost gives current price ranges in Quebec so you can place the offers you receive.
A written, transferable foundation repair warranty
A warranty on a foundation repair is worth what its wording says. Read its length, exactly what it covers (the repaired crack reopening, water infiltration at the same spot, labour and materials), the clauses that void it and whether it transfers to the next owner of the house. That last clause has direct market value when you sell, since the buyer inherits the protection.
On a new home, the Garantie de construction résidentielle (GCR), Quebec's mandatory new home warranty plan, adds another layer and its directory of accredited companies offers one more check. On an existing building, the contractor's warranty becomes the only contractual protection, so it must be in writing. See the best way to repair foundation cracks to understand what the chosen method means over time. Our foundation crack repair service details the techniques and the hydrophobic membranes we use.
The foundation contractor's CCQ compliance
The Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ) regulates the industry's workers. The workers on your job site must hold a valid competency certificate and their employer must be registered with the CCQ.
A registered contractor can obtain a situation letter from the CCQ, at a cost of $30, which shows the status of its monthly reports, pending civil claims, suspension orders, criminal record and the validity of its RBQ licence. You can ask for it and many contractors are happy to provide it. The CCQ points out, however, that a project owner should not use it to justify withholding a payment.
Foundation contractor references and past projects
Ask for two or three foundation jobs comparable to yours: the same type of problem, the same type of building, completed within the last three years. Before and after photos, the job address and the name of a homeowner willing to talk about it are worth more than an anonymous portfolio. Past clients will tell you whether the schedule held, how surprises were handled and whether the crack stayed closed after two winters. Membership in the APCHQ or accreditation with the Garantie de construction résidentielle rounds out the picture, without replacing a look at recent work.
Complete the picture with public registers. The Registraire des entreprises du Québec, the provincial business registry, confirms the company's actual age and its NEQ. The register of the Office de la protection du consommateur, Quebec's consumer protection agency, flags merchants who have been the subject of an intervention. The RBQ, for its part, publishes restricted, suspended or cancelled licences and outstanding claims. If the problem affects the whole structure, our guide to foundation replacement cost gives the order of magnitude. The one on when to worry about foundation cracks helps you gauge the urgency.
Your foundation contractor checklist before choosing
Here is the short list to keep in hand during your meetings. It fits on one page and gets filled in while the contractor talks, which makes comparing much simpler that evening.
- The diagnosis: the cause of the movement is named and explained after an inspection of the building, before any price
- The RBQ licence: number checked in the licence holders' repertory, legal name identical to the quote
- The subclasses: they cover excavation, concrete or masonry depending on your work
- The insurance: a valid liability certificate, plus the CNESST certificate of compliance if there are employees
- CCQ compliance: a registered employer and workers who hold a competency certificate
- The quote: written, detailed line by line, with a timeline and a payment schedule
- The warranty: length, coverage, voiding clauses and transferability to the next owner
- The references: two comparable foundation jobs and homeowners you can reach
Concerned about your foundation?
An on-site assessment gives you the cause of the movement, the repair method and the cost, in writing.
Request my free assessmentA foundation contractor in the Laurentians
These criteria can be checked with us just as with anyone else. Solution ProFissure is a family business, RBQ certified for over 30 years, based in Sainte-Sophie in the Laurentians, that has served more than 1,300 clients and completed more than 350 projects in 2024. Every crack repair is covered by a 25-year transferable warranty, which stays with the house through to the next owner.
The on-site assessment is free and ends with a written diagnosis: what is making the foundation move, what the chosen method corrects and what the work costs, line by line. When water is involved, the cost of foundation waterproofing is part of the same discussion, because a seal applied over failing drainage cracks again the following spring.
FAQ: how to choose a foundation contractor
How do I check a foundation contractor's RBQ licence?
Enter the licence number or the company name in the licence holders' repertory of the Régie du bâtiment du Québec. The entry displays the NEQ, the classes and subclasses held, the surety company, outstanding claims and restrictions. Compare the legal name in the register with the one on your quote: they must be identical.
Which licence subclass covers foundation repair work?
It depends on the work. On residential jobs, a general contractor often holds 1.2 “Small buildings” or 1.3 “All buildings”. On the specialized side, 2.5 covers excavation and earthwork, 3.1 concrete structures, 3.2 small concrete works and 4.1 masonry structures. Ask which one matches your job.
Should I get several quotes for a foundation repair?
Three detailed quotes make a solid basis for comparison, as long as they cover the same scope of work. Compare the proposed method, the materials, the length excavated, the duration of the work and the warranty as much as the price. Two offers that are far apart often point to two different diagnoses: settle the diagnosis first, then the price.
What deposit is reasonable before foundation work?
The amount varies with the size of the job, but it must be written into the contract and stay modest compared with the total. The remaining payments are scheduled according to the actual progress of the work rather than on fixed dates. A final holdback is kept until deficiencies are corrected. Have this schedule written into the signed quote.
Is a foundation repair warranty transferable?
It depends on the contractor and it is a question to ask before signing. A transferable warranty stays with the house and protects the next owner, which becomes a selling point at resale. At Solution ProFissure, every crack repair is covered by a 25-year transferable warranty, provided in writing with the final invoice.
What should a foundation repair contract include?
The contractor's full contact information and RBQ licence number, a detailed description of the work, the method and materials, the total cost, the payment schedule, the start and end dates, the warranty offered, the insurance and the procedure for any additional work. Any change during the job is confirmed in writing before it is carried out.
How can I tell if a foundation diagnosis is reliable?
A reliable diagnosis names a cause and backs it up with observations: the shape and width of the crack, the grading of the lot, the condition of the drainage, signs of moisture in the basement, the type of soil. It also explains how things are expected to evolve without repairs. A repair proposed without explaining the cause deserves a second opinion before you commit.
Can a general contractor repair a foundation?
Yes, as long as their RBQ licence carries the subclasses that cover the planned work and they regularly do this kind of job. The useful question is about foundation experience: how many comparable jobs in the last three years, with which methods and what warranty. References answer that better than a title.
Choose your foundation contractor
Ask us the questions on the list: licence, insurance, warranty and references, with answers in writing.
Talk to a foundation expert
