How to Vet an Exterior Cleaning Company in BC
Overview
Before you hire an exterior cleaning company in British Columbia, confirm three things: that the business is registered with WorkSafeBC and in good standing, that it carries current liability insurance, and that it gives you a written, itemised quote that names the method it will use. The first two protect you if something goes wrong on your property. WorkSafeBC is clear that homeowners who hire a business without checking its status can be held jointly liable for that business's unpaid premiums, and an unregistered operator's workers may be treated as yours. The third protects you from a job that turns out to be different from the one you agreed to. All three can be checked in about fifteen minutes, and you should ask for them in writing rather than accept a verbal yes.
Get a free quote. Wells Property Services provides a written, itemised quote on every job across Metro Vancouver, including New Westminster, Burnaby, Coquitlam, North Vancouver and South Surrey.
The Three Non-Negotiables
WorkSafeBC Coverage and Why It Protects You, Not Just Them
Every business with workers in BC is required to be registered with WorkSafeBC. When a registered company sends a crew up onto your roof and someone gets hurt, that injury is handled through the company's coverage. That is the arrangement you are counting on without thinking about it.
The problem is operators who are not registered, or who are registered but have stopped paying premiums. Exterior cleaning is a low-barrier trade in the Lower Mainland. Anyone with a pressure washer and a ladder can start taking jobs, and plenty do. If you hire one of them, two things can land on you. WorkSafeBC can hold a homeowner jointly liable for a contractor's unpaid premiums for the period the contractor worked on their property. And if the contractor is not registered at all, WorkSafeBC may treat that contractor and their workers as your workers for health and safety purposes, which is not a position anyone wants to be in after a fall from a roof.
The rules have nuance, and WorkSafeBC's own homeowner guidance is the place to confirm how they apply to your situation. The simple protection is the same in every case: check the status before the work starts.
Liability Insurance, and Confirming It Is Current
WorkSafeBC covers the workers. Liability insurance covers your property. If a ladder goes through a skylight, a gutter gets torn off, or debris cracks a window or a car windshield in the driveway, that is the policy that pays for it.
Ask for a certificate of insurance, not a verbal confirmation. It should show the business name, the policy dates and the coverage amount. Check the dates. A policy that lapsed last spring is worth nothing to you this fall, and in a trade with a lot of seasonal operators, lapsed policies are not rare.
A Written, Itemised Quote That Names the Method
The third check is the one most people skip, and it is the one that prevents most disputes.
A real quote is in writing and breaks the job into parts: which surfaces, which slopes, gutters included or not, debris haul-away included or not. It also says in plain words how the work will be done. "Roof cleaning" is not a method. On a roof in particular, you want to know whether the moss is being removed physically or treated with a solution, and whether any pressure is being used on the shingles.
When a disagreement comes up after a job, it is almost always because nobody wrote down what was agreed. An itemised quote settles that before anyone climbs a ladder.
How to Actually Verify Any of It
Requesting a WorkSafeBC Clearance Letter
A clearance letter is a notice from WorkSafeBC that tells you whether a business is registered and up to date on its premiums. You can request one yourself through WorkSafeBC's online clearance letter service, and there is no charge for it.
Ask the company for its WorkSafeBC account number, then request the letter in your own name so it is addressed to you. That matters, because a letter addressed to you, showing the business was active and in good standing, is what protects you from premium liability. A photocopy of a letter the company pulled for someone else two years ago does not.
For a one-day cleaning job, a letter before work starts is the sensible minimum. For larger or longer projects, WorkSafeBC suggests checking again at the end of the job, since a clearance letter only speaks to the date it was issued.
A legitimate company will hand over its account number without hesitation. If the answer is vague, or you are told it is "covered under a buddy's account", that is your answer.
What a Real Written Quote Looks Like on Paper
A useful quote has the business's legal name and contact details, your address, a date, and a line for each part of the job. For a typical Metro Vancouver roof and gutter visit, that means roof moss removal with the method stated, gutter cleaning with downspout flushing, debris removal from the property, and any add-ons like windows or a driveway as separate lines.
It should also be clear about what is not included. If the quote does not mention cleaning up the landscaping below the work area, ask.
Finally, it should be a firm number for the work described, not a range that depends on "conditions found on arrival." That phrase usually means the number was never based on a proper look at the job.
Want to see what a proper written quote looks like? Get a free quote and Wells Property Services will assess the job on site and get back to you fast.
Red Flags Worth Walking Away From
Phone Quotes, Cash-Only Pricing and Pressure to Book Today
A firm price given over the phone from your address alone is a guess, and guesses have a way of growing once the ladder is up. Nobody can see roof pitch, moss depth or access from a satellite image.
Cash-only pricing, or a lower price for cash, often means the business is operating outside the systems that protect you, including WorkSafeBC and insurance. It is also hard to dispute a payment that left no record.
Pressure to book today is the third one. In this trade, a deal that expires tonight is usually designed to win the booking before you have time to compare. The Lower Mainland has plenty of capable companies, and a reasonable one will still be there tomorrow.
Vague Answers About Method
Ask directly how the roof will be cleaned. Listen for specifics: how the moss comes off, how much pressure is used on the shingles, what happens to the debris, and whether anything is being applied to the roof.
Vague answers at the quote stage usually mean vague work on the roof. So does an answer that is all about how good the result will look, with nothing on how it gets done. A company that knows its method can explain it in two minutes, and will put it in writing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a WorkSafeBC clearance letter and how do I get one?
It is a notice from WorkSafeBC confirming whether a business is registered and in good standing on its premiums. You can request one yourself, at no cost, through WorkSafeBC's online clearance letter service using the company's WorkSafeBC account number. Request it in your own name so the letter is addressed to you, because that is what protects you from liability for the company's unpaid premiums.
Am I liable if an uninsured worker is hurt on my property?
You may be exposed, depending on the situation. WorkSafeBC can hold a homeowner jointly liable for a contractor's unpaid premiums, and if a contractor is not registered, WorkSafeBC may consider that contractor's workers to be your workers for health and safety purposes. The details depend on how the work was arranged, so confirm with WorkSafeBC directly if you are unsure. The practical protection is to get a clearance letter and a certificate of insurance before anyone starts.
Should I pay a deposit before work starts?
For a one-day exterior cleaning job, a large upfront deposit is not the norm. Some companies take a small deposit to hold a date during busy months, which is reasonable, but it should be modest and written on the quote. Paying the full amount before the work is done removes most of your leverage if the job is not finished properly.
What should a written quote include?
The business's legal name and contact details, your address and the date, and a separate line for each part of the job, such as roof moss removal, gutter cleaning, downspout flushing and debris removal. It should state the method in plain words and say what is not included. It should be a firm price for the work described, not a range that depends on what the crew finds on arrival.
What should I ask about the cleaning method itself?
Ask how the moss or dirt actually comes off, whether pressure will be used on the roof and at what level, whether anything is applied to the surface, and where the debris and runoff go. Ask them to write the method on the quote. A company confident in its method will answer all of this plainly and without hesitation.
This is the checklist we expect to be held to. Our WorkSafeBC account number is 201284832, you are welcome to run the clearance check yourself, and every quote comes in writing with the method named. Wells Property Services offers free estimates across Metro Vancouver, including New Westminster, Burnaby, Coquitlam, North and West Vancouver and South Surrey. Get a free quote.
