Piling is foundation work — if it's done wrong or late, everything above it is affected. Here's what to actually check before signing off on a piling contractor, beyond just comparing quotes.
Licensing and Insurance
Confirm current public liability insurance and any required Victorian licensing for the specific piling method (screw piles, bored piers, driven piles). Ask to see certificates directly rather than taking a verbal assurance — a legitimate contractor will have these ready.
Equipment and Method Fit
Not every contractor's rig suits every ground condition or access constraint. Ask specifically what piling method they're proposing and why it fits your site's geotechnical conditions, not just what equipment they happen to own.
Capacity and Timeline Honesty
Piling contractors are often booked weeks out. Ask directly about their current capacity and get a real start date commitment, not just "we can fit you in" — this is one of the most common sources of program delay, and a slip here consumes total float before the rest of the program has even started.
Past Project Scale
A contractor who's only done small residential jobs may not be equipped for a larger commercial pour. Ask for 2-3 past projects of comparable scale, not just years in business.
Site Access and Vibration Considerations
Especially in built-up Melbourne sites, ask how they plan to manage vibration and access constraints — this affects neighbouring structures and can become a real dispute risk if not planned for upfront.
What a Claimed Listing Tells You
On Planning Toolkit's supplier directory, claimed listings show licensing, service area, and current capacity status upfront — an unclaimed listing means you're starting that conversation from zero.
Check licensing, service area and capacity status directly on claimed listings before you pick up the phone.
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