​Planning a Retaining Wall in the Okanagan?

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How to Protect Yourself Before You Sign Anything

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A retaining wall is not a landscaping project. It is a structural system. If it fails, the repair bill can be brutal, and the liability can land on the homeowner. This guide helps Okanagan homeowners spot poor contractors early, ask the right questions, and protect themselves with documentation - not hope.
 

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Fast Scan: 10 Red Flags

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• No real person named on the website, quote, or invoice (only generic branding).
   

• Huge deposit demanded immediately, with vague timelines and no milestone payments.
   

• No written drainage plan, no mention of outlets, and no explanation of base prep or compaction.
   

• Refuses to provide insurance/WorkSafeBC documentation, or says they will get it later.
   

• One-line quote with vague scope and missing exclusions/assumptions.
   

• Cannot provide 3-5 local references you can physically inspect (addresses).
   

• Defensive or pressure-based sales tactics ("sign today"), instead of clarity and process.
   

• No assigned foreman/lead installer, or constant crew rotation/high turnover.
   

• Dismisses engineering or permits automatically without site-specific reasoning.
   

• Multiple independent contractors warn you about the company (pattern-based feedback).

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1) Verify who you’re actually hiring

You should know exactly who is responsible for your project.

Minimum standard (non-negotiable): the owner/operator or accountable project lead is clearly identified, the company has verifiable local contact details, and the legal business name matches the website, quote, and invoice.
 

What to do

• Ask: “What is the legal business name on your registration and insurance?”

• Confirm the name on the quote matches the name on insurance documents.

• If the website has no real names, no local presence, or only generic branding: treat it as a major risk indicator.
   

Red flags

• No identifiable owner or accountable lead (only a logo and a generic contact form).

• Different business names across website, quote, and invoice.

• Refusal to provide basic registration/insurance details.
  
   

2) Time in business and time in the Okanagan

Everyone starts somewhere. The risk is not “new.” The risk is unproven + fast expansion + big promises.
 

Questions that matter

• “How many years have you been building walls in the Okanagan specifically?”

• “How many retaining walls have you built in the last 12 months?”

• “What municipalities do you work in most?”
   

Red flags

• Claims to cover a massive region “no problem” while being new.

• A company that appeared recently but is suddenly “everywhere.”

• No local project addresses you can drive past.
  
   

3) Crew stability and who will actually build your wall

Your wall is built by the crew, not the salesperson. For larger jobs, it is reasonable to meet the foreman or lead installer before you sign.
 

A stable crew with multi-year experience is one of the strongest indicators of quality control. High turnover is one of the most consistent predictors of poor outcomes.
 

Ask directly

• “Who is the foreman on my job?”

• “How long has that person been with your company?”

• “Will you use employees or subcontractors? Which parts?”
   

Red flags

• “We’ll figure that out later.”

• “Different crews rotate through.”

• No clear foreman assigned.
  
   

4) Reputation checks that homeowners skip (but shouldn’t)

Most homeowners only check star ratings. That is not enough. You want pattern-based information across multiple sources.
 

Do all of these

• Check local contractor/community Facebook groups and local discussion threads (not just Google).

• Search: company name + owner name + “Kelowna / West Kelowna / Lake Country” + “review / complaint / lien / court.”

• Look for patterns: missed deadlines, deposits taken, unfinished jobs, constant excuses, blaming clients, staff churn.
   

Better Business Bureau (BBB)

• Check rating and complaint history if listed.

• Lack of BBB listing isn’t always a deal-breaker, but unresolved complaints are.
  
   

5) Industry cross-check: ask other contractors

This is one of the simplest and most overlooked due-diligence steps, and it works especially well in a community like the Okanagan.
 

Why it matters: Reputable tradespeople usually know who does good work and who leaves problems behind. Even though contractors compete, most still have mutual respect, share suppliers, work alongside each other, and hear the same stories from clients, inspectors, engineers, and trades.
 

How to do it properly

• When you have 2-3 bids, ask other local contractors (even related trades like excavation, concrete, landscaping, drainage, or building):

• “Have you worked around this company?”

• “Would you hire them on your own property?”

• “Do they finish what they start?”

• “Any consistent issues you’ve seen or heard?”

• Ask for grounded feedback, not gossip. You’re listening for patterns, not drama.
   

What to watch for

• If multiple independent people say similar things (good or bad), that trend is usually real.

• One negative opinion could be personal. Three separate warnings from people who don’t benefit from your decision is a signal.
   

Red flags

• Multiple independent contractors warn you about unfinished work, warranty problems, deposits, or revolving crews.

• The contractor has a reputation for starting fast and finishing slow (or not at all).
   

6) Court, registry, and legal history (reality check)

This is uncomfortable, but it prevents expensive surprises. You’re looking for repeated disputes: collections, liens, or lawsuits.
 

Practical rule: one dispute can happen to anyone. A pattern is the problem.
 

If you don’t know how to search

• Ask directly: “Have you been involved in any construction-related court disputes in the last 5 years?”

• Watch how they answer. Clear, factual answers are better than anger, defensiveness, or storytelling.
  
   

7) Proof of insurance and safety coverage

If something goes wrong on your property, you want clean protection. Ask for documents, not assurances.
 

Request copies of

• General liability insurance certificate.

• WorkSafeBC coverage confirmation (or a clear statement of coverage status).
   

Red flags

• “We’ve never needed it.”

• “We can get it later.”

• Refusal to provide documentation.
  
   

8) Engineering, permits, and drainage responsibility

Most retaining wall failures happen because of water, base prep, and design shortcuts.

A competent contractor should clearly explain drainage behind the wall, base preparation and compaction, wall type selection, and whether engineering or permits are required on your site.
 

Ask these exact questions

• “How do you handle drainage behind the wall? Where does the water exit?”

• “What’s your base depth and base material on this site?”

• “Do you compact lifts? What equipment and what thickness per lift?”

• “If my wall needs engineering, who coordinates it - me or you?”

• “If the city requires a permit, who is responsible for it?”
   

Red flags

• “Engineering is a waste of money.”

• “Drainage isn’t a big deal here.”

• “We always do it the same” with no site-specific explanation.

• No mention of water management at all.
  
   

9) Deposits, payment structure, and financial risk

A common failure pattern is large deposits + slow progress + excuses + disappearing.

Healthy payment structures tie payments to scheduled milestones and completed work, not promises.
 

Protective questions

• “What exactly is the deposit used for?”

• “What are the milestone stages for payments?”

• “What is your refund policy if the start date changes?”
   

A healthy structure looks like

• Deposit is reasonable and tied to scheduling/materials.

• Progress payments tied to completed milestones.

• Final payment tied to walk-through and completion.
   

Red flags

• Huge deposit demanded immediately.

• Pressure tactics ("sign today").

• No written schedule and no milestone structure.

• Collecting deposits from many clients at once while juggling too many jobs.
  
   

10) Contract quality: if it’s not written, it doesn’t exist

A professional contractor provides a clean scope and clear terms. Vague quotes create disputes.
 

Your quote/contract should clearly include

• Scope of work (location, approximate dimensions, system type).

• Drainage details.

• Excavation and disposal responsibility.

• Access limitations and assumptions (tight access, hand work, etc.).

• What’s excluded (and why).

• Timeline assumptions (weather, approvals, material lead times).

• Warranty terms (what’s covered and what’s not).

• Change order process (how extras are priced and approved).
   

Red flags

• One-line quotes.

• Vague language like “build wall” with no details.

• “We’ll figure it out as we go.”
  
   

11) Change orders and surprises

Excavation and retaining walls can uncover unknowns. That’s normal. What matters is how it’s handled.

Professional standard: extras are priced and approved in writing before work continues (unless it’s an emergency safety issue).

Ask

• “How do you handle change orders?”

• “Will I see pricing before you proceed?”

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Red flags

• They run up costs with no written approval, then pressure you at the end.
  
   

12) References you can physically inspect

Don’t just call references - go look. You want local projects you can drive past, including walls that have been through at least one winter cycle.
 

Minimum expectation

• 3 to 5 local references.

• At least 1 to 2 older projects that have settled.
   

What to check on-site

• Bulging, leaning, cracking, separating joints.

• Drainage outlets: are they real and functional?

• Overall finish quality, alignment, and consistency.
   

Red flags

• “We don’t give addresses.”

• Only brand-new projects that haven’t settled.
  
   

13) Communication and professionalism indicators

You’re not hiring a friend - you’re hiring accountability. Tone and process matter.
 

Green flags

• Clear answers without defensiveness.

• Written documentation.

• A schedule and a process.

• They explain risks upfront, not just promises.
   

Red flags

• Angry, insulting, or overly emotional about other contractors.

• Blames all past clients.

• Constantly changes the story.

• Uses pressure and urgency instead of clarity.
  
   

Common fly-by-night pattern to watch for.

In the last several years, homeowners across the Okanagan have dealt with a repeat pattern: a contractor appears quickly, markets aggressively, collects multiple deposits, runs a revolving door of short-term workers, starts many jobs, and finishes late (or not at all).
 

• Appears quickly and claims to service a very large area.

• Collects many deposits upfront.

• High staff turnover and rotating crews.

• Poor quality work and unresolved failures.

• Homeowners pay twice: once for the original job, again to repair it.