Insights

Practical notes for Lower Mainland contractors and trades who want to win more of the right work: how public bidding, prequalification, bonding and safety paperwork actually work.

• Prime contractor duties in BCPrime contractor duties in BC from the Act and OHS Regulation: who holds the role, Notice of Project triggers, and when a qualified coordinator is required.
• The BC tax verification letterWhen BC requires a tax verification letter, what it checks (and doesn't), how to get one through eTaxBC within 24 hours, and the fix order if you're refused.
• Builders Lien Act holdback in BCBuilders Lien Act holdback in BC explained from the statute: the 10% rule, holdback accounts, the 55-day period, and how subtrades get certificates early.
• Tender debrief questions to askTender debrief questions for BC contractors, plus what the Province will and won't release: your scores, the winner's score, never others' unit prices.
• Making the bid no bid decisionA bid no bid decision scorecard for BC contractors: ten questions scored 0-2, plus the red flags (bonding, mandatories, tax letters) that should mean no.
• Writing a construction RFP responseConstruction RFP response tips built on BC's own RFP rules: pass/fail mandatories, published weightings, and why evaluators only score what's on the page.
• Build a construction sales pipelineBuild a construction sales pipeline that shows September's work in March: six stages with entry rules, five numbers to track and a 30-minute weekly meeting.
• Residential to commercial constructionMoving from residential to commercial construction in BC: what changes (prequal, bonding, holdback, prime contractor), the five gaps, and a safe sequence.
• How to find subcontractors who deliverHow to find subcontractors in BC who show up and finish: where to look, five checks (WorkSafeBC, Technical Safety BC, BC Housing) and how to keep good trades.
• How to get on a GC bid list in BCHow to get on a GC bid list in BC: how bid depository and planholder lists work, the five checks estimators run, and the habits that keep trades invited.
• Contractor prequalification, done rightContractor prequalification decides who gets to bid. What owners check (CCDC 11), surety letters, WorkSafeBC standing and COR, and a bid/no-bid screen for BC.
• COR certification in BC, explainedCOR certification in BC from WorkSafeBC's own pages: what it is, the OHSMS audit, benefits and incentives, certifying partners, and how to decide it's time.
• How to use BC Bid to win workHow to use BC Bid as a Lower Mainland contractor: free browsing, the Business BCeID snag, lowest-price vs scored bids, the $100K tax letter and debriefs.
• Surety bonds for contractors, explainedSurety bonds for contractors in BC, explained from the Surety Association of Canada: bid, performance (often 50%) and payment bonds, the 120-day claim rule.
• The WorkSafeBC clearance letterWorkSafeBC clearance letter rules for BC contractors: get one before and after every sub, what each status means, and the Personal Coverage gap it won't show.