The short answer
Verify seven things before the first visit: who does the work, insurance, the safety program, at-height qualification, experience on buildings like yours, coverage in every market you need, and whether they can get through your procurement onboarding.
The seven checks
| Verify | Ask for | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| Workforce | Are crews W2 employees? | Unnamed subcontractors |
| Insurance | Certificate naming the property, plus required endorsements | A slow or missing certificate |
| Safety program | The written program and a site-specific plan | Cannot describe it in detail |
| At-height qualification | Technician certification; do they ask for your anchor documentation? | Never asks about anchors |
| Safety performance | EMR and TRIR, if your process uses them | Will not share them |
| Experience | References at your height and scale | No comparable references |
| Coverage and onboarding | Own crews in each market; can they complete your platform onboarding? | Vague answers |
Why it matters
When an uninsured or undertrained crew gets hurt on your property, the exposure does not stay with them. The lowest bid often reflects corners cut on insurance, training or safety. See red flags in exterior services proposals.
Go deeper on each check
How S&K answers them
- 100% W2 crews: trained, insured S&K employees, never subcontractors
- Certificates of insurance on request, and documentation you can hand to ownership, insurers or auditors
- Documented safety: classroom and hands-on training, site-specific safety plans, technicians certified before at-height work
- Equipment inspected and serviced on a routine schedule
- One contract, one invoice and one point of contact across a portfolio
Score every bidder with the vendor qualification scorecard, or read the full Vendor Selection, Compliance, and Procurement guide. To qualify S&K, ask for our certificates of insurance and safety documentation, or request a quote.
