Protecting the Footpath
An issue that can result in grief from the Local Council and additional costs to you is damage to the footpath.
Legally
The last time I built any damage was covered by the Clause which says “The Builder must indemnify the Owner in respect of, and insure against liability for personal injury, death, property loss or damage arising out of the Building Works.”
I have heard that some builders now modify this clause to exclude damage to the footpath.
If this is the case in the contract presented to you I would suggest that you make sure that the words “will take all reasonable steps to prevent footpath damage” are included.
NB, If there was originally no footpath crossing at the location of your driveway you will still have to pay for a new section of reinforced footpath at that point.
Method Of Protection
Normal practice is for the builder to use a timber mat, like the one pictured, at any point where they move vehicles over the footpath.
The mat is simply 95mm x 35mm, or similar, timbers held together by galvanised steel straps. The ends of the timbers are cut at an angle of 45 degrees to minimise the tripping hazard.
By spreading the load from delivery trucks there is much less chance of cracking, and the timber mat prevents scarring from caterpillar tracks.
See Contracts for more posts about issues in the Documents.