First, know that the private guarantee plan applies to buildings held in divided co-ownership, i.e., buildings with more than four stacked units. Also, be aware that this plan is optional: entrepreneurs are not obliged to adhere to it.
A private guarantee plan can be useful for residences and structures that are not covered by the mandatory guarantee plan. We encourage you to research the various private guarantee plans available on the market.
For example, the mandatory guarantee plan does not apply to poor workmanship on earthworks or swimming pools, since they are considered external to the covered building. In these cases, you could also take out a private guarantee plan for the earthwork or your swimming pool.
For illustration purposes only, and without commenting on the adequacy of their plans for your situation, here are some organizations that offer private plans:
As in the case of Garantie de construction résidentielle (GCR), the administrators of private guarantee plans act as intermediaries between the contractor and the buyer to ensure compliance with the agreement. The guarantee plan chosen will be tailor-made, the agreement will be adapted for each project.
Reminder
If you are offered a private guarantee plan when signing the preliminary contract, take the time to read the document carefully and understand its content. Also make sure that the refund of the deposit is guaranteed by the plan.
Be aware that, without private coverage, you will have to address your requests and claims to the courts. To benefit from simplified recourse against your contractor, you can subscribe to a private guarantee plan.