Answer Questions

Any general contractor should be able to handle this job, however, a good qualified handyman should also be able to handle this job and would probably save you a lot of money. Just verify the handyman's referances by calling the name's he or she gives you to confirm they completed their jobs on time, on budget, and informed the client of any cost overruns prior to performing the work.

Respectfully Submitted,
Ron Cantor
Cantor Property Inspection
San Diego, CA 92104
619-521-9828
Lic# B706634

A mason or general contractor is your best bet. This situation is an example of the building design not considering typical maintenance or repair situations. Just to be sure; some foundation vents are made to be removed to give access; have you checked to see if they are all the same size (not one larger?). It is not uncommon for a good builder to 'hide' the access panel so it isn't obvious from outside.

Be sure you have an access door installed so in the future there is access to this crawlspace area (if there is a fire, the fire fighters must inspect this area; without access they will tear up the floor to confirm no fire in the area). Do not accept an option about using duct cleaners or abandoning the existing vent duct for a new one. Price out both having an opening cut in the basement wall and having a hatch put in the floor (say in a closet, in the laundry room itself, etc)

Depending on the height of your crawlspace, you may need a 'landing' built in addition to having an access door cut. This would be a treated wood box that gives a person room to enter the area, then crawl to the work area.

If the access door is placed interior (from your basement to the crawlspace) be sure to have a door with weather seals installed to prevent dust and critters from easily getting into your basement. Have plastic put at least at the entrance area.

While you are having this work done, if you don't have it already, consider putting down a plastic vapor barrier. This will minimize the amount of crawlspace dust (very fine particles since there shouldn't be any moisture) and will also act as a barrier against moisture and crawlers. It also keeps the workers cleaner, so they aren't tracking dirt everywhere. Good luck!

Kenny hit all the finer points. There’s really nothing else that could be added except to make sure the contractor pulls permits for the job; especially if the situation calls for them to do minor reconstruction to the house, to access the crawlspace. This will help to guarantee the work will be performed to local code.