Porch Repair in Baltimore

[Erick Garske]

I have a row house in Baltimore built in 1920. The home has a shared porch with the neighbor. The porch on my side appears to be sinking and needs to either be repaired or replaced. The porch on the neighbor's side appears to be in good condition. 

A contractor had recommended that both sides of the concrete porch be repaired.  When I questioned why the neighbor's home needed to also be repaired, I was told that that it would avert any damage done to the neighbor's porch when my porch side was repaired. The alternative, would be to request that the neighbor sign a hold harmless agreement releasing the contractor from any liability of damage of their porch while mine is repaired.  This does not seem like a viable alternative. The neighbor has nothing to gain, and everything to loose by signing that hold harmless agreement.

These are my questions:

1. Wouldn't the contractor's insurance cover them in the event that the neighbor's porch would be damaged?

2. None of the other contractor's mentioned the possibility of the neighbors porch potentially being damaged.  Why would this be more of a concern to this contractor?

3. Can someone share their similar experience?