Always Check Your Builder's
contracts caution checklist
for Australian home building & renovations
- Some Tips from an old hand
- What are the minimum legal contractual terms for residential building work
- What is a contracts checklist
- Getting out of a building contract
- Variations to a building contract
- What is Implied Builders Warranty
- Provisional sum items
- Prime cost items
- Pre-construction contracts
- Types of Building Contracts, Small projects, Large projects, Whole or substantial build projects
- What is fixed price, What is cost plus, What is design and construct
Our background checks reveal risks that a licence search can't
Always Check Your Builder also provides the background checks necessary for you to discover the credit, trading and
complaint or dispute status of your prospective builder.
read more ...
you've searched and found out ...
He's given you 2 brilliant references and his licence checks out
Always Check Your Builder searched and found out ...
3 of his building jobs last year ended up in the courts but yes 2 were perfect.
His truck's been repossessed and he's got 2 defaults against his equipment leases.
His company hasn't filed a tax return in 2 years and his partner is banned from holding a builders licence.
Between them they've had 3 building companies go into liquidation and a heap of sub-contractors won't work for them anymore.
IT'S YOUR CALL
alwayscheckyourbuilder.com.au
Types of Building Contracts
You have rights under the Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995 and the Australian Consumer Law.
Small projects
Small jobs' contracts are designed for building projects valued between $1,000 and $5,000. A small job contract requires only
basic information, including the date, signatures of both the contractor and client, a brief description of the work to be carried
out, the contractor's licence number, and the price.
You have a written contract that clearly specifies the work to be done and the total cost, with any agreed changes in writing,
including the associated costs.
Large projects
By law, the builder must use a major domestic building contract for work worth more than $5,000, including: erecting or
constructing a home and associated landscaping, paving, retaining structures, driveways, fencing, lighting, heating, air
conditioning, water supply or sewerage renovations, alterations, extensions, repairs and any other improvements.
For example, a swimming pool, kitchen renovations, outdoor living areas, work associated with renovation, alteration, extension or
repair of a home, demolition or removal of a home or part of a home.
Preparation of plans or specifications by the builder or tradesperson (a registered architect, engineer or draftsperson will use
their own contract).
If the contract has been split into several smaller amounts worth less than $5,000 - for example, a pre-construction contract worth
$2,000 and the main contract worth $4,000. As the total price is more than $5,000, the builder must use a major domestic building
contract.
Whole or substantial build projects
A home building contract is far more extensive and must include further information, including: A detailed description of the work to be carried out, attached plans and specifications and a statement that work will be carried out according to the plans, a clause stipulating that any variations on the contract, plans, and/or specifications will be made in writing and signed by both the contractor and the client. If any prices are unknown, they must be stated in the contract, along with an explanation for why they are unknown.