Qualities of a good builder

You’ve probably seen news stories about builders or other tradespeople who let their clients down badly. Building and big home renovation projects are prime areas for problems, whether it’s falling way behind schedule or financial rip-offs. Although these incidents happen way too frequently, there are many good builders out there too. Here are some tips to help you protect your investment by hiring a reliable, ethical and professional builder.

Building is not a simple undertaking

Major home renovations and construction projects are complex and easily affected by other factors. Weather changes, shortages of materials, labour costs, and illnesses are just some of the biggest issues for home builders. These things, while unfortunate, are perfectly understandable. But when extra expenses pile up, and you’re left with shoddy work, you can’t just blame it on the weather. These problems definitely point to a dodgy builder.

Signs of a good building professional

Trusted builders will provide you with a reasonable, written quote. If they seem to be avoiding this, avoid them. Watch out for cheap quotes that seem too good to be true. Your home might end up being built with inferior or inadequate materials or other shortcuts that will only cause problems later.

Professional builders should have the relevant licence for the type of job you want them to do. Be wary of someone who only has an expired licence or a licence that is for another trade.

They also have the necessary insurance coverage to work on your project. Without insurance, you could be liable for any accidents or faulty workmanship.

Ethical builders ask for reasonable deposits in line with state and territory guidelines. Be suspicious if they ask for a large upfront deposit. Guidelines show that payments are usually staggered according to a percentage of the project’s total value.

Good builders should give you time to understand the contract before you sign. If you feel they are rushing you, they could be hoping you won’t read the small print.

A professional, reliable builder who does high-quality work will have plenty of references. If they don’t, their work could be inferior, or they have limited experience.

You can get information on state or territory requirements for trade licensing and payment guidelines and check a builder’s licence online. At ServiceSeeking.com.au, you can also read up on reviews from a contractor’s previous customers so you can weed out the sketchy builders from the trustworthy ones. So, once you get quotes from professional builders, remember to check out their profiles before hiring them.