Choosing a builder is one of the biggest decisions in any building or renovation project. A few simple checks before you sign can save a lot of stress later. Here’s what to look at.

1. Check their registration

Victoria’s building regulator is the Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC). It started on 1 July 2025 and brought together the former Victorian Building Authority, Domestic Building Dispute Resolution Victoria and the domestic building insurance arm of the VMIA (Planning Victoria).

Use the BPC’s “Check licence and registration” tool to confirm:

  • the builder’s registration number and name match the quote and contract
  • the registration class covers your type of work, for example domestic builder (unlimited) for a new home
  • the registration is current, and whether there are any conditions or disciplinary actions

2. Check the home warranty insurance

Victoria’s Home Warranty Scheme started on 1 July 2026 and replaced Domestic Building Insurance for new work. It applies to eligible domestic building contracts signed on or after 1 July 2026 that are over $20,000, for buildings of three storeys or less. Cover includes lost deposits, incomplete work, and non-compliant or defective work. Work already covered by a Domestic Building Insurance policy issued before 1 July 2026 stays with that insurer (Victorian Government: Home Warranty Scheme). The BPC’s insurance page explains how it applies to your job.

Also ask for a copy of the builder’s public liability insurance certificate.

3. Read the contract carefully

  • Scope: exactly what’s being built, with the plans and specifications attached.
  • Price and variations: the contract price, any provisional sums, and how changes are priced and approved.
  • Payment stages: for a new home these usually follow base, frame, lock-up, fixing and completion.
  • Time: the start date and the building period.

Consumer Affairs Victoria has more on your rights, deposits and cooling-off periods. Contract rules are changing: reforms passed in 2025 start by 1 December 2026, so check the current version.

4. Look at their real work

Ask to see recent projects: photos from real sites, finished homes you can drive past, and people you can speak to. A good builder is proud to show work in progress as well as finished results. You can see ours on our projects page.

5. Pay attention to communication

How a builder handles your enquiry is a good sign of how they’ll handle your project. Do they answer questions clearly, explain what’s included and what isn’t, and put things in writing?

Quick checklist

  • Registration checked on the BPC website
  • Home warranty insurance confirmed for your job (if eligible)
  • Public liability certificate sighted
  • Written, detailed contract with plans and specifications
  • Real projects seen