Checklist: Before Your Builder Starts Work in Australia

Your builder is booked, the contract is signed, and the start date is locked in. But between signing the contract and the first tradesperson arriving on site, there is a window where things can quietly go wrong. Missing paperwork, unclear site access, neighbours who were never told, insurance that was never confirmed. These are the gaps that turn a smooth renovation into a stressful mess.

This pre-start checklist covers everything you need to sort out before your builder starts work on your Australian home. Print it, tick it off, and you will walk into the build with confidence. If you have not yet chosen a builder, start with our guide on how to hire a licensed builder in Australia before working through this list.

1. Confirm Your Builder’s Licence Is Current

Licences expire, get suspended, and sometimes get cancelled between the time you first checked and the day work begins. Do not assume the licence you verified three months ago is still valid.

What to check:

• Licence number is active and not suspended or cancelled
• The licence class covers the scope of your project (a builder with a “low rise” or “limited” licence may not be authorised for your project type)
• The licence is held by the entity named on your contract, not a different business or individual

How to check: Enter the builder’s name or licence number on TradieVerify’s search page. You will see the current status, licence class, and issuing state. For builders operating across state lines, check the licence in the state where the work is being done.

Do this: Screenshot the licence status result and save it with your project files. If anything goes wrong later, you have evidence that you did your due diligence at the start.

2. Verify Insurance Before a Single Tool Hits the Site

Insurance is the single most important document to confirm before work begins. Without it, you could be personally liable for injuries on your property or left paying for damage.

Three documents to request:

1. Public liability insurance certificate of currency. Covers damage to your property and injury to third parties. Standard coverage is $10 million to $20 million. Ask for the actual certificate, not a verbal assurance.
2. Workers’ compensation insurance. Required in every state if the builder employs anyone, including apprentices and subcontractors.
3. Home warranty insurance (domestic building insurance). Required for residential building work above certain thresholds, which vary by state.

Critical rule for Victoria. Your builder must provide the home warranty insurance certificate before collecting any deposit or payment. If they ask for money first, do not pay. See our home warranty insurance guide for full details.

Do this: Request all three certificates by email. Save them in your project folder. Check the expiry dates and ask for renewed certificates if any policy expires during your build.

3. Review Your Contract One Final Time

You signed the contract weeks or months ago. Before work starts, read it again with fresh eyes. You are looking for anything that was discussed verbally but never made it into the written agreement.

Key items to confirm in the contract:

• Start date and estimated completion date. Is the start date still accurate? Has anything shifted?
• Contract price and payment schedule. Does the payment schedule match what you agreed? Are progress payments tied to specific milestones, not calendar dates?
• Scope of work. Does the contract describe exactly what is being built, demolished, or renovated? You want specific inclusions: fixtures, fittings, finishes, brands, and model numbers.
• Prime cost and provisional sum items. These are allowances for items not yet finalised (e.g., tiles, tapware). Check whether the amounts are realistic. A $500 provisional sum for bathroom tiles will not stretch far if you are looking at $120/m² tiles for a 20m² space.
• Defects liability period. Most contracts include a period (typically 6 to 13 weeks after completion) during which the builder must fix defects at no cost.
• Dispute resolution clause. Know the process before you need it.

For guidance on understanding payment terms and deposit limits in your state, see our tradie payment terms guide.

Do this: Make a list of anything in the contract that does not match your understanding. Raise these items with the builder in writing before the start date.

4. Confirm Building Permits and Approvals Are in Place

No building work should start without the correct approvals. Starting without a permit is illegal in every Australian state and can result in fines, stop-work orders, and orders to demolish unapproved work.

Who is responsible? Your contract should state who obtains the building permit. In most cases, the builder handles this, but you need to confirm it has actually been issued.

What to check:

• Development approval (DA) or planning permit has been granted by your local council, if required
• Construction certificate (CC) or equivalent has been issued by a certifier or council
• Any conditions of approval have been satisfied (engineering reports, stormwater plans, tree protection)
• Copies of approved plans match what you agreed to build

The terminology varies by state (NSW uses “construction certificate,” Victoria uses “building permit,” Queensland uses “building approval”) but the concept is the same: formal permission to begin construction.

For a full breakdown of building permits and approvals across Australia, read our building permits and approvals guide.

Do this: Ask the builder to provide a copy of the issued building permit or construction certificate. File it with your project documents. If the builder says “it’s coming” but cannot produce it, do not allow work to start.

5. Hold a Pre-Start Meeting With Your Builder

A pre-start meeting is a sit-down with your builder (and ideally the site supervisor) before the first day of work. This is standard practice for new builds and major renovations. For smaller jobs, it can be a 30-minute conversation on site.

Pre-start meeting agenda:

1. Walk the site together. Identify the work areas, access points, material storage locations, and any areas that must be protected (gardens, driveways, neighbouring fences).
2. Confirm the construction sequence. Which trades come first? When will the noisiest stages happen?
3. Agree on working hours. Standard hours in most council areas are Monday to Friday 7am to 6pm, Saturday 8am to 1pm, no Sundays or public holidays. Your council may differ.
4. Establish the communication plan. Who is your day-to-day contact? How will progress updates be provided? Weekly email, site meetings, or a project app?
5. Discuss site cleanliness. How often will the site be cleaned? Where will skip bins go? Who is responsible for removing waste?
6. Review the selections schedule. If you still have outstanding selections (tiles, paint colours, fixtures), agree on the deadline for each decision. Late selections cause delays and can trigger variation claims.

Do this: Take notes during the meeting and email a summary to the builder afterwards. Having a written record of what was discussed protects both parties.

6. Notify Your Neighbours

This is the step most homeowners skip, and it causes more grief than almost anything else on this list. Construction noise, dust, delivery trucks blocking driveways, and workers parking in the street are all sources of neighbour disputes.

What to tell your neighbours:

• When the work starts and the approximate duration
• The type of work being done (renovation, extension, new build, demolition)
• Expected working hours
• Contact details for you and the builder, so they can raise concerns directly rather than calling the council

Legal requirements for party wall and boundary work:

If your build involves work on or near a shared boundary (demolishing a fence, building against a party wall, excavating near a neighbouring foundation), you may have legal obligations.

• NSW: The Dividing Fences Act 1991 requires written notice to your neighbour before altering or replacing a shared fence. For excavation within a certain distance of a boundary, the builder must serve a notice under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act.
• VIC: The Building Act 1993 requires notice to adjoining owners if construction will occur within 200mm of the boundary or involves demolition of a shared wall.
• QLD: The QBCC recommends notifying neighbours before building work, though it is not always legally required unless boundary structures are affected.

Do this: Write a short letter or knock on the door. Introduce the project, give your contact details, and be upfront about the disruption. A five-minute conversation now can prevent months of hostility.

7. Prepare the Site for Access

Your builder needs clear access to the work area from day one. Delays caused by site access problems cost you money because tradespeople will charge for wasted time.

Site preparation checklist:

• Clear the work area of furniture, personal items, and stored goods
• Remove or protect plants, garden beds, and trees not being removed as part of the build
• Ensure vehicle access for delivery trucks (driveway width, overhead clearances, turning space)
• Confirm skip bin placement (on your property or on the street with a council permit, typically $50 to $200)
• Provide keys, codes, or access arrangements if the builder needs entry when you are not home
• Identify utility connection points (water, power, gas, sewer) and mark them if not obvious
• Protect flooring, walls, and fixtures adjacent to the work zone
• Set up temporary living arrangements if the build affects essential rooms

Do this: Walk through the site with your builder during the pre-start meeting and agree on access, storage, and protection. Take before photos of everything. These photos are your baseline if you need to prove damage later.

8. Understand the Variation Process Before You Need It

Variations are changes to the original scope of work after the contract is signed. They are one of the biggest sources of cost blowouts and disputes in Australian residential building.

Why variations happen:

• You change your mind about finishes, fixtures, or layout
• The builder discovers unexpected conditions (e.g., asbestos, structural defects, rock)
• Council or the certifier requires design changes
• Materials specified in the contract become unavailable

What your contract should say about variations: all variations must be requested and approved in writing before the work is done. Each variation must include a description, cost impact, and time impact. You have the right to approve or reject any variation, and the builder cannot charge for unapproved work.

State-by-state variation rules:

Do this: Read the variation clause in your contract. Agree on a simple process: you request a change, the builder provides a written quote, you approve in writing, then they proceed. Never agree to a variation verbally.

9. Set Up Your Documentation System

Good documentation protects you during the build and is essential if something goes wrong afterwards. Set this up before work starts.

Create a project folder with these subfolders:

• Contract and approvals. Signed contract, building permit, approved plans, insurance certificates.
• Before photos. Photograph every wall, floor, ceiling, and fixture in and around the work area. Include boundary fences and neighbouring structures.
• Variation log. Date, description, quoted cost, and approval status for every change.
• Payment log. Date, amount, invoice number, and what stage of work each payment covers.
• Correspondence. Save all emails and text messages. Follow up verbal conversations with a written confirmation email.

Do this: Take progress photos at least weekly, focusing on work that will be hidden behind walls (plumbing rough-in, electrical wiring, waterproofing, structural steel). These are impossible to inspect once plasterboard goes up.

10. Arrange Inspections and Sign-Offs

Building work in Australia requires mandatory inspections at specific stages. Missing an inspection means the work gets covered up before it is checked, and uncovering it later is expensive.

Common mandatory inspection stages: footings and slab (before concrete pour), frame stage (before lining), waterproofing (before tiling wet areas), pre-lining (after plumbing, electrical, and insulation rough-in), and final inspection (before occupancy certificate).

The builder or appointed certifier typically schedules these. Your job is to confirm each inspection is booked and has passed before the next stage begins.

Do this: Ask your builder for the full inspection schedule at the pre-start meeting. After each inspection, request a copy of the report or certificate for your project folder.

Your Complete Pre-Start Checklist

Use this summary as a quick reference. Tick off each item before your builder begins work.

• Builder’s licence verified as current on TradieVerify
• Public liability insurance certificate of currency received
• Workers’ compensation insurance confirmed
• Home warranty insurance certificate received (if required in your state)
• Contract reviewed and all terms match your understanding
• Building permit or construction certificate issued and copy filed
• Pre-start meeting held with builder or site supervisor
• Neighbours notified in person or in writing
• Site cleared and access arrangements confirmed
• Skip bin permit obtained (if bin is on council land)
• Variation process agreed in writing
• Documentation system set up with before photos taken
• Inspection schedule confirmed with builder and certifier
• Payment schedule confirmed and first payment terms clear
• Emergency contacts exchanged (yours, builder’s, site supervisor’s)

Frequently Asked Questions

How far in advance should I notify my neighbours about building work?

Give your neighbours at least two weeks’ notice before construction begins. For major projects involving demolition or boundary work, four weeks is better. A personal visit followed by a written note with your contact details and the builder’s details works best.

Do I need to be home when the builder is working?

You do not need to be on site every day, but be available for the pre-start meeting, progress inspections, and each payment milestone. Agree on an access plan with your builder, including how they will enter and secure the property daily.

What happens if the builder starts work without a building permit?

Work done without a permit is illegal in every Australian state. You could face fines, be ordered to demolish the work, or have trouble selling the property later. If your builder wants to start before the permit is issued, do not allow it. The risk falls on you as the property owner. See our building permits guide for details.

Can I refuse to pay if the builder has not done the work to the agreed standard?

Yes. Under Australian Consumer Law, you can withhold payment for work that does not meet the contract standard. However, you must give the builder written notice of the defect and a reasonable chance to fix it before withholding payment. For guidance, see our guide on what to do when a tradie does poor work.

What should I do if the builder asks for a variation without a written quote?

Never approve a variation without a written quote. Ask them to put the change in writing with the cost and time impact before any additional work proceeds. Verbal agreements about variations are a leading cause of building disputes. If a dispute arises, read our building dispute resolution guide.

Is a pre-start meeting legally required?

A pre-start meeting is not legally mandated in most states, but it is standard practice for any project over $20,000. Some building contracts (including HIA and Master Builders standard contracts) include it as a contract milestone. Even for smaller jobs, a brief on-site discussion covering access, hours, and scope reduces misunderstandings.

Key Takeaways

• Verify your builder’s licence and insurance before they step on site, not months earlier. Licences can be suspended between when you first checked and when work begins.
• Hold a pre-start meeting. Walk the site, agree on working hours, establish communication, and confirm the construction sequence.
• Notify your neighbours in advance. It costs nothing and prevents complaints to council.
• Understand the variation process before you need it. All changes must be in writing with a price before work proceeds.
• Set up documentation from day one. Before photos, a variation log, and a payment log are your best protection if things go wrong.
• Confirm building permits have been issued. Never allow work to start without the correct approvals in place.

Search for licensed builders in your area on TradieVerify and verify their licence status before your project begins.

Related Guides

• How to Hire a Licensed Builder — Our builder hiring guide
• Building Permits and Approvals — Our building permits guide
• Renovation Project Management Tips — Our renovation project management tips

Sources

1. Queensland Building and Construction Commission. “Before Building or Renovating.” https://www.qbcc.qld.gov.au/home-owner-hub/build-renovate/before-building-renovating
2. Consumer Affairs Victoria. “Before You Build or Renovate.” https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/housing/building-and-renovating/before-you-build-or-renovate
3. NSW Fair Trading. “Before Building Work Starts.” https://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-property/building-and-renovating/preparing-to-build-and-renovate
4. Housing Industry Association. “Pre-Start Guide for Home Builders.” https://hia.com.au/resources-and-advice/building-a-home/your-build/articles/pre-start-guide
5. Master Builders Australia. “Homeowner Guide to Building Contracts.” https://www.masterbuilders.com.au/Resources/Homeowner-Resources
6. Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (WA). “Building Permits and Approvals.” https://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/building-commission/building-permits-and-approvals
7. Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. “Guarantees That Apply to Services.” https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/consumer-rights-guarantees/consumer-guarantees
8. NSW Government. “Dividing Fences Act 1991.” https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1991-072