House & land · Red flags
Short answer
The main red flags on a Victorian house and land package are pressure to sign or pay on the spot, a deposit above the legal limit, vague inclusions, lots of provisional sums or prime cost items, site costs not fixed in writing, an unregistered builder, no Home Warranty notice of cover, payments asked for early, cooling-off rights brushed aside, and land and build contracts that don't line up.
You can check each one before you sign.
Turnkey Building Group (TKBG), Victoria's leading builder broker, compares full turnkey, fixed-price packages from over 35 builders. We're paid by the builder from a share of its margin, so using us costs you nothing extra.
Red flags
Warning signs
No single sign proves a builder is in trouble. These are fair questions to ask before you sign:
If the answers worry you, check the BPC register again and get legal advice before you commit.
Checklist
Before you sign anything, have the contract reviewed by a lawyer or conveyancer.
Where TKBG fits
TKBG is a builder broker, not a builder. We compare packages from over 35 builders, and we only put packages forward at a fixed price with full turnkey inclusions in writing. You sign the building contract directly with the builder, so you still need your own lawyer or conveyancer to review it. Read how a builder broker works and how builder brokers get paid.
If you're choosing between a volume builder and a custom builder, see volume builder vs custom builder in Victoria.
Questions
Watch for pressure to sign or pay on the spot, a deposit above the legal limit, vague inclusions, lots of provisional sums, site costs not fixed in writing and a builder who isn't registered. Also check you get a notice of cover, that payments match the stages reached and that the land and build contracts line up.
According to Consumer Affairs Victoria, the deposit is capped at 10% for contracts under $20,000 and 5% for contracts of $20,000 or more. Check which applies to your contract's price, and if you're asked for more, get advice before you pay.
Search the builder's name on the Building and Plumbing Commission's Find a practitioner register. Check the registration is current and that the name on your contract matches it. The BPC says Home Warranty doesn't protect homeowners who use an unregistered builder for work that must be done by a registered builder.
Consumer Affairs Victoria says you'll receive a notice of cover after you sign a major domestic building contract. The BPC says Home Warranty applies to eligible contracts signed on or after 1 July 2026 for eligible work over $20,000. If yours doesn't arrive, ask the builder about it in writing and check with a lawyer.
No single sign proves a builder is in trouble. It's fair to ask whether its sites are slow or stalled, whether trades are being paid on time, and whether it has asked clients for repeated price rises. Also be wary of a deposit above the legal limit or payments asked for ahead of the stage reached.
Consumer Affairs Victoria says you have five business days after receiving a signed copy of the contract to withdraw without penalty. Ask the builder to explain how cooling-off applies to your contract, and be wary of any request to waive it. A lawyer or conveyancer can explain your options.
With a house and land package you can sign one contract for the land and another for the build. If the land settles long before the build contract is ready, or your finance doesn't match both, you can be stuck. Have a lawyer or conveyancer review both, and ask your lender or broker to confirm the finance.
Next step
Questions? Email hello@tkbg.com.au