How to check a builder in Victoria: a checklist before you sign

Use the Building and Plumbing Commission's "Find and check a practitioner" search. Confirm the registration is current, covers the type of work, and matches the name on your contract.

For eligible domestic building contracts signed on or after 1 July 2026, cover is under the Victorian Home Warranty Scheme and comes with a Notice of Cover. Work insured before then keeps its Domestic Building Insurance policy. Check the details on official Victorian Government pages.

The Victorian Government says the scheme can cover lost deposits, incomplete work, and non-compliant or defective work on eligible contracts. Check the official terms for what applies to your build.

Look up the ABN on the Australian Business Register and the company on ASIC. Make sure the business named on your contract is the one that's registered and covered.

Victorian law limits deposits on domestic building contracts. Check the current limit with Consumer Affairs Victoria, and don't pay more than the law and your contract allow.

Pressure to sign quickly, vague inclusions, lots of provisional sums, requests to pay ahead of completed stages, or reluctance to let you get legal advice.

TKBG can help you compare suitable builders and ask the right questions. Still check registration and cover yourself, and get independent advice before you sign.