Builder verification checks.
Builder licence checks
How to confirm a builder holds a current, valid licence in their state. Licence classes, trading names, endorsements and what to do when a licence has been suspended or cancelled.
5 min read →Home warranty insurance
Mandatory insurance for residential building work above state thresholds — called Domestic Building Insurance in VIC and Home Building Compensation in NSW. What it covers, limits and how to verify a policy exists before works start.
6 min read →Company and ABN verification
Confirming the entity you are contracting with is registered, solvent and matches the licence holder. ASIC company searches, ABN Lookup, GST status and why trading names can obscure the legal entity.
4 min read →Verification is the baseline.
In every Australian state and territory, residential building work above a threshold value requires the person carrying out the work to hold a current contractor licence. In most jurisdictions, domestic building insurance must be in place before work starts or before a deposit is taken.
These are not optional checks. An unlicensed builder cannot legally perform residential work above the threshold. A homeowner who pays a deposit to an unlicensed builder has fewer protections under the relevant Home Building Act or Domestic Building Contracts Act than they would with a licensed contractor.
Verification checks are the fastest part of due diligence. They take minutes to complete using the public registers listed in each topic guide. Risk signals — tribunal history, insolvency records, credit data — layer on top.
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