How to Choose the Right Builder (And Avoid the Wrong One)

Your Builder Choice Is Your Most Important Decision

Ask anyone who's been through a build or major renovation: the builder makes or breaks the experience. A great builder delivers on time, communicates proactively, and handles problems before you even know about them. A bad one costs you months of delays, tens of thousands in variations, and enormous stress.

Red Flags to Watch For

• Unusually low quote. If one quote is 20%+ below the others, they're either cutting corners, planning to make it up in variations, or about to go bust.
• Won't provide a fixed-price contract. "Cost-plus" contracts transfer all risk to you. Insist on fixed-price with clearly defined allowances.
• No recent references. Any reputable builder will happily connect you with 3–5 recent clients. If they won't, ask why.
• Pushes you to skip council approvals. Non-compliant work can require demolition, and your insurance won't cover it.
• Large upfront deposits. Industry standard is 5–10%. Anything over 20% before work starts is concerning.

What to Ask Their References

Don't just ask "were you happy?" — ask these:

• What was the final cost vs. the contract price?
• How many weeks/months did it run over timeline?
• How did they handle problems when things went wrong?
• Would you use them again?
• What would you do differently?

How to Structure the Relationship

• Communication cadence — Agree upfront on weekly written updates plus a regular site meeting.
• Payment schedule — Tie payments to milestones (slab, frame, lock-up, fix-out, completion), not calendar dates.
• Variation process — ALL variations must be in writing with a quoted price BEFORE work proceeds.
• Defect period — Standard is 6 months for minor defects after handover. Get this in writing.

Where to Find Good Builders

• Word of mouth from people who've actually completed a project
• BuildPeek homeowners who share their builder experience in property breakdowns
• HIA and MBA member directories — membership requires insurance and licensing
• Your architect's recommendations — they know who delivers