Finding a practitioner and getting quotes

Tips for finding a practitioner

Practitioner usually means a builder, plumber, building surveyor, architect, electrician, consultant, designer or other tradesperson or professional that does building or building-related work.

Check their credentials before you hire them

If a registration or licence is required, check a practitioner's licence and registration and search the disciplinary register to see whether they have a disciplinary history.

When is a registration or licence required?

• Most work worth $10,000 or more requires the practitioner to be registered or licensed with the Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC).
• Some work will always need a registered practitioner, regardless of the cost, such as demolitions, electrical work and structural work.
• For some work, the practitioner does not need to be registered if they are only carrying out one task, regardless of the cost, such as painting, plastering and tiling.
• If a registration or licence is required, search for the practitioner on the BPC website to see if their registration is current.
• Confirm that they are registered for the work you want them to do. For example, some gas appliances must be installed by a plumber who is a licensed gasfitter and some domestic builders are limited to specific types of work such as bricklaying.
• For electrical and plumbing work, check that subcontractors have the right registration or licence and can issue a certificate of compliance or certificate of electrical safety when needed.
• For projects over $16,000, domestic building insurance is required.

Practitioners such as architects, engineers and electricians are registered through other government agencies.

If you are unsure about registrations, licences or types of building practitioners, you can contact us.

Find reviews of their work

• Check reviews on multiple platforms. For example, building forums, general forums, website reviews, product and service review sites, blogs, social media, renovation forums, or member lists on building industry association websites.
• Don't just look for good reviews. See how a practitioner responds to bad reviews as this can give you an idea of how they resolve problems and communicate with customers.
• Find reviews that have photos of their work.
• When searching for recommendations online, try to find at least three independent sources/people that recommend a practitioner before selecting them.
• If a practitioner has been recommended by a friend or family member, you should still do the proper research on them.

Choose the right builder for you

• See if you have compatible communication styles. Speak with them on the phone or visit their office to discuss the project before you decide to hire them.
• Understand the trade-offs between cost, quality and time.
• Understand that custom work will increase the cost of work.
• Ask for examples of previous work of a similar type. Have they done this kind of work before?
• How much experience they have, how long they've been operating and how many projects they've done
• What is their reputation? Builders in high demand will charge more
• Transparency about quality, costs and timing
• How flexible they are

Tips for getting quotes

• Get at least three quotes for the same job
• Ask for an itemised quote so you know exactly what is covered and can spot hidden costs
• When comparing quotes, keep in mind:
  • Brand names, quality, quantity and specifications for the materials
  • Labour costs, callout fees or other flat fees
  • Inclusions and exclusions
  • Removal of waste and waste collection/skips
  • Warranties
  • Compliance certificates
  • If any permits are needed
  • How long the quote is valid for
  • Whether they charge by the hour or for the job to be completed
  • Whether the price is fixed or variable (based on the cost of materials or labour)
• Be wary of those who are:
  • Too cheap
  • Promising too much, especially for the price
  • Too pushy, or try to pressure you into accepting
  • Not specific or not providing enough detail