10 Questions to ask your Tradesperson prior to locking them in.
Question #1:
Is there any costs that aren’t within the quote that you expect to occur during the project?
This way, you are eliminating the chances of unforeseen costs adding up over the project. Of course we recognize some projects will acquire extra costs due to circumstances out of our control such as ground condition, change of design ect. It’s always good to be clear with your contractor from the beginning.
Question #2:
Post project, will the site be cleaned by the contractor?
Standard trade practice is generally “leaving the site as it was prior to construction”. This means if you have existing waste and dirt piles around the property prior to work starting you should expect them to remain post project. Trades should only be expected to tidy up the area where they were working and the mess they’ve created. Please ensure there is a clause about this within your contract to avoid confusion.
Question #3:
What is your contractor’s license number?
Majority of tradespeople will list their contractor’s number on their quotes or contracts. Some trades may be skeptical as clients can take this number and put it on their council documents without the contractors’ knowledge. However, you can go on the NSW contractor’s license look up tool and type the tradespersons name or the business name into the search bar to find the license number easily. This will also tell you if the license is current or expired.
Question #4:
What is the best platform to view honest and reliable customer reviews?
Google & Facebook are well known to have a strong process for removing reviews. Logically, you would imagine all client reviews will remain online for potential customers to view. Unlike personal websites where the contractor can fake reviews and only include 5 star reviews.
Question #5:
I like the look of this project *Shows photo of works to contractor that they’ve previously completed* did this project stay within budget?
This will provide you a realistic cost of a project you like and eliminate the chances of unexpected costs for your project.
Question #6:
Do you have proper insurance?
It is a high priority for homeowners to take responsibility to ensure their home is protected during construction in case something goes wrong.
Common Insurance policies your project may require:
- Public liability insurance.
- Workers compensation insurance.
- Home Owners Warranty insurance (for projects over 20k inclusive of gst) which covers you for works yet to be completed in case of a dispute, the builder passes away/gets injured,becomes insolvent or disappears.
Question #7:
How much deposit do you require?
In NSW it’s illegal to ask clients for more than 10% of the projects worth for a deposit. If a company is asking for a higher amount, this may be a red flag that the company isn’t licensed or insured. Contractors acknowledge the 10% rule on application of their contractors’ license & Insurance policies.
Question #8:
How soon will my project start and how long will the project take?
Be sure to have realistic expectations when engaging in a new trade. For outdoor trades they need to consider bad weather days as well as potential material shortages which have been prominent in 2022. When engaging a new tradesman the start date/estimate should be listed within your contract with a clause addressing potential impacts.
Question #9:
Will we receive a contract?
It is a legal requirement in NSW that, if the costs of labour and materials for the work exceeds 5k (inclusive of gst) a written contract between the parties is required. This will protect you if anything goes wrong.
Question #10:
Will we have a payment schedule?
Most trades invoice progress payments once a certain level of work has been completed, materials arrive on site or the team have been on-site for a number of days. The progress payments should be listed inside your contract.
So there you have it! Our top 10 questions to ensure you’re protected.