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Building (main) : Building Articles : Building Contracts
Building Contracts
When building or renovating a home, it's a very good idea to enter into a
contract with your builder. A contract should clearly outline the steps and costs of
the project to provide you with legal peace-of-mind in case anything goes
wrong.
Where do I get a building contract from?
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Your builder or architect should provide you with a contract before any
building work starts. You can get standard contracts from several places:
- The Housing Industry Association. These
are the most commonly used standard contracts and are available online or
from an HIA office in your state.
- The Master Builders Association.
- The Office of Fair Trading in your state.
- The Royal Australian Institute of Architects. Architect-administered
contracts work slightly differently to standard building contracts. Check with
the RAIA for details.
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What is in the building contract?
Make sure your building contract includes:
- your name and the contractor's license number
- clear start and completion dates for the project
- a detailed description of all work to be carried out by the contractor.
This might include plans as well as specifications
- the total cost of the project and when progress payments are to be
made
- a guarantee that the work will comply with the Building Code of Australia
as well as any other legally required standards
- insurance details
- a cooling off period.
- details on how any changes to the schedule or work will be dealt
with
- provisions for dispute resolution
- a standard 12 point checklist for owners entering into a building
contract, and a caution about not signing the agreement if the owner can€t
answer 'yes' to all of them.
Note that this list is not exhaustive - your state might have additional
requirements for building contracts.
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