Checklist
20 questions to ask a builder before you sign
Take this to the meeting. A good builder answers all of these without flinching; the questions a builder avoids tell you as much as the ones they answer.
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The company
- What is the exact legal company name on the contract?
- How long has this company been trading?
- Who will actually be on site: your team or subcontractors?
- Are you a Licensed Building Practitioner, and for which classes?
- What insurance do you carry, and can I see the certificate?
The contract and money
- Is there a written contract, and can my lawyer review it before I sign?
- How much deposit do you ask for, and what is it for?
- Are payments tied to completed stages of work or to calendar dates?
- What happens to the price if materials cost more than expected?
- How are variations priced and approved in writing?
The build
- Who applies for the building consent, you or me?
- What is the realistic start date and finish date?
- What happens if the job runs late?
- Who manages the subcontractors and checks their work?
- How do we communicate during the build, and how often?
After the work
- What does your defects period cover and for how long?
- Do you offer a workmanship guarantee, and is it backed by a third party?
- Will I get the producer statements and code compliance paperwork?
- Can I speak to two clients from jobs you finished in the last year?
- Can I visit a job you completed two or more years ago?
Before the meeting, check the company itself: registration, years trading and what is on record. Run the company name at checkmybuilder.co.nz/check and bring the result with you.
checkmybuilder.co.nz · This checklist is general information, not legal advice.