In the UK, almost anyone can call themselves a builder, and checking a firm usually means reading reviews or looking for a trade association logo. Australia works differently: builders and many trades must hold a licence issued by a state or territory regulator, and you can usually look that licence up yourself in a few minutes. This piece explains who needs one, where to check in each state and what to look for when you do.

Why licensing matters more here

An Australian licence is not a badge of quality, but it does tell you several useful things. The person or company has met minimum requirements for qualifications or experience, is known to a regulator, and in many states can be disciplined or have the licence suspended. Licensing is also tied to consumer protection. In most states, home warranty insurance (sometimes called home building compensation or domestic building insurance) is required on residential work above a set value, and only a properly licensed builder can arrange it. That insurance can protect you if the builder dies, disappears or becomes insolvent before fixing defects.

Using an unlicensed contractor for work that needs a licence can leave you without that protection, may cause problems with your own insurer, and can complicate selling the house later. Some work, notably electrical and gas, is dangerous as well as illegal to do without a licence.

Which trades need a licence

The rules differ by state, so treat the following as a general picture rather than a checklist. Electricians and plumbers are licensed everywhere in Australia, with gasfitting usually a separate endorsement. General builders need a licence for residential work in every state, although the dollar value at which a licence becomes compulsory varies and some states license only certain types of work. Many states also license specialist trades such as waterproofing, concreting, roof plumbing, pool building or termite management.

Small jobs can fall below the threshold where a licence is needed, but the threshold is not the same everywhere and it changes from time to time. If in doubt, ask the regulator in your state rather than relying on what the tradie tells you.

Where to check, state by state

State or territory	Who licenses builders
New South Wales	NSW Fair Trading, with licence checks available online through Service NSW
Victoria	The state building regulator, formerly the Victorian Building Authority and now operating as the Building and Plumbing Commission
Queensland	Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC)
Western Australia	Building and Energy, a division of the state government
South Australia	Consumer and Business Services
Tasmania	Consumer, Building and Occupational Services
ACT	Access Canberra
Northern Territory	Building Practitioners Board

Agency names and structures change after reorganisations, so search for the current regulator if a link or name no longer works. In Queensland, the QBCC’s online licence search covers builders and a wide range of trade contractors. In Western Australia, Building and Energy’s information for consumers explains which builders, plumbers, electricians and painters must be registered or licensed and how to search the registers.

What to look for when you search

Have the licence number in front of you. A legitimate business will put it on its quotes, vehicles and website, and in many states this is a legal requirement. Then check:

• The name matches. The licence should belong to the person or company you are contracting with, not a relative or a former employer.
• It is current. Expired, suspended or cancelled licences are listed as such.
• The class covers your job. A licence for one trade, such as fencing or carpentry, does not authorise general building work.
• Any conditions or disciplinary history. Some registers show past complaints, directions to rectify, or insurance claims.

Keep a screenshot or printout of what you found, dated, with your other paperwork. If something does not match, ask the contractor to explain before signing anything.

Licences alongside quotes and contracts

A licence check is one part of choosing a contractor, not the whole of it. It should sit alongside written quotes that you can compare like for like, a proper contract for larger jobs and, where required, the home warranty insurance certificate before any deposit is paid. Our guide to getting quotes from Australian tradies covers what a good quote should contain and how to compare them.

Questions readers ask

Does a handyman need a licence?

It depends on the state and the value and type of work. Minor maintenance may not need one, but anything structural, electrical, plumbing or above the state threshold generally does.

Can I check a licence from the UK before I arrive?

Yes. The state registers are public and online, so you can check a builder’s licence from anywhere.

Is membership of an industry association the same as a licence?

No. Associations offer training, contracts and advice to members, but they do not issue licences. Always check the state regulator’s register as well.

In England, a reasonably handy homeowner can swap a socket faceplate or replace a light fitting without breaking any law. In Australia, the same job done by anyone other than a licensed electrician is illegal in every state and territory. This piece explains why the rules are so much stricter, what you can still do yourself, and what the paperwork looks like when a professional does the work.

A different starting point

British rules on domestic electrics, set out in Part P of the Building Regulations in England and Wales, distinguish between notifiable work, such as a new circuit or work in a bathroom, and minor jobs that an owner may do provided they comply with the wiring regulations. Many people move here assuming something similar applies.

It does not. Australian states treat almost all fixed electrical work as licensed work. That includes installing or replacing power points (the Australian term for sockets), light switches, light fittings, ceiling fans, hard-wired smoke alarms and anything connected to the switchboard. Even running a new cable through a wall to a spot where you plan to have an electrician connect it later is generally off limits. The rules are written by each state, so the detail varies, but the principle is the same everywhere.

Penalties for unlicensed work can be substantial, and responsibility does not end when the job is finished. If faulty DIY wiring later causes a fire or injures someone, the person who did it, and potentially the owner who allowed it, may face serious consequences.

Why the rules are so tight

Several factors are usually cited. Australian homes run on 230 volts like British ones, but the wiring practices, cable types and protective devices differ in ways a UK-trained eye may not expect. Older Australian houses can contain ageing rubber-insulated cable, ceramic fuses and switchboards with no safety switches. Roof spaces get extremely hot in summer, which degrades poor connections faster.

The licensing model also gives regulators a paper trail. Each completed job is documented and can be audited, and safety regulators publish guidance on how to check that a job was done properly. In Victoria, for instance, Energy Safe Victoria regulates electricians and explains the certificates householders should receive. Other states have their own regulators or fair trading bodies doing a similar job.

What you can do yourself

The list is short. Generally you may:

• plug in, use and replace portable appliances and their plugs where those come pre-fitted;
• change light globes (bulbs) and plug-in lamps;
• reset a tripped safety switch or circuit breaker;
• test your safety switches using the test button, which is recommended periodically;
• replace batteries in battery-powered smoke alarms.

Some states allow limited extra tasks, such as certain extra-low-voltage garden lighting systems that plug into a transformer, but check the rules in your state before assuming anything beyond the list above is permitted. When in doubt, it is licensed work.

Hiring an electrician and the paperwork

When a licensed electrician finishes a job, they are normally required to issue a certificate confirming the work complies with the wiring rules and has been tested. The name varies: Victoria uses a Certificate of Electrical Safety, New South Wales a Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work, and other states have their own equivalents. Keep these with your property records, because a future buyer, insurer or building inspector may ask for them.

Before engaging anyone, check their licence number on the relevant state register; our guide to checking a builder’s or tradie’s licence covers how to do that in each state. Ask for a written quote that describes the work and confirms a compliance certificate will be issued. Consumer organisations such as CHOICE’s home improvement section publish general advice on finding and dealing with tradespeople, which is useful if you are new to the system.

Prices vary by city and by job, and call-out fees are common, so it often makes sense to group several small tasks into one visit.

When you buy an older house

Many British buyers find themselves with a list of small electrical changes after settlement: extra power points, outdoor lighting, an upgrade from old fuses. Asking an electrician to inspect the switchboard and wiring early is sensible, particularly in houses built before the 1990s. Safety switches, known in the UK as RCDs, are now required on new circuits, and some states require them in rental properties or on sale, so an older board may need upgrading. Previous unlicensed work also turns up from time to time, and is best found before it causes a problem.

Questions readers ask

Can I install a ceiling fan if I am qualified in the UK?

Not without an Australian licence. UK electricians can apply to have their qualifications assessed for an Australian licence, but until it is granted the work is unlicensed.

Does my home insurance care about DIY electrics?

It can. If a claim arises from unlicensed electrical work, an insurer may dispute or reduce the payout, depending on the policy terms.

Can I do the trenching for an outdoor power supply?

Some electricians are happy for owners to dig a trench to their specification, but laying and connecting cable is licensed work. Agree the arrangement with the electrician before you dig.

Three tradies come to look at the same bathroom: one emails a single line with a total, one sends a two-page breakdown a fortnight later, and the third never comes back at all. That will feel familiar from home, but the Australian context differs in ways that matter, from licensing and insurance to deposit rules and standard contracts. This piece covers how to get useful quotes, what a good one contains and how to compare them fairly.

Why three quotes, and why they rarely match

Three quotes is a common rule of thumb in Australia, as in Britain. The point is not to find the cheapest but to understand the job. When prices differ widely, the gap usually comes from scope rather than greed: one tradie has allowed for removing old tiles and waterproofing, another has assumed you will supply the fixtures, a third has priced a better grade of materials.

Tradies in many areas are busy, and some will not quote for small jobs or will take weeks to respond. Being clear and organised makes it more likely they will take your enquiry seriously.

Getting quotes you can compare

1. Write a short brief first. Describe the job, the size, the finish you want, any access issues and your rough timing. Send the same brief to everyone.
2. Check licences before anyone visits. For work that requires a licence, confirm it on the state register. Our guide to checking a builder’s or tradie’s licence explains where to look in each state.
3. Be present for the site visit. Walk the tradie through the job, point out anything unusual and ask how they would approach it. You learn a lot from how they answer.
4. Ask for a written, itemised quote. A single figure on a text message is not something you can compare or rely on.
5. Clarify the gaps. If one quote omits something the others include, ask whether it is excluded or simply not listed.
6. Compare like with like. Line the quotes up item by item before looking at the totals.

What a good quote contains

A thorough quote usually includes:

• The business name, ABN (Australian Business Number) and, where relevant, the licence number.
• A clear description of the work and what is excluded.
• Materials, with brands or grades where these matter.
• Whether the price includes GST, the 10% goods and services tax.
• Any provisional sums or prime cost items, which are allowances for things not yet chosen or not fully known.
• The deposit and payment schedule.
• How long the quote is valid and an estimated timeframe for the work.
• Who is responsible for permits, waste removal and cleaning up.

Provisional sums and prime cost items deserve special attention. They are legitimate where something cannot be priced accurately, such as excavating ground of unknown condition or tiles you have not chosen, but a quote built largely on allowances can look cheap and then grow considerably. Ask what each allowance assumes and how variations will be priced.

Contracts, deposits and insurance

For anything beyond minor work, a quote should lead to a written contract. Several states set rules for domestic building contracts, including when a written contract is required and limits on how large a deposit can be. Those limits and thresholds differ between states, so check the consumer protection or building regulator where you live before paying anything.

Industry bodies publish standard contracts that many builders use. The Housing Industry Association produces contracts and guidance for residential work across the country, and in Victoria the Master Builders Association of Victoria offers similar documents and information for homeowners. These are written by industry associations rather than consumer groups, so read them carefully, but they are widely understood and far safer than an informal arrangement.

For larger residential jobs, most states require the builder to take out home warranty insurance before work starts or before taking a deposit. Ask to see the certificate. Separately, check that the tradie has public liability insurance, which covers damage to your property or injury to others during the work.

Warning signs

A few things should make you pause: pressure to sign or pay on the day, a request for a large cash deposit, no licence number or ABN, reluctance to put anything in writing, and a price far below the others with no clear explanation. None of these proves a problem, but together they tell you to slow down.

Questions readers ask

Should I pay for a quote?

Most quotes for routine domestic work are free. For complex jobs some tradies charge a fee for detailed plans or estimates, which is reasonable if it is agreed in advance.

Is it normal to negotiate on price?

Some negotiation is common, but it usually works better on scope, materials or timing than on squeezing the rate. A quote cut too far can lead to corners being cut.

What if the job costs more than the quote?

Extra costs should come from agreed variations or adjustments to provisional sums, ideally confirmed in writing before the work is done. Ask for a written variation each time the scope changes.

Australian home insurance looks much like a British buildings and contents policy on the surface, but the risks it is priced around are very different: riverine flooding, severe storms and hail, tropical cyclones and bushfire. Those risks drive premiums, exclusions and even whether an insurer will offer a policy at all. This piece explains how flood, storm and bushfire cover usually work and what to check before you sign.

Flood is defined, and it is not the same as storm

In the UK, flood cover is normally part of a standard buildings policy, and the Flood Re scheme helps keep it affordable for homes at higher risk. Australia has no direct equivalent of Flood Re. What it does have is a standard definition of flood, introduced after disputes in the Queensland floods of 2010 and 2011, under which flood broadly means water escaping from a watercourse, lake, reservoir, dam or similar.

That definition matters because flood and storm are treated separately. Rainwater running off a hillside into your house, or overflowing gutters, is usually covered under storm. Water rising from a creek or river that breaks its banks is flood. Many policies now include flood by default, but some let you remove it to reduce the premium, and in high-risk areas the flood component can make up much of the cost. Read the product disclosure statement (the full policy wording) and the key facts sheet, which insurers must provide, to see exactly what is and is not included.

The Insurance Council of Australia, the industry body, publishes consumer information on the standard definitions and on what to do after a disaster, and it is a sensible starting point for understanding the terms you will see in a policy.

Storm, hail and cyclone

Storm damage, including hail, wind and lightning, is a standard inclusion in most home policies. Hail is a serious risk across south-east Queensland, northern New South Wales and parts of other states, and a single storm can damage roofs, skylights, solar panels and cars across a whole suburb. Check whether solar panels, fences, retaining walls and outdoor structures are covered, as these are common sources of disappointment.

In northern Australia, cyclone cover is part of the picture. The federal government set up a cyclone reinsurance pool in 2022 with the aim of easing premiums in cyclone-prone areas, though how much difference it makes to an individual premium depends on the insurer and the property. Building standards matter too: a home built or upgraded to modern wind ratings may be viewed more favourably.

One thing British buyers rarely encounter is an embargo. When a cyclone is forming, a bushfire is threatening an area or a major flood is expected, insurers often stop accepting new policies or increases in cover for affected postcodes until the danger passes. If you are buying a house, arrange cover from the date the property becomes your risk under the contract, which varies by state, rather than waiting until a storm is on the radar.

Bushfire cover and rebuilding costs

Fire, including bushfire, is a standard inclusion in Australian home policies. The bigger issue is usually underinsurance. Rebuilding after a bushfire can cost far more than the original build, because a new home in a bushfire-prone area may have to meet construction standards linked to its bushfire attack level, and because demolition, debris removal, temporary accommodation and professional fees all add up. After major fire seasons, demand for builders also pushes prices up.

Most Australian policies are written on a sum-insured basis, so the figure you choose is the most the insurer will pay. Online rebuilding cost calculators are a useful starting point, but treat them as a minimum, particularly for older or architecturally unusual homes. Some policies include a safety margin above the sum insured; check whether yours does and by how much.

The consumer group CHOICE, which publishes independent reviews and buying guides, has practical guidance on home improvement and protecting your property that helps when weighing up the condition and resilience of a house.

Check the risk before you buy

Insurance is one of the clearest signals of how exposed a property is. Before you commit to a purchase, get a quote for the address, not just a general estimate. A premium that seems wildly out of line with similar suburbs often reflects a flood or fire risk the listing did not mention. Our guide to checking flood maps and planning overlays explains where to find the council information that insurers themselves draw on.

When comparing policies, look beyond the headline premium at the excess, exclusions for flood and storm-related damage such as erosion or landslip, limits on contents in outbuildings, and whether temporary accommodation is covered and for how long. If a claim is refused and you disagree, insurers have internal complaint processes, and unresolved disputes can go to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority at no cost to you.

Questions readers ask

Is flood automatically included in Australian home insurance?

Often, but not always. Some policies let you opt out, so check the key facts sheet for the specific policy.

Can I bring my UK insurer with me?

Generally no. You will need a policy from an insurer authorised to operate in Australia and written for Australian conditions.

Why did my insurer refuse a quote this week?

There may be an embargo in place because of a nearby fire, cyclone or flood. Insurers usually lift these once the immediate threat has passed.