Most people building or renovating in Shepparton will do it once, maybe twice in their life. The builder they are sitting across from has done it hundreds of times. That gap is where things go wrong, and it is not usually because anyone set out to mislead. It is because the homeowner did not know which questions mattered until it was too late to ask them.
Here is what to ask, and just as importantly, what a good answer sounds like.
Before you talk to anyone
Get three quotes. Not two, and not one from a bloke a mate recommended.
Three is the number where you start to see the shape of the job. If two quotes land close together and one is thirty per cent under, the cheap one is usually missing something rather than offering something. Ask that builder what the other two included that they did not.
1. Are you registered, and what is your registration number?
In Victoria, domestic building work over a certain value must be carried out by a registered building practitioner. The registration number should be on their paperwork, and you can check it yourself on the Victorian Building Authority register before you sign anything.
Ours is CRN CBD-U 62326. Any builder who is cagey about giving you theirs has told you something important.
What a good answer sounds like: the number, immediately, without being asked twice.
2. Who is actually going to be on my site?
This is the question that separates builders more than any other.
Some firms sell you the job with a salesperson, hand it to a site supervisor you have not met, and you never see the person whose name is on the sign. That is not automatically bad, but you should know it going in, because it determines who you ring when something is not right.
At Roweanne Builders, Gavin McMahon owns the business and is on site every day. When you ring, you get the person making the decisions. That is deliberate, and it is the main reason we have stayed a certain size.
What a good answer sounds like: a specific person, named, and a clear answer about how often they will be there.
3. Is this a fixed price, and what is excluded?
The second half of that question matters more than the first.
Almost every quote is fixed for what it covers. The money gets lost in what it does not cover. Common exclusions worth asking about directly:
- Site costs, particularly if your block has a fall, poor soil or difficult access
- Service connections and any relocation of existing services
- Council and permit fees
- Provisional sums, which are estimates rather than prices. Ask which items are provisional and what happens if the real cost comes in higher
- Removal of asbestos or other hazardous material, which is common in older Goulburn Valley homes
We work to fixed-price contracts and we would rather have the uncomfortable conversation about exclusions before you sign than after.
What a good answer sounds like: the builder walks you through the exclusions without you having to drag it out of them.
4. What is your variation process?
A variation is any change to the contracted work. Some are your idea. Some are unavoidable discoveries once walls come off, which happens on almost every renovation.
What you want to know is how they are priced and approved. Specifically: will you see a written price and sign it before the work happens, or will variations appear on an invoice at the end?
The second one is how people end up tens of thousands over budget without ever agreeing to it.
What a good answer sounds like: written, priced, signed by you, before the work is done. Every time.
5. Who handles the permits?
Depending on the job, you may need a building permit, a planning permit, or both, and the requirements differ by property, zone and any overlays on your title.
The practical question is who is responsible for lodging, following up and paying for it. It should be in writing, because “I assumed you were doing that” is a genuinely common cause of delay.
We manage the council process on our jobs and we will tell you at the quoting stage what your property is likely to need.
What a good answer sounds like: a clear allocation of responsibility, in the contract, not a verbal assurance.
6. What is your realistic timeline, and what would change it?
Every builder can give you a best-case program. The useful question is the second half.
Ask what typically causes their jobs to run over. Wet weather, trade availability, long lead-time items like windows and cabinetry, and council turnaround times are the honest answers. A builder who says nothing ever delays their jobs is either very lucky or not being straight with you.
What a good answer sounds like: a program with the known risks named, rather than a single confident date.
7. Can I see a job like mine, and can I speak to that owner?
Photos are easy. A phone number is not.
Ask for a recent job of a similar type and scale, and ask whether you can speak to the homeowner. Most good builders have several clients who are happy to take that call. If nobody is available, that is worth noticing.
You can see some of our recent work in the gallery, and we have written up several jobs in detail, including a knock down rebuild in Kialla, a home extension in Shepparton, a bathroom renovation in Mooroopna and a kitchen renovation in Shepparton.
What a good answer sounds like: a name and a number, with the owner’s permission.
8. What insurance is in place?
There are two things to check. The builder’s own public liability cover, and domestic building insurance, which protects you if the builder cannot complete the work.
Ask to see current certificates. Not a statement that they have it. The certificates.
What a good answer sounds like: copies provided without hesitation, with current dates.
9. What happens after handover?
Defects appear. That is normal, not a failure. What matters is whether the builder comes back.
Ask what the defect liability period is, what is covered, and how you report something. Then ask the reference client from question seven whether that actually happened.
What a good answer sounds like: a defined period, a clear process, and a reference who confirms it.
10. Why should I use you rather than the other two?
Ask it directly. The answer tells you how well they understand their own business.
A builder who runs down the competition is telling you they have nothing better to offer. A builder who explains what they are genuinely good at, and is comfortable saying where someone else might suit you better, is usually the safer bet.
The short version
If you only ask three, ask these:
- Who will be on my site, and how often?
- What is excluded from this price?
- How are variations priced and approved?
Those three questions surface most of the problems that turn a renovation into a horror story.
Talk to us
Gavin has been building in Shepparton for over forty years and is happy to be asked all of this. If you are getting quotes for a renovation, an extension or knock down rebuild, a kitchen or a bathroom, ring him on +61 3 5822 2225 or get in touch.
Bring the list. We would rather you asked.
Common questions
How many quotes should I get for a renovation?
Three. Two does not give you enough to compare and one gives you nothing. If the quotes vary widely, ask each builder what the others included that they did not, because the difference is almost always scope rather than margin.
Is the cheapest quote usually a bad sign?
Not always, but a quote well below the others usually means something has been left out or estimated rather than priced. Ask for the exclusions and the provisional sums before you decide it is a saving.
What is a provisional sum?
An allowance for an item that has not been priced exactly yet, such as tiling or a kitchen. If the real cost comes in higher, you pay the difference. Ask which items in your quote are provisional sums and how many there are.
Do I need a permit to renovate in Shepparton?
It depends on the work and the property. Some jobs need a building permit, some also need a planning permit, and overlays on your title can change things. Ask your builder to confirm what your specific property needs before you commit to a timeline.
Should I use a local builder or a larger regional company?
Both can work. The practical difference is usually accountability and responsiveness. A local builder lives in the same town and will run into you at the shops, which tends to concentrate the mind.