Guides
Direct answers to the questions homeowners ask before signing a build contract.
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How to check if a builder is licensed in NSW
Search the builder's name, ABN or licence number on the NSW Fair Trading public register (onegov.nsw.gov.au/publicregister). Confirm the licence is "Current", that its class covers your type of work, and that the licence holder's name matches the company you'll actually contract with. BuilderCheck does this for you and adds ASIC and disciplinary history the register doesn't show.
Updated 1 June 2026
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What happens if my builder goes insolvent mid-build
If your builder enters liquidation or administration mid-build, work stops and you become an unsecured creditor for any money paid ahead of work done. Your protection comes from Home Building Compensation (HBC) insurance, which must be in place for residential jobs over $20,000 and can cover incomplete or defective work if the builder dies, disappears, becomes insolvent, or has their licence suspended for failing to comply with a rectification order.
Updated 2 June 2026
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How to spot a phoenix builder
A phoenix builder liquidates a company that owes money, then continues the same business through a new company — leaving creditors and homeowners unpaid. Spot it by checking whether the directors have a recently deregistered or liquidated company in the same trade and area, whether the "new" business uses the same name, branding, address or phone number, and whether a current licence sits on a company registered only weeks ago. BuilderCheck links directors across companies and flags this pattern automatically.
Updated 3 June 2026