10 Questions to Ask Your Renovation Contractor Before You Sign Anything

Signing a renovation contract is one of the largest financial commitments most Melbourne homeowners make outside of buying a property. The difference between a renovation that goes smoothly and one that turns into a drawn-out, expensive dispute often comes down to due diligence at the very beginning of the process, before any money changes hands.

The questions below are not about being difficult or mistrustful. They are the questions that any reputable contractor expects to be asked and that any reputable contractor will answer clearly and confidently. If a company becomes defensive, vague, or evasive in response to any of them, that is important information.

Why These Questions Matter More Than the Quote

Most homeowners focus on the quote when comparing renovation companies. Price matters, but it is not the most important factor in choosing a contractor. A low quote from a company that cannot answer basic questions about licensing, insurance, and contract terms is a higher risk than a slightly higher quote from a company that can demonstrate professionalism and accountability at every step.

The questions below are designed to give you a complete picture of who you are dealing with before you commit. Work through them systematically during your consultation or follow-up, and use the responses to compare companies on substance rather than just price.

Question 1: Are you registered with the Victorian Building Authority?

In Victoria, any builder carrying out domestic building work valued above $10,000 must be registered with the Victorian Building Authority (VBA). This is a legal requirement, not a quality distinction. An unregistered company carrying out regulated work is breaking the law, and as the property owner you carry significant legal and insurance exposure if work is done without the required registration.

Ask for the company's VBA registration number and verify it yourself at vba.vic.gov.au. The VBA public register shows the registration status, category, and any conditions or suspensions on the registration. This takes two minutes and is worth doing for every company you are seriously considering.

Red flag: They cannot provide a VBA registration number or discourage you from checking it.

Good sign: They provide the number without hesitation and suggest you verify it.

Question 2: Is your quote a fixed price or an estimate?

There is a significant difference between a fixed price quote and an estimate. A fixed price quote means the company is committing to deliver the specified scope of work for the quoted amount. An estimate means the final cost may be higher, sometimes substantially, depending on what is found during the project.

For a kitchen or bathroom renovation where the scope is well-defined, a fixed price should be achievable. If a company insists it can only provide an estimate, ask why and what the specific unknowns are. Some genuine unknowns exist, particularly in older homes where the condition behind walls cannot be assessed before demolition, but these should be explained clearly rather than used as a blanket hedge against the entire quote.

Red flag: The quote is described as indicative, approximate, or subject to change without specific reasons given.

Good sign: The quote is confirmed as fixed price with clearly stated exclusions for defined unknowns.

Question 3: What exactly is included and excluded in the scope?

Two renovation quotes for the same project can look similar in total price and cover completely different scopes of work. One may include tiling, electrical, plumbing, waste removal, and project management. Another may cover cabinetry and benchtop installation only, with all other work excluded.

Ask the company to walk you through the quote line by line and confirm what is and is not included. Pay particular attention to: demolition and waste removal, tiling, plumbing and electrical work, appliance installation, painting, and any make-good work required after trades have finished. Everything that is excluded from the scope is a cost you will need to manage separately.

Red flag: The quote lists broad categories without itemising what is included in each.

Good sign: The scope is fully itemised with specific products, quantities, and inclusions listed for each line item.

Question 4: What does the payment schedule look like?

Under the Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995 (Victoria), payment terms for domestic building contracts over $10,000 are regulated. Progress payments must be tied to defined stages of work, and a deposit cannot exceed the lesser of 5 percent of the contract price for contracts over $20,000, or 10 percent for contracts under $20,000.

Be cautious of any contractor requesting a large upfront payment before work begins, or structuring payments to front-load money early in the project before significant work is completed. Payment schedules should reflect work done, not work promised.

Red flag: A deposit of more than 10 percent is requested before work starts, or payments are not tied to completed work stages.

Good sign: The payment schedule is stage-based, clearly defined in the contract, and complies with Victorian legislation.

Question 5: Who will be my day-to-day contact during the project?

Knowing who to call when you have a question or a concern during a renovation is more important than most homeowners realise until they are mid-project and cannot get a clear answer. Some renovation companies assign a dedicated project manager to each project. Others have a single point of contact for sales and quoting who hands the project to a site supervisor after signing.

Ask specifically who your contact will be after the contract is signed, what their role is, how frequently they will update you on progress, and what the response time expectation is for non-urgent questions. A named person with a direct phone number is the answer you want.

Red flag: The answer is vague, references a general inbox or phone line, or suggests you should contact the site directly.

Good sign: A specific named person is identified as your project manager with a direct contact number and a clear communication process.

Question 6: Who actually carries out the work?

Renovation companies use a combination of in-house tradespeople and subcontractors. This is standard practice and not a concern in itself. What matters is how the company manages and is accountable for the quality of all trades on your project, whether in-house or subcontracted.

Ask whether the trades are employed directly by the company or engaged as subcontractors, and ask how the company quality-checks the work of subcontracted trades. A company that has long-term relationships with a consistent team of subcontractors and has formal quality check processes in place is a different proposition from one that uses whoever is available at the time.

Red flag: They are unclear about who will carry out specific trades or suggest you can source your own tradespeople.

Good sign: They describe a consistent team of trades they work with regularly and explain how quality is managed across the project.

Question 7: Can I speak with a recent client?

A portfolio of completed projects on a website is marketing material. A conversation with a real client who has been through the full process with a company, from first consultation to handover, is a more reliable source of information about what working with that company is actually like.

Ask specifically for a reference from a project completed in the last six months that is similar in scope to yours. Some companies will offer to arrange a visit to a recently completed project if the client agrees. Any company that cannot or will not provide a reference on request is giving you important information.

Red flag: References are unavailable, take more than a week to provide, or are all from projects completed more than two years ago.

Good sign: References are offered proactively or provided within a day or two, from recent and relevant projects.

Question 8: How do you handle variations?

A variation is a change to the agreed scope of work. Variations happen in almost every renovation, either because something unexpected is found during demolition or because the homeowner changes their mind on a product or detail during the project. How a company handles variations is one of the clearest indicators of how professional and transparent they are.

Ask to see the company's variation process before signing the contract. A well-run company will require all variations to be documented in writing, priced before work proceeds, and signed off by the client. Verbal variations, or a process where work is done and the cost added to the final invoice, are a recipe for disputes.

Red flag: Variations are handled verbally or the company is vague about the process.

Good sign: A written variation process is described or shown, with client approval required before any variation proceeds.

Question 9: Will all plumbing and electrical work be certified?

In Victoria, all plumbing work must be certified by the licensed plumber with a Certificate of Compliance on completion. All electrical work must be certified with a Certificate of Electrical Safety. These documents are your proof that the work was carried out correctly and to the relevant standards, and they are important records for your property.

Ask the company to confirm that certificates will be provided for all plumbing and electrical work as a matter of course. If this is treated as an unusual request, that is a concern. These certificates are a legal requirement, not an optional extra.

Red flag: The company is unfamiliar with compliance certificates or suggests they are not always necessary.

Good sign: Certificates of Compliance and Electrical Safety are confirmed as standard deliverables at the end of the project.

Question 10: What is the realistic timeline, and what happens if it slips?

Every renovation company will give you a timeline estimate during the quoting phase. The more important question is what the company's process is for managing delays, and what your rights are if the project runs significantly over the agreed timeframe.

Ask for a written stage-by-stage schedule at the start of the project, confirmation of the expected handover date, and an explanation of how the company communicates and manages delays when they occur. Under the Domestic Building Contracts Act, practical completion is a defined concept and there are provisions relating to delays. A reputable company will be familiar with these provisions and transparent about them.

Red flag: No written schedule is provided, or the company is vague about what happens if the project runs over time.

Good sign: A written schedule is provided at project start, and the company explains its communication process for managing any delays.

Quick Reference Checklist

Use the table below during or after your consultation to confirm you have the answers you need before signing.

What to Do if a Company Fails These Questions

If a company cannot answer two or more of these questions clearly and confidently, the right response is to keep looking. Melbourne has a large pool of reputable kitchen and bathroom renovation companies, and the due diligence process exists precisely to help homeowners identify the right one for their project.

A few specific responses are immediate disqualifiers regardless of how good the quote looks:

• No VBA registration or inability to provide the registration number
• A deposit request of more than 10 percent before work starts
• No written contract offered for projects over $10,000
• Inability or unwillingness to provide a recent client reference
• A variation process that is entirely verbal

How APD Design Approaches These Questions

At APD Design, we welcome every one of these questions and expect to be asked them. Our VBA registration is publicly verifiable. All quotes are fixed price with a fully itemised scope. Payment schedules are stage-based and compliant with Victorian legislation. Every client is assigned a named project manager. Certificates of Compliance and Electrical Safety are standard deliverables on every project.

If you are comparing kitchen or bathroom renovation companies in Melbourne's eastern suburbs and would like to put these questions to our team, contact us on 03 9034 6490 or at APD@apadanadesign.com.au. Our showroom at Unit 64, 31-37 Norcal Road, Nunawading is open Monday to Friday.