Choosing a contractor is the single biggest decision in a home build. Get it right and the months ahead are manageable. Get it wrong and you'll spend that time chasing progress and disputing bills. The reassuring part is that you can usually tell the difference before you ever sign, if you ask the right questions and pay attention to how confidently, and how specifically, they're answered.
Here are the twelve questions we'd want any homeowner to ask a builder, including us.
The 12 questions to ask before you hire
Can I see your completed and ongoing projects?
A serious builder will happily show you finished homes and let you walk a live site. Watching a current job in progress tells you more about workmanship and work ethic than any brochure will.
Are you licensed, registered, and insured?
Confirm valid business registration, GST registration, and insurance cover. This protects you legally and signals a professional operation rather than an informal crew working off a handshake.
Can you share client references I can actually call?
Past clients give you the most honest read you'll get. Ask them directly whether the final bill matched the quote, whether the timeline held, and how disputes were handled.
Will I get a detailed written agreement and BOQ?
The Bill of Quantities and the agreement are your real protection. Together they define scope, materials, timeline, and payments, and they're what stops "we'll sort it out later" from costing you.
What materials, brands, and grades will you use?
Get specifics: the TMT steel brand, cement type, and concrete grade for each element. "Good material" isn't an answer. A brand name and a grade number is.
How is the payment schedule structured?
A sound schedule is tied to completed stages, foundation, slab, brickwork, finishing, with a portion held back for handover. Be cautious of any request for a large advance before work has actually started.
What's the realistic timeline, and what happens if you're late?
A confident builder gives you a stage-wise schedule and is willing to put a delay penalty in writing. Reluctance to commit to either is worth noticing.
Who supervises the site day to day?
Ask whether a qualified engineer oversees the work, how often they're on site, and who your single point of contact is. Execution lives in supervision, not just in the materials list.
What's included, and what counts as "extra"?
Pin down finishing, waterproofing, electrical points, and the boundary wall specifically. Unstated exclusions are exactly how a cheap-looking quote turns into an expensive final bill.
How do you handle design changes mid-build?
Every change costs time and money once construction has started. A builder worth hiring explains the change-order process clearly, so you're never surprised by a revised amount.
Do you handle approvals and liaison with the development authority?
Many full-service builders manage plan sanctioning and liaison as part of the package. Clarify exactly what falls to them and what, if anything, remains yours to handle.
What warranty and post-handover support do you offer?
A builder confident in their own work will stand behind it. Ask what the warranty covers on structure and finishing, and how issues raised after you've moved in actually get resolved.
How to read the answers
The questions matter less than how they're answered. A reliable builder gives specific numbers, points you to written documents, shows you real sites, and answers calmly because there's nothing to hide. A risky one offers vague reassurance, resists putting anything in writing, pushes for a large payment upfront, and can't produce a genuine reference.
If you find yourself pushing for clarity before you've even signed, it's worth imagining how much harder that'll be once your money is committed.
The takeaway
A good home starts with a good builder, and you can usually tell the difference before you sign simply by asking direct questions and insisting on written answers. That's exactly how a well-run turnkey company operates in practice: a transparent scope, a documented BOQ, stage-linked payments, qualified supervision, and one team accountable from foundation to handover.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the most important question to ask a contractor?
Whether they'll provide a detailed written agreement and BOQ. It defines scope, materials, timeline, and payments, and it's what prevents most of the disputes that derail a build.
How do I know if a builder is reliable?
Look for specific, documented answers, real completed and ongoing sites you can visit, genuine client references, and a willingness to accept stage-linked payments and delay penalties in writing.
Should I pay a large advance to my contractor?
No. Payments should follow completed construction stages, with a portion held back for handover. A large advance before work has begun hands away your leverage.
What's a red flag when hiring a contractor?
Vagueness: reluctance to commit specifics in writing, no verifiable references, pressure for a big upfront payment, and unclear answers about what's included versus billed as extra.
Does a turnkey builder handle GDA approvals?
Many full-service turnkey companies manage plan sanctioning and liaison with the development authority as part of the package. Always confirm exactly what's included before you sign.
Ask us all twelve
Our scope, specification, payment schedule and warranties are published before you ask. Put the questions to us anyway.