5 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Builder or Tradie

But before you move ahead with a renovation, you need to have the right team, with the right skills in place. Here are five questions that our partners at Reno Addict suggest you ask before hiring anyone to work on your home.

1. Do you need a builder or a tradie?

There's a big difference between the role of the builder and the role of the tradie, and its important to understand the difference so you can engage the right expertise for your needs. Many builders these days take on more of a project management role, managing and co-ordinating building and renovation projects, and coordinating the sub-contractors hired to do the job. A tradesperson carries out work in a particular field in the home building industry for example, a plumber, painter or tiler.

2. What is your contractor licence number?

You should only ever deal with a builder or tradie who is currently licensed by the fair trading department in your state. You can usually go to the Fair Trading Home building online licence check for your state and look up the contractors details yourself or call the relevant office and ask them to check the public register for you.

3. Where can I see some of your previous work?

These days, it's easier than ever to view examples of a contractors previous work, and it's always important to get a clear idea of your chosen contractors abilities and style to ensure it matches up with your vision.

4. What other jobs do you have on at the moment?

Knowing how busy your chosen contractor is can give an indication of their popularity, but also should give an idea of where your job fits into their overall work plan. If they're very, very busy and don't have the staff to manage, it may be worth looking at other options to ensure your job gets the attention that it deserves.

5. What is the process if something happens with the work you've completed?

It is always so important to cover yourself and have a process in place should an issue arise. By finding out how your contractor usually deals with issues or problems, you can get a sense of how to handle anything that crops up during the process.

Make sure you check out the original article on Reno Addict for more questions you should ask before hiring a builder or tradie.