The Victorian Building Authority (VBA) has released its top six warning signs for identifying an unregistered builder or an unregistered or unlicensed plumber.
Executive Director of Operations at the VBA, Lynda McAlary-Smith said homeowners should take basic steps to minimise the risk of things going wrong and costing more money in the long term.
“You need to do your research and ask for some key information up front, so there are no surprises,” Ms McAlary-Smith said.
“Victorians should be wary of anyone offering their building or plumbing services on online marketplaces and through apps, and consumers should always check the credentials of anyone advertising,” she said.
“You can check whether the builder or plumber you’re looking to use is registered with the VBA and whether they’ve faced any disciplinary action.”
Ms McAlary-Smith said people should establish rules with their contractor at the beginning of a project to ensure they received regular progress updates, including photographs, and that any variations to plans and budget were agreed to in writing by both parties.
She said that in some cases, people would pretend to be registered builders or licensed plumbers and carry out works that required proper training and accreditation, like the installation of gas heaters or the construction of walls.
“Both of which can have critical safety risks if installed or constructed incorrectly,” she said.
“Repairing or rectifying non-compliant work can also run into the thousands of dollars.”
Ms McAlary-Smith said the VBA’s top six warning signs for identifying an unregistered builder or plumber were that they could not be found in the Authority’s Find a Practitioner tool; clients were not asked to enter into a written contract before projects started; they asked for too much money up front; they were unwilling to show examples of recent work or provide contact details of former clients; they could not or would not show their VBA ID card; and they did not provide clients with a copy of their domestic building insurance policy, or a certificate of currency covering the property, before construction began.
The VBA’s Find a Practitioner tool can be accessed at this PS News link.
