If you find problems with the building work in your new home – whether it be a newly built house, or a home with recent extensions, renovations or repairs – you may be covered by the:
- statutory building warranties that set the standard of workmanship for all domestic building work
- builder’s domestic building insurance.
The statutory building warranties apply to building work for up to 10 years after the date the occupancy permit or certificate of final inspection was issued, even if the property sells several times.
To make a claim under the warranties, contact the builder to discuss the problem. You can find out the builder’s details by contacting your local council.
If you believe the problem is covered by the warranties but the builder is going to charge for the repairs, you will need to consider legal action.
In some situations, you may be able to claim the cost of repairs on the builder’s domestic building insurance. This insurance covers work worth more than $16,000 for six years if the builder has died, disappeared or become bankrupt.
For more information, view our Building defects, delays and insolvency section.
If you get into a dispute with the builder over defective work, you should first try to sort it out with your builder.
If you cannot resolve the dispute, visit the Dispute resolution process page on the Domestic Building Dispute Resolution Victoria (DBDRV) website.
Where to next: