You must give your client a copy of the Domestic Building Consumer Guide before they sign a major domestic building contract. For more information on this and other building law changes, view Domestic Building Consumer Guide.
Give clear quotes
Whether you are giving a quote verbally or in writing, be clear about what it covers and give a careful estimate of how long the work will take.
Tell the customer whether your quote includes:
- transport to and from the job
- time and transport to obtain materials during the job
- costs of materials
- labour and apprentice costs, and how these are calculated
- ‘call-out’ fees and any weekend or public holiday rates.
Before you agree to do the job, make sure the customer is aware how you will handle:
- any changes to your quote or the timeframe that arise during the job
- any delays to your quoted completion time
- late payments, and how any late payment fees will be calculated
- any concerns they have about the quality of the work or materials.
Document your quote and any conversations with your customer about the quality or cost of work.
Guarantees that apply automatically
You have a contract with your customer, whether your agreement was verbal or in writing. You guarantee to provide services:
- with due care and skill
- which are fit for any specified purpose
- within a reasonable time, when no time is set.
You also make certain guarantees about the products you provide with the service.
For more information, view Consumer guarantees that apply automatically.