You're about to hand over more money than you've ever spent in your life. Asking a few hard questions before you sign isn't rude — it's the bare minimum. The good builders welcome it, because the questions weed out the punters and leave them dealing with serious clients. The dodgy ones get cagey, and that's exactly what you want to know.
Here's what I'd be checking. Ask to see a current builder's licence, and ask for evidence of insurance — public liability and home warranty. A real licence number you can verify on the QBCC register in Queensland. If they fumble that, walk. Ask how long they've been operating under the same business name, and whether they're a member of an industry body like the HIA or Master Builders. Those memberships aren't just a sticker — they mean ongoing training, current legislation, and someone you can escalate to if things go sideways.
Then ask to speak to past clients. Not the ones on a polished testimonial page — actual humans, including ones whose homes finished a couple of years ago, so you can hear how the place is wearing and how the builder handled defects after handover. A confident home builder will hand that list over (subject to the clients agreeing). One who refuses or gets defensive is telling you something.
A few more red flags worth weighing up. No real online presence is unusual in 2026 — a proper portfolio and reviews should be easy to find. A builder who can start "tomorrow" is sometimes brilliant and unbooked, but more often desperate for cash flow. A quote that's significantly cheaper than two others isn't a bargain; it's almost always either incompetence or low-balling, and either way you'll end up paying the difference. And a site visit tells you plenty — drive past one of their current jobs and see if it's tidy, fenced, signed and well-managed.
If you'd like to put us through that wringer, I'd welcome it. Have a look at our recent work and book a chat at inh.com.au/goldcoast.
