Builders will no longer be able to shy away from their responsibilities to ‘build right first time’ following the Government’s decision to amend the Building Act 2004.

The Minister for Building and Construction Maurice Williamson says the Act will be amended to make it clearer to builders and designers that they must meet Building Code requirements and stand behind the quality of their work.

“There are many good people doing good work in the sector, but the behaviour of some has dented confidence, and that behaviour has to change,” Mr Williamson said.

Under the new rules, homeowners who are commissioning residential building work worth $20,000 or more must have a written contract in place with their builder. Contracts among other things must clearly set out expectations, warranties and remedies, and how disputes will be resolved.

“We expect this change to reduce the number of disputes between homeowners and builders. It will also help ensure faults get fixed quickly.”

New information disclosure requirements will also make it easier for homeowners to make informed decisions about who they contract to carry out their building work.

Building contractors will be required to disclose information about their skills, qualifications and the license status of those who will do the work, and any publicly-available information about any disputes. They must also disclose what, if any, surety or insurance backing is available to cover the cost of fixing any fault.

“Building is a complex business, and more often than not, significant amounts of money changes hands,” Mr Williamson said. “It’s important that homeowners understand their rights and responsibilities before entering any contractual agreements.”

Find out more on the Department of Building and Housing website.