From the Queensland Building and Construction Commission
The current Australia-wide shortage of building materials and skilled tradespeople means home owners may have difficulties locking in contractors for their work. This strong demand may sway current and future home owners to find whoever they can to complete their building work. Unfortunately, this potentially gives opportunity to unlicensed contractors to enter the market or ramp up operations.
It’s important to use trade contractors who are appropriately skilled and licensed for the work you’re paying for so you know that the work will be carried out safely and that you have protection, where applicable, with the Queensland Home Warranty Scheme.
The Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) helps protect home owners from unscrupulous and substandard operators in the building industry through licensing contractors who meet strict financial and technical standards required of the building industry.
All building work valued over $3,300 and all occupational work such as plumbing and drainage (regardless of the value) should be carried out by a licensed contractor. All builders, building designers and most trade contractors must be licensed by the QBCC to carry out building work. There are a few exceptions to this, such as electricians, that have their own licensing system for electrical work.
If the work is under $3,300, like some general handyman jobs, the contractor must state in all their advertising that they can only do work up to this value.
All licensed contractors in Queensland are required by law to include details of their QBCC licence number and the contractor’s name in all their advertising.
Using unlicensed contractors is not worth the risk. To find out if a contractor is QBCC licensed or to find a licensed contractor, search online at qbcc.qld.gov.au.
