For developers
Vet every builder at tender with the same report.
One builder’s collapse can stall a whole project. Running the same check on every tenderer gives you a like-for-like view before you award the contract.
When to check
- When shortlisting tenderers.
- Before awarding the head contract.
- Periodically during the build, especially before large progress payments.
What to look for in your report
- Licence and discipline
- Current licence for the class of work, and any conditions or disciplinary action.
- Financial distress
- Insolvency and tax-debt notices, and payment times where the builder is a large reporter.
- Regulator enforcement
- ASIC disqualified directors, enforceable undertakings and Fair Work outcomes.
- Dispute history
- Published court and tribunal decisions, including disputes with subcontractors.
- Corporate structure
- Directors’ links to other companies, including failed ones.
Red flags
- Insolvency or ATO tax-debt notices against the builder.
- Directors with a history of failed companies.
- Repeated payment disputes with subcontractors, which often precede site stoppages.
What a report won’t cover
A report shows what’s on the public record. Do these as well.
- Compare tender prices. A price well below the field can mean a builder is under financial pressure, so read it alongside any financial-distress findings in the report.
- Ask for financial statements and referees for projects of a similar size.
- Confirm the builder’s insurances and any security they will provide.
- Re-run the check before large payments on long builds.
Give your builder a once-over.
Free report. NSW and ACT builders.