Building Contracts
Before You Sign: NSW Building Contracts Explained for Homeowners
Simple homeowner guide to NSW residential building contracts, payment stages, variations, warranties and what to check before signing.
TL;DR A residential building contract should clearly explain what is being built, how much it costs, how payments are staged, what is included, what is excluded, how variations work and who is supervising the job. Homeowners should never sign a contract they do not properly understand. Payment Stages Most residential contracts use staged payments. The names and percentages can vary, but the important issue is that the payment structure should be clear, logical and tied to work progress. Ask: what each stage includes when payment is due what evidence of progress is provided Variations Variations are changes to the agreed scope. Not all variations are bad, but they should be documented properly. Check: how variation pricing is handled whether approvals are required before work proceeds how vā¦