Renovation Contractor in Reservoir

Check the licence or registration your country requires (see the hiring checklist for your country), ask for proof of liability insurance, and ask for two or three recent customers in or near Reservoir you can actually contact. A legitimate contractor expects these questions; evasiveness on any of the three is a reliable early warning.

At minimum: full scope of works, itemized price, start and completion dates, payment schedule tied to milestones, who obtains permits, how variations are priced and approved in writing, warranty terms, and how disputes are handled. If a contractor resists putting these in writing, that is the answer to whether you should hire them.

One combined project is almost always cheaper per unit of work: a single mobilization, one round of demolition and dust protection, and better contractor pricing on a larger contract. Stage the work only if cash flow requires it, and sequence it so you never redo finished work — for example, complete all plumbing and electrical changes before any room gets its final finishes.

Hold back 10-15% of the contract value for surprises on a standard renovation, and 20% for older properties where opening walls tends to reveal outdated wiring, corroded pipes, or damp. Do not tell the contractor your contingency figure — it is your buffer, not extra scope budget.

Builder hourly rates typically run AUD 70-130, but renovations are almost always quoted as fixed-price contracts. HIA's 2025 Kitchens and Bathrooms data puts a median kitchen at about $35,000 and structural renovations commonly run $2,000-$4,000+ per square metre.

Internal cosmetic work is usually exempt development, but structural changes, wet-area relocations, and extensions need approval — either a fast-tracked Complying Development Certificate or a council Development Application in NSW, with similar systems in other states. Your builder or a private certifier can advise which path applies.