Plain-English guide
How to hire a good tradie (and avoid the cowboys)
Most bad jobs are lost before the work even starts — at the hiring stage. Here's the checklist a careful homeowner runs through: how to verify a tradie is licensed and insured, read reviews without being fooled, get quotes you can actually compare, and recognise the warning signs early.
Start with the two checks that actually matter
Before you look at price, look at two things: is the tradie licensed for the work, and are they insured? These are the checks that separate a professional from a cowboy, and they're the ones people skip when they're in a hurry.
Licensing in Australia is trade- and state-specific. Electrical and plumbing/gas work must be done by a licensed practitioner in every state — it's illegal and dangerous otherwise, and it can void your home insurance. Building work above a certain value usually needs a registered builder. Painting, tiling and landscaping are less tightly regulated. Every state has a free online register (VBA in Victoria, NSW Fair Trading, QBCC in Queensland, and so on) where you can type in a name or licence number and confirm it's current.
Insurance is the second non-negotiable. A tradie should carry public liability insurance (if they damage your property or a neighbour's, this covers it), and for larger building jobs, home warranty/builder's insurance is often legally required. Ask for it in writing — a genuine operator won't blink.
Read reviews like a skeptic
Reviews are the best signal you have, but only if you read them properly. A wall of five-star, one-line reviews posted in the same week is a red flag, not a green one. What you want to see is a steady stream over months or years, with specifics — a real customer mentions the job, the suburb, how the tradie handled a problem.
Pay special attention to how a tradie responds to a bad review. Everyone gets one eventually; the professionals reply calmly and try to fix it, while the cowboys get defensive or abusive. That response tells you more than the star rating.
- Look for volume over time
Consistent reviews across months beat a sudden burst — bursts can be manufactured.
- Look for specifics
Genuine reviews name the job, the area, or a detail. Vague praise is easy to fake.
- Watch the responses
How they handle a complaint predicts how they'll handle yours.
Get quotes you can actually compare
Get at least two or three quotes, and make sure they're quoting the same scope — the most common reason a quote looks cheap is that it leaves something out. A proper quote is itemised: labour, materials, what's included, what's not, and how variations (extra work discovered mid-job) will be charged.
Be wary of the outlier. If one quote is dramatically lower than the others, that's usually a sign the tradie has misunderstood the job, is cutting a corner you'll pay for later, or is lowballing to win the work and will 'find problems' once they've started. The middle of the pack, from someone who communicates well, is almost always the better bet than the cheapest.
The red flags — and the deposit rule
A few warning signs should make you slow down: pressure to decide today, a request for a large cash deposit up front, no written quote, no ABN, a reluctance to show licence or insurance, or a mobile number with no business trail behind it.
On deposits: it's normal for a tradie to ask for a reasonable deposit to cover materials on a bigger job, but several states cap how much a builder can take up front (often around 10% for domestic building work). A demand for a big cash deposit before any work starts is the single most common way people get burned. Pay by a method that leaves a record, and hold back a final payment until the work is done and you're happy.
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How do I check if a tradie is licensed in Australia?
Use your state's free licence register — VBA (Victoria), NSW Fair Trading, QBCC (Queensland), Building and Energy (WA), CBOS (Tasmania), and equivalents. Search the business name or licence number to confirm it's current and covers the work you need. Electrical and plumbing/gas work must always be done by a licensed practitioner.
Should a tradie be insured?
Yes. At minimum they should carry public liability insurance, which covers damage to your property. For larger building work, home warranty/builder's insurance is often legally required. Ask to see it in writing — a professional will provide it without fuss.
How many quotes should I get?
Two to three is the sweet spot. Make sure each covers the same scope so you're comparing like with like, and treat a quote that's dramatically cheaper than the rest with caution — it usually means something's been left out or a corner is being cut.
How much deposit is normal for a tradie?
A reasonable deposit to cover materials on a bigger job is normal, but several states cap builder deposits for domestic work (often around 10%). Be very wary of any demand for a large cash deposit before work begins — pay by a traceable method and hold a final payment until you're satisfied.
General information only, not legal advice. Licensing and insurance requirements vary by state and territory and change over time — always confirm current requirements with your state regulator and get professional advice before acting.