Guides
Plain, sourced explanations of the public records behind a building project. Every figure carries its source and the date we read it.
Licensing · NSW
How to check a builder's licence in NSW
How to confirm a builder or tradesperson holds a current NSW licence, and what the public register does and does not show. Draft, pending review.
Planning · NSW
What is a CDC (Complying Development Certificate)?
A plain explanation of the Complying Development Certificate pathway in NSW - a combined planning and construction approval for straightforward projects. Draft, pending review.
Insolvency · Australia
Builder insolvency: warning signs from public records
Which public records show that a building company has entered external administration, and where to find them. Draft, pending review.
Insurance · NSW
HBCF insurance: what owners must verify
What the Home Building Compensation Fund is, when cover is required, and what a NSW homeowner should confirm before paying a deposit. Draft, pending review.
Buying · Australia
Choosing between builder quotes: the checks that matter
The public-record checks worth running on each builder before you compare quotes - licence, insurance and company status. Draft, pending review.
See what the registers say
14,722 Australian companies entered external administration in the 2024 to 2025 financial year, the highest annual number on record.Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), Corporate Insolvency Update (issue 37)
Reads the public registers directly. Sources named and dated.