The vetting checklist that applies to every Adelaide specialist

This is the same vetting method BuildPilot applies to every Adelaide builder we consider for our shortlist network. The first four checks below are specialist-specific; the rest are the core CBS SA + BII + ASIC checks that apply to every domestic builder working in South Australia.

• Ask how many dual-occ builds they have completed in the last 24 months - anything under 5 = generalist. Dual-occ has specific coordination overhead most builders underestimate.
• Ask whether they have delivered both Torrens-title splits AND Community-title dual-occs - the coordination differs significantly (Torrens = full boundary split with independent services; Community = shared some services under a community corporation)
• Ask how they handle the party-wall / fire-separation between dwellings - Class 1a to Class 1a party walls need FRL 60/60/60 to satisfy the NCC
• Ask for a written breakdown of how they will sequence the two dwellings - typical is not simultaneous but staggered by 2-4 months to reduce trade coordination risk
• Verify current CBS SA Builders Licence (BLD number) on the public register at cbs.sa.gov.au/services/find-licensee
• Verify no active or recent disciplinary decisions on the CBS SA register
• Confirm Building Indemnity Insurance (BII) will be issued through QBE (SA sole insurer) for your contract price (all residential work over $12,000)
• Search the ABN on abr.business.gov.au - name, GST status, date of registration
• Confirm the entity is not under external administration on the ASIC register

The Torrens vs Community title decision for Adelaide dual-occ

Torrens title (each dwelling on its own separate title) requires full independent services (separate sewer, water, power, NBN connections) plus meeting each council's minimum-lot rules - which vary from 300m² to 450m² per new title in metro Adelaide. Community title (shared driveway, shared bin storage, party-wall, single title with a community corporation) has cheaper service infrastructure but a lifelong community-corp overhead. Torrens is preferred for future resale flexibility; Community for maximising floor area on smaller original blocks.

The four red flags that end the conversation

These four signals correlate strongly with builders who have failed or entered administration in South Australia in the last three years. Any of them means walk away.

• Requested deposit exceeds 5% of contract value on contracts over $12,000 (SA statutory cap under the Building Work Contractors Act 1995)
• Vague or evasive answer on BII eligibility for your specific contract price (QBE is the sole SA insurer - either the builder qualifies or they do not)
• Refusal to name their independent building certifier or to let you speak to them separately
• Aggressive time-limited discount contingent on paying deposit before you have read the contract