The vetting checklist that applies to every Melbourne specialist

BuildPilot does not yet match Melbourne builders. Until we do, this is the vetting method we would use ourselves. The first five checks below are specialist-specific; the rest are the core VBA + VMIA + ASIC checks that apply to every domestic builder working in Victoria.

• Ask whether they primarily deliver DPU (dependent relative only, temporary) or Secondary Dwelling (2023 reform, permanent, lettable) - the classification changes the planning pathway
• Ask how they handle service split - separate sub-meters vs shared meters with main dwelling - relevant for tenancy Bond and utility billing
• Ask their track record on Planning Permit approvals in your specific council (Yarra, Bayside, Boroondara etc all treat DPU/SD differently)
• Ask if they include the main-dwelling floor-plan lodgement (many councils require full site plan including existing dwelling)
• Verify current VBA registration and category on the public register at vba.vic.gov.au/practitioners/register
• Verify no active or recent disciplinary decisions on the VBA disciplinary decisions list
• Confirm Domestic Building Insurance (DBI) will be issued in the builder's name for your contract price under VMIA (all residential work over $16,000)
• 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

DPU vs Secondary Dwelling classification

A DPU (Dependent Persons Unit, exemption under Clause 74) is only occupiable by a dependent relative of the main-dwelling occupant. Once the dependent moves out, the DPU must be removed or converted. It cannot be rented commercially. Secondary Dwelling (2023 planning reform) can be permanently occupied by anyone including tenants, and can be rented on the open market. Both are capped at 60m² and require a Planning Permit in most Melbourne councils, though the SD pathway is deliberately faster.

The four red flags that end the conversation

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

• Requested deposit exceeds 10% of contract value (Victorian DBC Act caps deposits at 5%)
• Vague or evasive answer on DBI eligibility for your specific contract price
• Refusal to name the Registered Building Surveyor or to let you speak to them independently
• Aggressive time-limited discount contingent on paying deposit before you have read the contract