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 they scope the existing-structure due diligence - roof structure inspection, wall-tie inspection, footing check under proposed load-bearing walls
• Ask specifically how they tie the new roof into the existing (raked overlay, valley cut-in, full replacement) - roof tie-in method dictates weathertightness for the next 30 years
• Ask whether they will match existing external brick / render exactly, and what their sourcing plan is for matching bricks (heritage bricks are often discontinued - matching them can add $8k-$25k)
• Ask for three completed Adelaide extensions on similar-era homes in the last 24 months with owner permission to inspect
• 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 Adelaide heritage brick / render matching trap

Extending a 1920s Adelaide bungalow or 1950s solid-brick home almost always requires matching or complementing the existing external finish. Old bricks (Norwood red, Prospect cream, Glenelg stock) are frequently discontinued - matching them requires sourcing from demo yards (patchy supply, 6-8 week lead times) OR contrasting the extension deliberately (glass link, timber cladding). Render matches are similar - the exact colour, texture, and joint pattern of 1930s Bagged and Painted Brick is often unreproducible. Ask specifically how the builder plans to handle this at design stage.

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