How to win more building jobs: what homeowners check before they choose

To win more building jobs, make it easy for homeowners to check the things they look at before choosing a builder: that you’re licensed and the right insurance applies, what past clients say, homes you’ve built near them, how quickly and clearly you communicate, and exactly what’s included. A new home is one of the biggest decisions a family makes. The builder who removes doubt at each of those points has a real edge over the one who simply looks cheapest.

This guide looks at the decision from the homeowner’s side of the table, using the checks state regulators tell them to make. For each one, there’s something practical you can show online and in person.

What do homeowners check before choosing a builder?

Most homeowners only build once or twice in their lives, so they lean on official advice and on other people’s experience. Government guidance, such as the NSW guide to choosing a builder, tells them to check a licence, check insurance, ask for references, read the contract carefully and watch the deposit. Alongside that, they’re quietly judging you on things no regulator mentions: how fast you replied, whether you explained things plainly, and whether they felt rushed.

Can they confirm your licence in under a minute?

State regulators tell homeowners to check a builder’s licence before signing. Make that check quick and easy, and it works in your favour.

• Queensland. The QBCC runs a free licensee register, and its advice to homeowners is to check a contractor’s licence status on the QBCC website before hiring.
• New South Wales. The NSW Government’s guide to choosing a builder tells homeowners to use the Verify NSW tool to look up a contractor’s name or licence number and confirm it’s valid.
• Victoria. Builders are registered with the Building and Plumbing Commission, which took over from the Victorian Building Authority on 1 July 2025. Homeowners can search its registers, and older articles may still mention the VBA.

Put your licence or registration number in your website footer, your email signature and your proposal documents, and link to the register. In Queensland, the QBCC’s advertising rules already require your licensed name and number in advertising, including websites and social media.

Do they understand the insurance that protects them?

Home warranty insurance is something many homeowners have heard of but don’t fully understand, and the rules differ by state. A builder who explains it clearly, before being asked, looks like one who has nothing to hide.

Sources: the QBCC’s guide to the Queensland Home Warranty Scheme, the NSW Government’s page on insurance cover for building work, and the Victorian Government’s page on Home Warranty Insurance. Rules change, so check your regulator’s current guidance. This is general information, not legal advice.

In practice: tell homeowners which scheme applies, when they’ll receive the certificate, and how they can check it themselves. Put a short version on your website.

What do your reviews and past projects say?

The NSW guide suggests homeowners ask for reviews or references, and whether past projects finished on time and on budget. They’ll look online whether you invite them to or not, so give them something worth finding.

• Reviews. Ask every client at handover and again once they’ve settled in. Our guide to getting more Google reviews covers how to ask without breaking Google’s rules or consumer law.
• Reply to every review. Homeowners read your replies, especially to the critical ones. A calm, specific reply often does more for trust than another five-star rating.
• Projects near them. Group your finished homes by suburb or region. “We’ve built four homes in your estate” is more convincing than a generic gallery.
• References. Keep a short list of past clients happy to take a call, and ask their permission each time.

How fast and clearly do you communicate?

Before a homeowner has seen a single drawing, they’ve already judged how you communicate. The first reply is effectively a preview of what the build will be like.

• Reply the same day. Even a short message saying you’ve got the enquiry and when you’ll call is better than silence while you’re on site.
• Name the person. Tell them who they’ll deal with now, and who they’ll deal with during the build.
• Answer in writing. After a phone call, send a short summary of what you discussed and what happens next.
• Handle hard questions directly. Price, delays and variations are common worries. Answer plainly, even when the honest answer is “it depends, and here’s on what”.

Is your process and what’s included clear?

Not knowing what a home will really cost makes people hesitate. A clear process and a clear list of inclusions takes a lot of that uncertainty away. If your website does not yet show your process and inclusions clearly, our websites service covers building pages that do.

1. Show the steps. From first meeting to handover, in plain language, with rough timeframes for each stage.
2. List inclusions and exclusions. Site costs, driveways, landscaping, fencing and window coverings are common surprises. Say clearly which are in and which aren’t.
3. Explain variations. How they’re priced, approved and recorded.
4. Be upfront about the contract and deposit. In NSW, the government guide tells homeowners a written contract is required for work over $5,000 and that the deposit is capped at 10% for contracts of $5,000 or more. Showing you know and follow your state’s rules is reassuring.

What helps you win more building jobs in person?

Online signals get you onto the shortlist. The decision is usually made in person, at a display home, on site or around the kitchen table.

• Bring proof. Your licence details, insurance explanation, a sample inclusions list and photos of homes nearby, in one pack.
• Listen first. Ask about their land, budget, timing and what matters to them before you talk about your homes.
• Take them to a finished home or a build in progress, with the owner’s permission.
• Follow up. Homeowners often compare several builders before deciding. Our guide to following up display home visitors covers what to send and when.

Where to start

1. Add your licence or registration number and a link to the official register to your website.
2. Write a short, plain explanation of the home warranty cover that applies in your state.
3. Group your finished homes by suburb, with photos.
4. Ask your last ten clients for a Google review, and reply to every existing review.
5. Commit to a same-day reply for every enquiry, with a named contact.
6. Publish a step-by-step process and a clear list of inclusions and exclusions.

Winning the job is about trust as much as price. PreBuild, our partner for builders and trades, is built around that: more homeowner enquiries, earning their trust, and helping you close and win the job. For websites and systems that show homeowners what they need to see, see how we work in construction.