This is not legal advice.

We discuss temporary fencing, safety and insurance considerations, and why builders often need to be present when homeowners attend the site.

We also cover how site access affects independent and private inspections, why timing inspections can be difficult, and how homeowners can plan ahead by communicating with their builder before stage completions.

This episode helps homeowners understand how to stay involved in their build without creating safety, insurance, or contractual issues.

This is not legal advice.

We break down how defects are defined under the Domestic Building Contracts Act, how statutory warranties operate, and why work can be defective even if it looks acceptable, where it does not meet the standards or specifications set out in the contract.

This is not building or legal advice.

We discuss how termination can trigger significant legal and financial consequences, and why ending a contract incorrectly can place the homeowner in breach rather than the builder.

We break down key concepts such as repudiation, the limited circumstances where termination rights arise under the Domestic Building Contracts Act, and how standard HIA and Master Builders contracts deal with termination for breach.

We also explain why having a right to terminate does not necessarily mean it is the best outcome.

Finally, we look at the practical consequences of termination, including increased completion costs, the difficulty of engaging a replacement builder, and the often-overlooked insurance risks that arise when a project is left without a builder on site.

This is not legal advice.

We discuss contracting with individuals versus companies, the role of nominee directors, builder registration details, and why the builder named in the contract must match the domestic building insurance policy.

This episode helps homeowners understand how getting these details wrong can affect their rights and protections if a dispute arises.

This is not legal advice.

We also discuss how company registrations work, including the role of nominee directors and why a company’s ability to build depends on the ongoing registration of an individual practitioner.

This episode covers why checking the disciplinary register is an important part of due diligence, what it can reveal about a builder’s history, and how ASIC searches can help confirm a builder’s corporate status.

A separate linked video walks through, step by step, how to carry out these registration searches yourself - which can be accessed here.

We break down how specifications record materials, fixtures and finishes, how selections made at colour appointments are documented, and why specifications often take precedence over plans if there is an inconsistency.

This episode helps homeowners understand how specifications control what is actually supplied and installed during a build, and why reviewing them carefully before signing is critical.

This is not legal advice.

We walk through architectural floor plans, elevations, site plans, structural and engineering drawings, as well as common working drawings such as electrical and floor covering plans.

This episode is designed to help homeowners understand what is included in a typical set of plans, what information each drawing actually shows, and why no single plan tells the full story of a build.

By understanding how plans and drawings work together, homeowners can better follow the construction process, identify issues early, and avoid confusion or disputes during their build.

This is not legal advice.

We explain what a builder is really saying when they issue a stage payment invoice, how milestones like base, frame, lockup, fixing and completion are meant to be assessed, and why paying too early can make defects much harder to address later.

This episode also covers how stage payments are defined under section 40 of the Domestic Building Contracts Act, why many contracts follow the statutory “method one” payment schedule, and how special conditions can change when a stage is considered complete.

We discuss the role of independent inspections, mandatory building surveyor inspections, and when a homeowner can legitimately withhold payment if a stage has not been properly completed.

If you’re building a new home in Victoria, this episode will help you understand when stage payments are actually due, the risks of delaying payment without proper grounds, and how to use stage payments to better manage quality, costs and disputes during construction.

This is not legal advice.

We discuss when a preliminary agreement is caught by the Domestic Building Contracts Act, when it must be treated as a Major Domestic Building Contract, and why the $10,000 threshold matters.

We also break down common examples such as agreements for plans and specifications, the difference between builder-prepared plans and architect-prepared plans, and how preliminary agreements can become tied to the main building contract.

This episode is designed to help Victorian homeowners understand when a preliminary agreement stands alone, when it becomes a collateral agreement, and what to look out for before signing anything.

This content is general information only and is not legal or building advice.

We explain how the process is triggered when the builder issues a notice of completion, what a final claim actually is, and why it is not the same as a final invoice or an immediate demand for payment.

This episode also unpacks how the final claim is calculated, including the remaining contract balance, approved variations, and any deductions that apply due to delays or liquidated damages. We discuss when a builder is entitled to request the final payment, why an Occupancy Permit or Certificate of Final Inspection is required, and what “completion” really means under a domestic building contract.

If you’re building a new home in Victoria, this episode will help you understand your rights and obligations at handover, how defects and incomplete works are dealt with, and why the final inspection stage is one of the most important moments in the entire build process.

This is not legal or building advice.

We cover timeframes and completion dates, contract formalities under the Domestic Building Contracts Act, costs and price changes, how the works are defined, and what completion really means in practice.

This episode is designed to help Victorian homeowners better understand their contracts before signing and avoid common issues that lead to disputes, delays and unexpected costs during a build.

This is educational and is not legal or building advice.

Roof issues are often overlooked because they can be difficult to access, but problems with roof tiles, capping, pointing, flashings and penetrations are some of the most common causes of water leaks and long-term damage in residential buildings.

We explain practical and safe ways homeowners can visually inspect a tiled roof without climbing onto the roof, including what can be checked from the ground, when drone inspections may help, and why inspections inside the roof cavity can be critical before plasterboard is installed.

This episode also covers where damage is most likely to occur after roof installation, particularly around solar panels, plumbing penetrations, antennas and other areas where trades walk on the roof.

If you’re building a new home in Victoria or dealing with roofing concerns during construction, this episode will help you understand what is normal, what may indicate a defect, and when to raise issues with your builder. Early identification of roof tiling problems can prevent water ingress, hidden structural damage and expensive repairs later on.

This is not legal or building advice.

In this episode, we explain slab on ground construction and why preparation is so critical to the long-term performance of a house. The discussion covers plumbing and pipework placement, steel reinforcement, vapour barriers, and common defects that are often missed.

We also explain why slab inspections must happen before the concrete pour, why timing can be challenging, and how defects identified early are far easier to fix than those discovered later.

BILD Lab provides practical building education for Victorian homeowners.

This is not legal or building advice.

In this episode, we explain how paint defects are assessed in Victorian homes, what a “normal viewing position” means, why builders often disagree with homeowners about paint issues, and how standards and tolerances are applied in practice.

BILD Lab helps Victorian homeowners understand the build process and avoid unnecessary disputes.

This is not legal or building advice.

We explain when roofs are installed, why some areas aren’t finished straight away, how inspections usually happen, and why the roof must be watertight before plasterboard goes in.

This is not legal or building advice.

In this episode, we explain what the fixing stage means under a building contract, how it is defined in the Domestic Building Contract, and the stuff you need to know from both a legal and practical inspection perspective.

We also walk through what should typically be installed at fixing stage, why some items are often excluded by special contract conditions, and what homeowners should be checking before the home moves into painting and final fit-off stage.

Understanding this stage helps ensure issues are identified early, when they are easier to address.

This content is educational and intended to help Victorian homeowners better understand the building process. It is not legal or building advice.

This episode explains what DBI is and when it is required what it actually covers in the situation which it could be relied upon.

We walk through our DBI operates and why it is described as an Insurance of last resort.

This content is educational and intended to help Victorians understand how DBI policies work. It is not legal or insurance advice.

In this episode, we walk through builder due diligence from a Victorian homeowner’s perspective. We discuss the checks that actually matter once a building contract is in place. Registration, insurance, company structure, and who you’re really contracting with.

This episode explains why due diligence is about understanding who controls risk after signing, and why problems that seem “unexpected” later are often predictable early on. If you’re building or renovating in Victoria, this episode will help you ask better questions before committing to a contract you’ll be living with for years.

This content is educational only and focused on risk awareness, not legal advice.

This episode explains what practical completion actually means under Victorian building contracts, what triggers the final payment, and how defects are meant to be handled at this stage.

We discuss why simply refusing to pay the final payment can carry real consequences. This content is educational and designed to help Victorian homeowners better understand how the building process works, so they can make informed decisions and avoid unnecessary disputes.

This is not legal advice.

This is not legal advice.

Liquidated damages are often misunderstood. In this episode, we cover:

• What liquidated damages actually are (and what they’re not)

• Why they appear in building contracts

• How they’re typically calculated

• Common traps for owners

• When liquidated damages can be challenged or become unenforceable.

This is Episode 1 of the podcast, kicking off a series focused on construction law and the residential building process. Subscribe for future episodes covering building contracts, disputes, and risk management in the construction industry.

Note: There is a legal distinction between liquidated damages and general delay damages, but for the purpose of this introductory lesson, we won't go into that topic.

This is not legal advice.