Hiring tradies and contractors in Australia and Canada

In both Australia and Canada, the key fact is that licensing is not national. In Australia each state and territory sets its own rules and runs its own regulator. In Canada the provinces and territories do, with cities handling building permits. So the first step for any job is to find out which body covers your trade where you live, then check the licence there.

Australia

Tradies and local terms

In Australia, a tradesperson is a tradie. You will also hear sparky for an electrician, chippy for a carpenter and reno for a renovation. A builder is the person who runs a building job, and a written quote is the normal way to agree a price.

Licensing by state and territory

Each state and territory decides which work needs a licence, at what level, and who issues it. Some examples:

• New South Wales: many residential building trades need a licence, which you can look up on the NSW Government online licence check.
• Queensland: the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) licenses builders and many trades.
• Victoria: building and plumbing practitioners are registered and licensed by the state's building regulator, now the Building and Plumbing Commission, which took over from the Victorian Building Authority.

Other states and territories have their own regulators. Electrical licensing is often handled separately from building licensing. Because the rules differ so much, do not assume a rule from one state applies in another. Search your state or territory regulator's public register and check:

• the licence is current and in the name of the person or company you are dealing with
• it covers the specific type of work you need
• whether there are any conditions or disciplinary records

Licensed tradies are often expected to show their licence number on quotes, contracts and advertising. If you cannot find a number, ask for it.

Home warranty insurance

Several states require builders to take out home warranty insurance for residential building work above a set value. The name varies: in New South Wales it is home building compensation cover, and in Victoria it is domestic building insurance. Queensland has its own home warranty scheme run through the QBCC. This cover is designed to protect you if the builder dies, disappears or becomes insolvent and cannot finish or fix the work.

Where it applies, the builder should give you a certificate before taking a deposit or starting work. The rules, including the value at which it starts, differ by state, so check with your regulator. Insurance of this kind is a last resort, not a substitute for choosing a sound builder.

Contracts, deposits and consumer rights

Many states require a written contract for residential building work above a certain value, and some set limits on how big a deposit can be. Again, the details are set by each state. Ask your regulator or consumer affairs agency for the current rules before you sign.

Nationally, the Australian Consumer Law includes consumer guarantees for services: they must be provided with due care and skill, be fit for any purpose you made known, and be delivered within a reasonable time if none was agreed. Your state or territory consumer affairs or fair trading office can help if something goes wrong.

Permits and approvals

Building approvals in Australia are handled through local councils and building surveyors or certifiers, depending on the state. Agree in writing who is responsible for getting any approval and arranging inspections.

Canada

Provincial licensing

Canadian provinces and territories regulate trades and contractors, and the systems vary a great deal. Some regulate general contractors and renovators closely; others mainly regulate specific trades, such as electricians, plumbers and gas fitters, through trade certification. Cities often add their own business licences on top. Check with your province and your municipality.

A few well-known examples:

• Ontario, electrical work: the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) licenses electrical contractors and oversees electrical safety. Electrical work in homes generally needs to be notified to the ESA, and you can look up licensed electrical contractors on the ESA website.
• Ontario, fuels: the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) regulates fuels such as natural gas and propane. Gas technicians working on furnaces, water heaters and gas appliances need the right TSSA certificate, and the companies employing them must be registered.
• Quebec: contractors generally need a licence from the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ), which keeps a public register. Check that the licence is valid and covers the category of work you need.

Other provinces have their own bodies. In each case, search the official register yourself rather than relying on a number written on a quote.

Building permits

Building permits in Canada are issued by your municipality. Most structural changes, additions, new plumbing and many basement finishing projects need one, followed by inspections. Agree in writing who applies for the permit. Be cautious of a contractor who suggests skipping it, because unpermitted work can cause problems with insurance and when you sell.

New homes in Ontario: Tarion

If you are buying a newly built home in Ontario, it comes with a warranty backed by Tarion, the organisation that administers Ontario's new home warranty programme. Builders of new homes in Ontario must be licensed, and you can look up a builder's record in Ontario's public builder directory before you buy. This warranty covers new homes, not renovations to an existing home, so it does not help with a kitchen or basement renovation.

Insurance and workers' compensation

Ask Canadian contractors for proof of liability insurance and for evidence that they are registered with the provincial workers' compensation board where required, such as WSIB in Ontario or WorkSafeBC in British Columbia. This matters if a worker is injured on your property.

Canadian terms

Canadians usually say contractor for a builder or renovator and use quote and estimate loosely, so ask whether a price is fixed. Homes are commonly heated by a furnace rather than a boiler, and you will hear reno here too.

Checklist for both countries

For how to compare prices, see our guide to getting quotes. For the UK and US systems, see hiring in the UK and hiring in the US.