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Residential building work worth between $5,00 and $20,000 must be covered by a 'small jobs' contract which includes the following minimum information:

• The date of the contract;
• Names and signatures of both parties;
• The contractor's licence number;
• A brief description of the work, and
• The price (if known).

Download Contract (Between $5,000 & $20,000) NSW

Download Contract (Between $3,301 & $19,999) QLD

Residential building work worth more than $5,000 requires a more extensive home building contract and it must contain:

• the date that it was signed by both you and your contractor
• your name and the exact name on your contractor’s licence card and the licence number (go to our Home building online licence check to make sure the details are correct before you sign a contract)
• a sufficient description of the work to be carried out
• plans and specifications attached
• relevant warranties required by the Home Building Act 1989
• the contract price, which must be prominently displayed on the first page and a warning with an explanation if the contract price is subject to change or if the price is not known
• a clear statement setting out the cooling-off period of five clear business days after being given a copy of the contract where it is valued over $20,000
• a checklist of 12 items
• a caution about signing the contract if you cannot answer yes to all items in the check list
• a note about your entitlement to a copy of the signed contract within five days of signing
• a note that the contractor must give you a home warranty insurance certificate if the contract is valued over $20,000 (or $12,000 if the contract was entered into before 1 February 2012)
• a statement of acknowledgment by you that you have:
1. read and understood the Consumer building guide
2. completed the check list and answered yes to all items on it
• a clause that states that all plans and specifications to be done under the contract (including variations) are taken to form part of the contract
• a clause that states that any agreement to vary the contract or any plans and specifications must be in writing and signed by you and your contractor
• a clause that states that the work will comply with:
1. the Building Code of Australia, to the extent required under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979
2. all other relevant codes, standards and specifications that the work is required to comply with under any law
3. the conditions of any relevant development consent or complying development certificate
4. a clause that states that the contract may limit the liability of the contractor for failure to comply with the above work compliance clause if the failure relates solely to:
i) a design or specification prepared by or on your behalf of the owner or a design or specification required by the owner if the contractor has advised the owner in writing that it contravenes the clause referred to immediately above.

Caution. Contact the insurance company shown on the home warranty certificate to check that the certificate is valid.

Important. The builder or tradesperson must give you a copy of the contract within five business days after you sign it (the weekend, NSW public holidays and 27-31 December [inclusive] do not count).

Download Contract (Over $20,000) NSW

Download Contract (Over $20,000) QLD