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The master page Updated June 2026

The cross-trade master · 12 questions · works for all 33 trades

12 questions every tradie
should be able to answer.

Different trade, same drama. We read more than 4,300 distinct homeowner accounts across roofers, plumbers, painters, builders, sparkies, pool guys, arborists — and the same 12 questions came back loudest in every one. Here they are, with the answers underneath. Print this page. Steal it. They work.

Start with these 12 universal checks for any trade, then use the 10 trade-specific questions on your trade's page for your job type.

Start with Question 01 Or jump to a specific trade

How this list was built

A research dossier, not a checklist someone invented at lunch.

We ranked every recurring buyer objection across 260 trade-region files spanning all 8 states & territories (NSW 35 · QLD 32 · VIC 33 · WA 32 · SA 32 · ACT 32 · NT 32 · TAS 32). Twelve clusters appeared in every region for every trade priced over ~$1,000. The order below is the order they came up by frequency. We didn't pick them — the homeowners did.

The fast version

The 12 questions in one screen.

Each question, what it reveals, the exact words to send, and the answer that should worry you. Tap any question for the full explanation.

01 Am I being ripped off? Quote anatomy — not "fair price". Full answer →

Ask this, exactly

"Can you send the quote broken into scope, materials, labour, waste and any variation triggers — written, on letterhead, with your licence number?"

Red-flag answer

Sends a text. One number. "I'll do it for $X."

02 How do I know they're legit? Generic "licensed and insured" copy is white noise. Full answer →

Ask this, exactly

"Could you send your licence number, ABN, and a certificate of currency for public liability and workers comp before I confirm the quote?"

Red-flag answer

"My mate vouches for me." "I've been doing this 20 years." No paper trail.

03 What certificate should I receive? Show the paper before you transfer the money. Full answer →

Ask this, exactly

"What licence class are you holding for this job, and what certificate or compliance paperwork will I receive when it's signed off?"

Red-flag answer

"It's all in the invoice." "I don't do that paperwork." Avoids the question.

04 Is a big deposit normal? NSW 10% rule is the honest operator's home ground. Full answer →

Ask this, exactly

"What's the deposit, and how do you structure progress payments? I know my state sets a maximum deposit — does your contract sit within it?"

Red-flag answer

"I need 50% to lock in materials." "Cash discount if you pay it all upfront." Pressure for speed.

05 Will the quote blow out? Fixed-price claims without variation rules are noise. Full answer →

Ask this, exactly

"What's open in this quote — what could change once you start? What's your variation rule and is there a dollar ceiling?"

Red-flag answer

Verbal "no worries, that'll be fine." Then a $4k variation at the end.

06 What's the warranty — written? Four layers, not one. Full answer →

Ask this, exactly

"Could you list the statutory, workmanship, materials and insurance-backed cover in writing — with year limits and what triggers a callback?"

Red-flag answer

"10-year warranty" verbally. Won't put it in writing. No mention of statutory cover.

07 Can you handle my difficult site? Edge cases are where margin lives. Full answer →

Ask this, exactly

"What complications have you spotted on this site, and how have you priced each one separately?"

Red-flag answer

Quotes a standard scope. Discovers the complication on day two. Variation upward.

08 How fast — same-day, after-hours? Specificity beats "24/7" every time. Full answer →

Ask this, exactly

"What's your ETA, what's the make-safe fee, and can you text me your licence number while you're on the way?"

Red-flag answer

"Yeah, today sometime." No make-safe option. No licence number until you press.

09 Should I DIY / Airtasker / hipages? Honest boundary beats blanket "always hire a pro". Full answer →

Ask this, exactly

"Honestly — is this a job I could DIY, or does the law / safety require a licensed operator? Why?"

Red-flag answer

Either scares you off all DIY ("you'll burn the house down") or claims they can do anything ("no licence needed for this one, mate").

10 Do they really service your suburb? Travel zones, postcode premium, transparent. Full answer →

Ask this, exactly

"Is my suburb inside your no-travel zone? If not, what's the surcharge — and is it already in the quote?"

Red-flag answer

"All inclusive" — then an unexplained "site fee" on the final bill.

11 What happens AFTER you leave? Aftercare = the real warranty test. Full answer →

Ask this, exactly

"What's your defects period in writing, and how do callbacks work in the first 6 months?"

Red-flag answer

Takes final payment. Stops returning calls. Never sends the invoice.

12 What's actually next after I ask for a quote? Process beats promises. Full answer →

Ask this, exactly

"Can you walk me through your six steps from quote to handover — what each one looks like and how long it takes?"

Red-flag answer

Tries to skip from "I'll take a look" to "deposit please" in one phone call.

Want it on paper? The four buyer checklists are print- and screenshot-ready.

Open the checklists →
01

Am I being ripped off?

Quote anatomy — not "fair price".

Some of the quotes I got are just pure stupidity.
Reddit r/sydney · Painter quote spread

The fair-price question is the wrong question. Every trade has wild quote spreads — sometimes 5× for the same job. The right question is whether the breakdown is fair: scope, materials, labour, waste, allowances + variation rules.

A working tradie

Sends a quote split into five labelled lines, on letterhead, with the licence number.

A cowboy

Sends a text. One number. "I'll do it for $X."

Ask this, exactly

Save · steal

"Can you send the quote broken into scope, materials, labour, waste and any variation triggers — written, on letterhead, with your licence number?"

Loudest in

Plumber · Roofer · Pool · Builder Luxury · Painter · Pest · Solar

02

How do I know they're legit?

Generic "licensed and insured" copy is white noise.

He is a sole trader, doesn't have a website, no reviews on his FB page. Does have an ABN, but no idea what qualifications to check on.
Whirlpool Sydney homeowner

Every tradie's website says licensed and insured. Almost none can produce the licence number, the ABN history, the certificate of currency on demand. The verification routine takes 10 minutes — and 10 minutes is what separates the working tradies from the cowboys.

A working tradie

Sends licence number + ABN + COC for PL and workers comp within an hour. Has reviews you can drive past.

A red-flag operator

"My mate vouches for me." "I've been doing this 20 years." No paper trail.

Ask this, exactly

Save · steal

"Could you send your licence number, ABN, and a certificate of currency for public liability and workers comp before I confirm the quote?"

Loudest in

All 33. Loudest: Arborist · Roofer · Pool · Pest · Solar

03

What certificate should I receive?

Show the paper before you transfer the money.

What certificate / forms / warranties should I be asking from electrician?
Reddit r/sydney · r/AusFinance · Electrician threads

Different trade, different acronym — same principle. Electrical: CCEW (NSW) or COES (VIC). Plumbing: Compliance Certificate. Pool: HBC. Builder: HBC + Insurance certificate. Pest: treatment record + warranty. Arborist: council permit reference. The certificate is the proof. No certificate, no payment.

A working tradie

Names the exact certificate up front. Promises it at sign-off. Delivers it on time.

A high-risk operator

"It's all in the invoice." "I don't do that paperwork." Avoids the question.

Ask this, exactly

Save · steal

"What licence class are you holding for this job, and what certificate or compliance paperwork will I receive when it's signed off?"

Loudest in

Electrician (CCEW/COES) · Plumber (CoC) · Pool (HBC) · Pest (EPA) · Arborist (council) · Builder (HBC)

04

Is a big deposit normal?

NSW 10% rule is the honest operator's home ground.

Builder wants 50% deposit upfront in Sydney NSW, is this normal?
Whirlpool Builder Luxury NSW

No — and the legal cap depends on your state. Residential building deposits are capped at: NSW 10%; QLD tiered — as a general guide the maximum is 20% for work priced at $3,300 or less, 10% for work from $3,301 to $19,999, and 5% for work at $20,000 or more (limited exceptions for substantial custom or offsite work); VIC 10% under $20k, 5% over; WA 6.5%; SA $1,000 under $20k then 5%; NT and TAS 5%. Anything above your state's cap is illegal — always check the current QBCC (QLD) or your state regulator's guidance before paying. A working operator works within it; a cowboy pushes for 50% and disappears.

A working tradie

Deposit within your state's legal cap. Progress payments tied to milestones. Final payment after handover + defects window.

A quote trap

"I need 50% to lock in materials." "Cash discount if you pay it all upfront." Pressure for speed.

Ask this, exactly

Save · steal

"What's the deposit, and how do you structure progress payments? I know my state sets a maximum deposit — does your contract sit within it?"

Loudest in

Builder Luxury · Landscaper · Pool

05

Will the quote blow out?

Fixed-price claims without variation rules are noise.

Watch out for extremes — both very high and very low quotes are red flags.
Reddit r/sydney · Electrician

"Fixed price" is meaningless without written allowances + variation rules. A working tradie tells you up front what's open — what they can't see yet, what triggers a re-quote, and what the dollar ceiling is on the open items. A cowboy claims fixed price, then varies you up at invoice.

A working tradie

Names the open items in the quote. Sets a $ cap on each. Re-quotes in writing before doing the work.

A paperwork gap

Verbal "no worries, that'll be fine." Then a $4k variation at the end.

Ask this, exactly

Save · steal

"What's open in this quote — what could change once you start? What's your variation rule and is there a dollar ceiling?"

Loudest in

Builder Luxury · Pool · Roofer · Plumber

06

What's the warranty — written?

Four layers, not one.

Read the 1-star reviews. They often reveal the stuff that really matters: ghosting customers, shoddy work, or warranty nightmares.
Whirlpool Solar thread, pattern verbatim

You're entitled to four layers of cover: statutory (set by state law, automatic), workmanship (the operator's own promise), materials (manufacturer), and insurance-backed — the state home-building scheme that pays out if they die, go broke or vanish (HBC in NSW, DBI in VIC, QBCC Home Warranty in QLD, Home Indemnity Insurance in WA, Building Indemnity in SA, the Fidelity Fund in NT; Tasmania has no mandatory scheme, so the written warranty matters more there). "Lifetime warranty" on a brochure means nothing unless all four are named with limits and triggers.

A working tradie

Sends a warranty document listing all four layers, year limits, what triggers a callback, and the manufacturer warranty PDFs.

A verification failure

"10-year warranty" verbally. Won't put it in writing. No mention of statutory cover.

Ask this, exactly

Save · steal

"Could you list the statutory, workmanship, materials and insurance-backed cover in writing — with year limits and what triggers a callback?"

Loudest in

Pool (10-yr structural) · Painter (5-yr) · Landscaper · Solar

07

Can you handle my difficult site?

Edge cases are where margin lives.

I include washing the surface in my quote. Too risky to go off someone else's word… I'm liable.
Operator voice Painter, useful as the buyer mirror

Heritage, strata, steep pitch, BAL rating, three-phase, asbestos, lead paint, two-storey access — every trade has a high-margin edge case. The cheapest quote is almost always the one that didn't price the complication. Reward the tradie who names it up front.

A working tradie

Names the edge cases on inspection. Prices each separately. Has done this exact kind of site before — can show photos.

A cowboy

Quotes a standard scope. Discovers the complication on day two. Variation upward.

Ask this, exactly

Save · steal

"What complications have you spotted on this site, and how have you priced each one separately?"

Loudest in

Landscaper · Pool · Builder Luxury · Painter (heritage / lead) · Electrician (strata / three-phase) · Roofer

08

How fast — same-day, after-hours?

Specificity beats "24/7" every time.

Tried to follow up and he ignored me and ghosted me, as their solution didn't fix my pest problem.
Reddit r/melbourne · Pest Control

Generic "24/7 emergency service" is marketing copy. A real urgency operator gives you an ETA in minutes, a make-safe price separate from the repair, and their licence number in the first message. Anything less is the cowboy storm-chasing routine.

A working tradie

"I can be there in 90 minutes. Make-safe is $X. My licence number is Y." All within 10 minutes.

A red-flag operator

"Yeah, today sometime." No make-safe option. No licence number until you press.

Ask this, exactly

Save · steal

"What's your ETA, what's the make-safe fee, and can you text me your licence number while you're on the way?"

Loudest in

Plumber · Electrician · Roofer (storm) · Pest · Arborist (storm)

09

Should I DIY / Airtasker / hipages?

Honest boundary beats blanket "always hire a pro".

I am super reluctant to do Airtasker / hipages.
Whirlpool Electrician NSW

The honest answer varies by trade. Hanging a picture? DIY. Electrical fixed wiring? Illegal to DIY in every state. Plumbing connections to mains? Illegal. Painting a room? Fine. Removing a load-bearing wall? Get a structural engineer, not Airtasker. The marketplaces are best at low-stakes, low-licence work — and worst at the rest.

A working tradie

Tells you honestly what you could DIY, what you need a licensed operator for, and why.

A high-risk operator

Either scares you off all DIY ("you'll burn the house down") or claims they can do anything ("no licence needed for this one, mate").

Ask this, exactly

Save · steal

"Honestly — is this a job I could DIY, or does the law / safety require a licensed operator? Why?"

Loudest in

Electrician · Painter · Pest · Plumber

10

Do they really service your suburb?

Travel zones, postcode premium, transparent.

Our architect warned us prices could be as high as $4-5k per m², and the pricing from the builder came back closer to $6k!
Whirlpool Builder Luxury NSW

Suburb effects are real — heritage overlay, access, two-storey, beachside, premium-suburb premium. They're also where dishonest operators hide a surcharge. Honest operators publish their no-travel zone and per-km charges. Cowboys hide it in a "site fee" at invoice time.

A working tradie

Publishes their travel zone on the website. Mentions any surcharge in the quote, not the invoice.

A quote trap

"All inclusive" — then an unexplained "site fee" on the final bill.

Ask this, exactly

Save · steal

"Is my suburb inside your no-travel zone? If not, what's the surcharge — and is it already in the quote?"

Loudest in

Electrician · Painter · Plumber · Builder Luxury

11

What happens AFTER you leave?

Aftercare = the real warranty test.

Their price is reasonable, their service is ok. However, Sam never provides me the invoice even though he promised he would send.
Whirlpool Arborist NSW — pattern verbatim across trades

Post-job ghosting is the most repeated complaint across every trade we read. The defects period, the maintenance schedule, the post-storm check, the dated completion photos — these are the things a working operator sets up at handover. Cowboys don't answer the phone after invoice.

A working tradie

Walks you through the defects period at handover. Sets up the maintenance schedule. Sends dated photos.

A paperwork gap

Takes final payment. Stops returning calls. Never sends the invoice.

Ask this, exactly

Save · steal

"What's your defects period in writing, and how do callbacks work in the first 6 months?"

Loudest in

Pool · Solar · Pest · Painter · Landscaper · Plumber

12

What's actually next after I ask for a quote?

Process beats promises.

I paid them in full towards the end of the day trusting they would complete the job. I now cannot get them to come back and finish what we agreed on. No invoice has been issued either.
Whirlpool Arborist NSW

If a tradie can't sketch the next six steps on the back of an envelope, they don't run a process. They run a vibe. The flow is: inspection → written scope → contract + deposit → schedule → on-the-day → sign-off + paperwork. Six steps. Every trade. Every job.

A working tradie

Walks you through all six steps before asking for a deposit. Each has a date, an action, and an owner.

A verification failure

Tries to skip from "I'll take a look" to "deposit please" in one phone call.

Ask this, exactly

Save · steal

"Can you walk me through your six steps from quote to handover — what each one looks like and how long it takes?"

Loudest in

All 33

Before you pay a deposit

Check before you hire

Before you pay a deposit or approve work, check the operator's licence, insurance and required documentation for your state. These are the official government / regulator tools:

Compliance guidance can change. Always check the current regulator guidance before signing a contract or paying a deposit.

Consumer protection

If something goes wrong

If a job goes badly, start by putting the issue in writing and giving the contractor a reasonable chance to respond. Keep photos, quotes, invoices, certificates, text messages and emails. If the issue is unresolved, contact the relevant state regulator or tribunal pathway.

The whole test, on one line

A working tradie answers all 12 without breaking stride.
A cowboy stalls on three of them.

That's the whole test. Print this page, screenshot it, paste it into the email when you ask for the quote. The questions are the lens. The answers are the trade. Anyone who flinches at the phrasing has just told you what a thousand reviews wouldn't.

✓ Free to use ✓ Free to share ✓ No login. No spam.
Verify any tradie's licence 60-second routine · 6 free checks Or read the trade-specific deep dive →

Editorial position: we don't list, rank or recommend tradies on this site.
The separate operator platform — members.needatrade.com.au — opens later this year.

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The master page. Every trade page goes one layer deeper with the 10 trade-specific questions.