Contracts

If you’re building a single house or duplex, we recommend using the QBCC New Home Construction Contract.

Builders must give homeowners a copy of a commencement notice before work starts.  The notice confirms the date the work is to commence and the date for practical completionthe signed and dated contract with plans, specifications, and a QBCC-approved contract information statement within 5 business days of entering the contract.

Before you sign a contract

Read our helpful guide Domestic Building Contracts – General information for owners and contractors (PDF). It contains general information about domestic building contracts and the relevant Queensland legislation.

Download full contract pack

• New Home Construction Contract (PDF).

Download individual documents within contract pack

• Consumer Building Guide (PDF) – Has information for homeowners about topics such as payments, variations, building inspections, handover, and what to do if problems arise. This guide must be given to the homeower before they sign the contract 
• General Conditions of New Home Construction Contract (PDF)
• Schedule and forms:
  • Schedule for New Home Construction Contract (PDF) – Includes information about parties to the contract, the contracted work, payment arrangements, start and finish dates, etc.
  • Prime Cost Items Schedule (PDF)
  • Provisional Sums Schedule (PDF)
  • Form 1 – Commencement Notice (PDF) – Contains the date work commenced on site and when the work is likely to be completed
  • Form 2 – Extension of Time Claim and Owner’s Response to Claim (PDF)
  • Form 3 – Progress Claim (PDF)
  • Form 4 – Notice of Dispute of Progress Claim (PDF)
  • Form 5 – Variation Document (PDF) – Used to record changes to the original contracted work 
  • Form 6 – Defects Document (PDF) – Used by the owner and contractor to record minor defects and omissions at practical completion, prior to seeking the final payment under the contract
  • Form 7 – Certificate of Practical Completion (PDF) – Used to advise the owner that all the work is complete and given to the owner prior to obtaining the final contract payment.

Warning

As a consequence of the Treasury Laws Amendment (2017 Enterprise Incentives No. 2) Act 2017 (Cth) ("the Act") which comes into effect as of 1 July, 2018, QBCC has amended all of its domestic building contracts, being the New Home Construction Contract' the Level 1 & Level 2 Renovation, Extension & Repair Contracts and the Natural Disaster Repairs Contract to better address a party's right to terminate the contract for reasons related to the insolvency of the other party to the contract. 

As the Act applies to all contracts entered after 1 July, 2018 QBCC is concerned to ensure any person entering a contract after that date uses the updated version of the Contract, to avoid certain existing clauses being deemed to be unenforceable by the Act.  If you currently have a copy of the older version of the above QBCC contracts and will not enter the relevant contract prior to 1 July, 2018, please discard the current contract and download an updated version listed above.

Consumers are reminded that the termination of any contract is a significant step which should not be taken without prior legal advice from an experienced lawyer.