How to choose a patio builder: check the licence, insurance and red flags

Updated 28 October 20268 min readBy the Backyard Mate team

BeforeSkillion Patio

To choose a good patio builder, check their licence on your state's official register, confirm they carry the insurance your state requires, and compare two or three detailed written quotes. A builder who passes those three checks and communicates clearly is a safe place to start.

Most patio builders are honest tradespeople. The checks below take about ten minutes and protect you from the few who are not.

Step 1: Check the patio builder's licence

Every state runs a free online register. Search by the builder's name, business name or licence number, and use the official site below rather than a link the builder sends you.

For the Northern Territory, check with the territory's building regulator before you sign.

What to look for on the licence

Finding a name on the register is only half the job. Check these details too:

• The name matches. NSW Government guidance says a licence in a person's name does not cover their company. The company needs its own licence, so match it to the business on your quote.
• The class covers the work. A licence for a different trade may not cover a patio.
• It is current. Look at the expiry date and status.
• Conditions and history. The NSW licence check shows conditions, cancellations, suspensions, public warnings and some prosecution results. Victoria's BPC also has a disciplinary register.

Electrical work for lights and fans needs a licensed electrician in every state, whatever the price of the patio.

Step 2: Confirm home warranty insurance

Home warranty insurance protects you if the builder dies, disappears or goes broke before the job is done or defects are fixed. Each state has its own name for it and its own threshold.

A few practical points:

• Get the certificate before you pay. In NSW, the builder cannot ask for a deposit on a contract over $20,000 until you have the HBC certificate. WA's regulator also urges clients to confirm cover before paying a deposit.
• Unlicensed means uninsured. The QBCC warns that unlicensed work is not covered by the Queensland Home Warranty Scheme, and Consumer Affairs Victoria says you cannot get Home Warranty insurance if the builder is not properly registered.
• Ask about public liability too. Access Canberra suggests asking a tradie for a certificate of currency for public liability insurance.

For the ACT, Tasmania and the NT, ask your builder what cover applies and check it with your territory or state regulator. In Tasmania, the CBOS consumer guide says statutory warranties last six years from practical completion.

Step 3: Compare written quotes

Ask two or three licensed builders for an itemised written quote. Each one should list the size, roof, frame, footings, engineering, approvals, gutters, warranties and payment schedule.

Our guide on how to compare patio quotes has the full checklist and the legal deposit limits for each state. As a reference point, a 6 × 4.5 m skillion patio is around $12,000 to $14,500 in WA and $14,000 to $16,500 in NSW. These are indicative installed prices; the builder's site measure and quote sets the real price.

BeforeSkillion Patio

Questions to ask a patio builder

A good builder will answer these without fuss:

1. What is your licence number, and is it in the same name as your business?
2. Will you arrange engineering and any council approval, and is that in the price?
3. Who will actually do the work: your own crew or subcontractors?
4. What warranties do you give on the structure and workmanship, and what does the roof sheet maker cover?
5. How will the roof connect to my house, and how will water drain?
6. What is the payment schedule, and what stage does each payment match?
7. Can I see photos of similar patios you have built recently?

Red flags when choosing a patio builder

Be cautious if a builder does any of the following:

• No licence number on the quote, or one you cannot find on the register.
• A deposit above the legal limit for your state.
• Cash only, or a discount for skipping the contract or insurance.
• "You don't need approval" without checking your council's rules.
• Pressure to sign today to lock in a price.
• A vague quote with no sizes, materials or colours.
• No fixed address or only a mobile number and a first name.

South Australia's regulator has prosecuted an unlicensed pergola company that took deposits and did not finish the work. Ten minutes on the register is cheap insurance against that.

Why fewer calls can mean a better builder

Ringing around for quotes often means a week of follow up calls and sales visits. A calmer approach is to decide your style first, then talk to one well suited local builder and check them properly.

That is how Backyard Mate works: you see the patio or pergola on a photo of your own house, get an indicative price for your state, and if you want, one local installer calls you. You still check their licence and insurance using the registers above.

For more planning help, read our guides to council approval and patio costs in Australia, or browse patio styles.

Keep reading

How to compare patio quotes: what a patio quote should include (2026 checklist)How to compare patio quotes in Australia: a checklist of what a quote should include, legal deposit limits by state, and red flags to watch for before you sign.

Do I need council approval for a patio or pergola in Australia?Do you need council approval for a patio or pergola in Australia? Exemption limits by state, what triggers approval, who lodges it and the documents needed.

How much does a patio cost in Australia? (2026 prices by state)Patio cost in Australia for 2026: indicative installed prices for 10 styles in every state, price per square metre, hidden costs and how to get an exact quote.