How to choose a kitchen renovation company in Melbourne
Most people spend more time researching a car than they spend vetting a builder. A kitchen renovation is a $25,000 to $55,000 decision that affects your home for the next 20 years. Here is what to actually check before you sign anything.
5 things to check before you hire
Verify VBA registration
Any domestic building work in Victoria over $10,000 must be done by a registered domestic builder. Check the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) register at vba.vic.gov.au before you meet, not after. The register shows current registration status and any disciplinary action. If a builder cannot give you their VBA registration number, that is your answer.
Ask for fixed-price quotes — not estimates
An estimate is not a contract. A rough number is not a price. Push for a fully specified, fixed-price quote with a line item for every trade: cabinet supply and install, benchtop supply and install, tiling (m2 rate and total area), plumbing rough-in and fixtures, electrical, painting, and final clean. If the quote says 'kitchen renovation — $38,000' with no line items, you do not know what is included and you cannot compare it to other quotes.
Call two recent references from completed jobs
Any builder worth hiring will give you two or three references from jobs completed in the last 12 months. Call them. Ask three questions: Did the job come in on budget? Did it finish on time? If something went wrong, how did the builder handle it? The third question is the most important — every job has something that does not go to plan. How a builder responds to problems is what separates a good company from a bad one.
Check the contract before you sign
In Victoria, domestic building contracts over $10,000 must use a standard form contract or include mandatory provisions under the Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995. The contract must include a fixed price, start and end dates, a variation procedure requiring your written approval, and the builder's insurance details. A builder who pushes back on contract terms that protect you is telling you something.
Understand what the deposit covers
Under Victorian law, a builder cannot take more than 10% deposit before work starts on a domestic building job. If a builder asks for 20%, 30%, or more upfront, this is illegal. Legitimate builders use progress payments tied to construction milestones — a schedule should be in the contract. A large upfront deposit protects the builder, not you.
Red flags to walk away from
Common questions
Do kitchen renovation companies in Melbourne need to be licensed?
Yes. Any domestic building work in Victoria valued at over $10,000 must be carried out by a registered domestic builder. You can verify any builder's registration on the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) website at vba.vic.gov.au. Registration means the builder has met minimum competency standards and carries mandatory domestic building insurance — which protects you if the builder becomes insolvent, dies, or disappears before completing the work. Never hire an unlicensed builder for a kitchen renovation, regardless of price.
What should a kitchen renovation contract include?
A proper domestic building contract in Victoria must include: a fixed price (not a 'rough estimate'), a start date and a completion date, a clear description of the scope of works, specifications for materials and finishes, a variation procedure requiring your written approval before any additional work is done, and the builder's VBA registration number and insurance details. Contracts without these elements give you no protection if the job goes over budget or over time.
What is a provisional sum and should I accept it?
A provisional sum (PS) is a placeholder cost for something the builder cannot price precisely at tender stage — typically because decisions have not been made yet or site conditions are unknown. Builders use them legitimately for things like 'demolition surprises' or 'stone selection.' The problem is when PS items are used for things that should be fixed priced — like tiles, tapware, or appliances. Push for fixed costs on every item you have already decided on. Accept provisional sums only for genuinely undecided or unknowable items, and set a clear ceiling on each one.
How many kitchen renovation quotes should I get in Melbourne?
Three quotes is the standard advice, and it is good advice — but only if all three are quoting the same scope. If you give three different builders three slightly different briefs, you cannot compare the numbers. Write a basic brief before you start quoting: dimensions, a list of what you want (new cabinetry, new benchtop, appliances staying or replacing, new tiling, paint), and a finish level. Then give the same brief to all three. Different prices on the same scope tell you something. Different prices on different scopes tell you nothing.
What are the warning signs of a bad kitchen renovation company?
The clearest warning signs: they cannot provide a VBA registration number; they ask for more than 10% deposit before work starts (this is illegal in Victoria for domestic building work); they cannot provide references from completed jobs; their quote is vague about what is and is not included; they will not put a completion date in the contract; they pressure you to sign quickly. A good builder has recent references they are happy for you to call, a contract they can explain line by line, and no issue with you taking a few days to review before signing.
VBA registered. Fixed-price quotes. Melbourne.
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VBA registered. Fixed-price contracts. Progress payments only. References available. We will walk your site and give you a written quote before you commit to anything.