Plan/The 24 questions every homeowner should ask

Plan · Red-flag checklist

The 24 questions every homeowner should ask

Use this before signing — not after. Mark each item Yes / No / Unsure. Anything in the No column is a conversation; four or more is a deal-breaker.

Contractor name (for your records)

Paperwork5 questions

Is the builder NHBRC-registered, and current on annual fees?

Every home builder building for the open market must be enrolled. Check the NHBRC public register.

Does the builder have an appropriate CIDB grading for the project size?

CIDB grade should match the contract value. Grade 1GB suits ~R250k; Grade 5GB ~R6.5m.

Is the builder VAT-registered (above R1m turnover)?

A claimed VAT number that isn't on SARS register is the single most common scam tell.

CIPC registration document and ID of the signatory?

Match the company to the bank account. A mismatch is a hard stop.

Verified physical office address — not a PO Box?

Go and look. Yard, vehicles, materials, staff.

References3 questions

Three written references with names, addresses and phone numbers?

Call them. Ask: did they finish on time, on budget, did they come back for snags?

Have you visited at least one of those completed sites?

Photos lie. Walk the site, check the finish, ask the owner privately.

Have you visited a current build site?

Clean, ordered, signage, PPE on staff — these are leading indicators.

Financial health4 questions

Have they shared a bank confirmation letter in the company name?

Cash flow is the #1 cause of contractor failure mid-build.

Are they willing to work to a JBCC-style stage-payment schedule?

Resistance to staged payments means resistance to accountability.

Is the deposit ≤ 10% of contract value?

Anything above 10% is unusual. Above 20% is a red flag.

Are they asking for cash off-record?

Walk away. Today.

Insurance3 questions

Contractor's all-risk (CAR) insurance in place for the project value?

Without CAR, every site incident becomes your problem.

Workmen's compensation (Letter of Good Standing) current?

An injured worker without WCA cover can sue you as the property owner.

Public liability cover of at least R2m?

Standard. Anything less is under-insured for a residential build.

Documents4 questions

Approved municipal plans on site, not just submitted?

Building without approved plans = demolition risk.

JBCC- or comparable written contract, with annexures?

A one-page 'quote' is not a contract. Walk away.

Detailed bill of quantities, not lump-sum?

A lump-sum quote hides the variations the builder will charge you for later.

Specifications schedule covering finishes, taps, tiles, PC items?

If it isn't in writing, you'll be paying for the upgrade.

Site practice2 questions

Will there be a full-time foreman on site, named in the contract?

An absentee builder is the single biggest predictor of disputes.

Is a programme of works (Gantt) included with the contract?

No programme = no way to claim damages for delay.

Communication1 questions

Is there a single, named point of contact?

Multi-party comms is where commitments get lost.

Gut check2 questions

Were quotes returned within the agreed time?

If they're slow before they have your money, they'll be slower after.

Did they answer questions plainly, without dodging?

Defensiveness in the quoting phase predicts defensiveness on site.

Save this somewhere safe

Run this checklist again 4 weeks into the build. A contractor who scored 24/24 in the quoting phase but starts dodging questions on site is the most common pattern we see.