12 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Bathroom Renovator in Brisbane

SEQ humidity is unkind to sloppy wet areas. These twelve questions exist so you can interview renovators before you pay a deposit - not to find a mythical “best renovator.”

Brisbane Bathrooms HQ is a matching service, not a renovator. Use this list when you meet matched companies, and confirm credentials yourself.

Path: licence → warranty/insurance → waterproofing proof → contract and money → references.

Licence and who is actually on the job

1. What is your QBCC licence number and class - and does it match the entity on the quote?

Search QBCC Online Licence Search. Confirm the licence is current (not suspended), and that the class covers bathroom work. QBCC describes a builder restricted to kitchen, bathroom and laundry: install/refurbish/restore/repair of those rooms on-site in class 1 or 10, and in classes 2–9 if that wet area’s gross floor area is not more than 50 m². That class does not include work that may affect structural performance, or personally carrying out work that needs other occupational licences unless they hold them.

The name on the licence should match the contracting entity. Refusal to share a number is a red flag.

2. Who will waterproof the wet areas, and what licence covers that work?

A bathroom renovator’s builder/restricted licence is not automatically the same as the person who applies the membrane. QBCC has a separate waterproofing licence class covering apply/install/repair of waterproofing, including surface preparation. Ask for the waterproofer’s details before tiling covers the membrane.

3. Who does plumbing and electrical - employees or licensed subcontractors?

Ask whose names and licence numbers will appear on compliance paperwork. Occupational licences matter; “we have people” is not a name.

Insurance, Home Warranty, and warranties

4. Is Queensland Home Warranty Scheme cover required for this job, and how do I confirm it?

QBCC: most residential building work valued at more than $3,300 (materials + labour + GST) must have cover under the Queensland Home Warranty Scheme. That explicitly includes replacing or refitting fixtures or fittings in a kitchen or bathroom over that threshold. Cover cannot be taken out for work done by unlicensed contractors (among other exclusions). Ask who arranges the premium, whether it is in the contract price, and how you receive proof after signing.

5. What public liability / contract works insurance do you carry?

Ask for a certificate of currency. We do not invent minimum dollar amounts here.

6. What workmanship and product warranties will I get in writing?

Separate product warranties from workmanship. Call out waterproofing. Keep documents with the contract. We do not invent “minimum X years” as a legal rule.

QBCC has noted waterproofing as a recurring defect and that average residential bathroom Home Warranty claim rectification costs were almost $25,000 in the 2024–25 financial year (Waterproofing done right). Use that as motivation to ask hard questions - not as a prediction of your outcome.

Waterproofing proof (the non-negotiable wet-area ask)

7. Will I receive a waterproofing certificate (Form 43 or Form 12, as applicable) when waterproofing exceeds $3,300 - and who signs it?

QBCC handover and final documentation states a waterproofing certificate (Form 43 or Form 12 depending on the circumstance) is required when waterproofing work exceeds $3,300. It confirms the work complies with building standards and must be carried out and issued by a licensed contractor. Essential for wet areas including floors and walls adjacent to showers, baths and other water fixtures. Also collect appliance warranties, manuals, and plumbing/electrical/gas certificates as relevant. Ask for photos/product/system details and inspection before tile-over.

Form 43 is not issued on every like-for-like job regardless of circumstance. Deeper taxonomy: bathroom waterproofing in Brisbane.

8. How will you show compliance with applicable AS 3740 / NCC wet-area requirements?

Ask for a written method: membrane system, junctions/penetrations, falls at a high level. This is not a DIY tutorial. Renovators should confirm membrane work complies with applicable NCC / AS 3740 requirements.

Scope, money, time, and change control

9. What exactly is included and excluded (strip-out, waste, waterproofing, tiling, fixtures, make-good)?

Itemised vs “renovate bathroom.” Allowances vs fixed. Disposal. Access and older-home surprises as discussion prompts - no invented cost ranges here (see the cost guide). Line-item anatomy: tiling and waterproofing in the quote. Side-by-side method: compare quotes.

10. What are deposit and progress payments, start/finish dates, and how are variations approved?

Everything in writing before a deposit. Variations priced and signed before extra work. Completion date in the contract. Point to QBCC contract guidance - this is not legal advice. Timeline expectations: how long a renovation takes.

11. What happens if something unexpected appears once walls are open?

You want a process, not panic: written variation path, and a contingency conversation without invented percentages.

Proof of past work and how you’ll work together

12. Can you show comparable Brisbane (or SEQ) bathrooms and recent client references?

Similar scope (ensuite vs full main). Ask about communication cadence and site cleanliness if you will live in the home.

Quick red-flag checklist

• Won’t share a licence number; licence name ≠ quote entity.
• Vague waterproofing answers; no plan for written certification when the $3,300 waterproofing threshold applies.
• Cash-only / huge upfront payment / no written contract.
• “You don’t need Home Warranty” on a clearly over-threshold residential bathroom job - verify with QBCC.

How Brisbane Bathrooms HQ helps you ask these questions

Free form (~2 minutes), no obligation. We contact you first. Details go to a renovator only after you say yes to that company; at most three. Still: confirm credentials directly with each provider using this checklist. We do not vet so you can skip the search.

Full process: how matching works. Tell us about your bathroom.