Building or Renovating Your Home? We’ll Help You Get It Right.
Building or renovating your home should be exciting, not stressful. But for many Queensland homeowners, the process can quickly become overwhelming, especially when something goes wrong. Vague contracts, unexpected variations, construction delays or substandard work can all leave you out of pocket and unsure of your rights.
Many homeowners don’t budget for legal advice when building; often because they assume standard contracts are safe, or because they’re focused on keeping project costs down. But when you’re spending hundreds of thousands of dollars, a small upfront investment in legal support can prevent far more expensive problems later.
At Enterprise Legal, we help homeowners understand what they’re signing up for, protect their position during the build, and resolve disputes if they arise. We give you practical, straightforward advice, without the jargon, and help you feel confident navigating the legal side of your project.
We offer fixed or capped fees for most services, including contract reviews and dispute resolution steps, so you can budget with certainty.
Before You Sign a Building Contract
One of the most common mistakes homeowners make is assuming that building contracts are “standard” and can’t be changed, or that a contract review is an unnecessary cost. Unfortunately, this assumption often leads to disputes down the track.
We assist homeowners by:
- Reviewing proposed building contracts (HIA, Master Builders or custom formats)
- Identifying hidden risks in timing, cost escalation, scope of work or variation clauses
- Ensuring all inclusions, allowances and provisional sums are clearly defined
- Advising on deposit structures, staged payments and security
- Clarifying builder responsibilities, termination rights and dispute resolution pathways
You wouldn’t sign a property contract without advice, and a building contract often carries more complexity and risk. We make sure you know exactly what you’re agreeing to before works begin.
While Your Build is Underway
Even with a signed contract, legal issues can arise once construction is underway; particularly when variations, delays or communication breakdowns occur.
Many homeowners assume they need to wait until the end of the build to involve a lawyer, but this can lead to missed opportunities to resolve issues early. We assist with:
- Advising on variation requests and extension of time (EOT) claims
- Responding to concerns about delays, quality or compliance
- Communicating with your builder to clarify contractual rights
- Reviewing payment claims or progress invoices
- Advising on practical completion, retention and handover documentation
If you’re unsure whether what’s happening is “normal” or acceptable, we’ll help you understand your rights and options, and step in if needed, often well before a full-blown dispute arises.
When Something Goes Wrong
Disputes in residential construction are unfortunately common, but you don’t need to face them alone. When problems escalate, legal advice becomes essential to protect your financial position and your property.
Whether you’re facing defects, delays, non-completion or payment disputes, we can help. Our services include:
- Preparing formal complaints or correspondence to the builder
- Navigating dispute resolution through the QBCC
- Enforcing contract terms or seeking compensation
- Advising on termination of contracts in appropriate cases
- Representing homeowners in QCAT proceedings where required
We know that legal costs can feel like one more burden during an already stressful time, which is why we offer clear pricing and fixed fees wherever possible, so you can take action with confidence.
For more serious building disputes, see our Building & Construction Disputes page.
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Homeowner FAQs
Planning a build or already experiencing issues with your builder?
Book a consultation with our construction lawyers today and get clear, practical advice to protect your home and your peace of mind.
