Disputes & complaints

10 steps to resolve a building dispute

Building disputes are stressful, expensive, and often avoidable. If you find yourself in one, how you respond matters enormously. These ten steps will help you handle it with clarity.

1. Act with a level head

Emotional reactions make disputes worse and weaker. Document everything calmly and methodically from the moment a problem arises.

2. Check your facts

Before raising a dispute, confirm that the issue is genuinely a breach of contract or poor workmanship — not a misunderstanding of what was agreed.

3. Know your rights

Understand what the contract says, what the law requires, and what implied warranties apply in your state. Knowledge is your strongest asset.

4. Speak to your builder

Many disputes resolve at this stage. Raise the issue in writing, clearly and factually, and give the builder a reasonable opportunity to respond.

5. Listen to your builder

Their response may reveal information you don't have. Understanding their position helps you assess the situation accurately.

6. Get independent advice early

A building consultant or lawyer familiar with construction disputes can assess your position objectively and identify the most efficient path to resolution.

7. Resolve wherever you can

Litigation is slow and expensive. A negotiated outcome — even an imperfect one — is almost always better than a disputed one.

8. Keep your insurers in the loop

Notify your insurer at the earliest sign of a dispute. Delayed notification can jeopardise claims later.

9. Activate remedy & recovery measures

If the builder fails to rectify defects within a reasonable timeframe, follow the formal notice processes in your contract before engaging others to do the work — failure to do so may limit your recovery.

10. You will always lose in open conflict

Escalating a dispute to open warfare benefits lawyers, not homeowners. Stay focused on the outcome you need, not on winning the argument.