Find a tradie in Melbourne: where to look and how to check them

Start with the job, not the tradie

The quickest way to the right person is knowing which trade does the job. A dripping tap is a plumber, a dead power point is an electrician, a sticking door might be a carpenter or a handyman. Some jobs need several: a bathroom can involve a plumber, an electrician, a waterproofer and a tiler.

If you're not sure, describe what you can see rather than guessing the cause, and read the guide for the closest trade. A good tradie will tell you if it's someone else's job.

Where to look

Ask people who've had the same kind of work done recently: neighbours, friends, family, your owners corporation or strata manager. Search online, and read reviews on more than one site. Or describe the job once and let local tradies come to you: post it on TradieToday, and tradies working around Melbourne can respond with a quote.

Wherever you find someone, the Building and Plumbing Commission's advice is the same: try to find at least three independent sources or people who recommend a practitioner, and do your own research even when a friend recommends them.

What a recommendation should tell you

“Recommended tradesmen” lists and a friend's “he's great” are a starting point, not a check. Ask the person recommending them a few questions.

What job did they do, and was it like yours?
How recently?
Did the final bill match the quote, and how were extras handled?
Did they turn up when they said, and clean up?
Did anything go wrong, and what happened then?

Check them before you book

These checks take a few minutes (how to check a licence walks through each), and they're the same whether you found the tradie through a friend, a search or a job post.

A licence or registration, where the work needs one: the Building and Plumbing Commission for builders, plumbers and gasfitters; Energy Safe Victoria for electricians
An active ABN on ABN Lookup, in the same name as the quote
Insurance that covers the work
Reviews from several sources, with photos of past work; the ACCC suggests being wary of a sudden spike in very positive or very negative reviews
A real business address that checks out on a map

Get three quotes for the same job

The Building and Plumbing Commission suggests at least three itemised quotes for the same job. Itemised means you can see what each covers: materials, labour and call-out fees, what's included and excluded, rubbish removal, warranties, compliance certificates, permits, how long the price holds, and whether it's fixed or hourly.

Consumer Affairs Victoria's warning is worth repeating: the cheapest quote may not include some items.

Warning signs

The Building and Plumbing Commission lists the ones to watch for: a price that's too cheap, promises that are too good for the price, pressure to accept, and quotes that aren't specific. Add a few more: someone who knocks on the door offering work and wants cash up front, a request to pay by a method that's unusual for the trade, and reluctance to show a licence.

If a trader comes to your door uninvited and you agree to a deal worth more than $100, you have 10 business days to change your mind, and the trader can't take payment or start the work in that time.

Looking outside Melbourne?

TradieToday covers metropolitan Melbourne only for now, and the licence rules on this page are Victoria's. Other states license trades differently, so if you're finding a tradie elsewhere in Australia, check with that state's regulator: checking a tradie's licence in every state and territory lists them. And if you're comparing sites to find one, see how tradie websites work.

Find a tradie by job

Before you book

The right trade for the job
Three independent recommendations or reviews
Licence or registration for regulated work
An active ABN in the name on the quote
Three itemised quotes for the same work
No cash up front, and no pressure

Ready? Describe your job so Melbourne tradies can respond, then use how to check a tradie's licence and the hiring checklist to choose. Availability depends on real postings, and registration must be enabled to submit.

Official information and further reading

Regulatory requirements can change. Check the relevant Victorian authority before arranging regulated work.