Most home-services jobs go smoothly, but a small number do not. This safety centre collects the practical advice we wish every Australian homeowner read before their first hire.
Before you hire — verify what you can
Check the ABN badge on the profile, look up state licence numbers on the regulator website (NSW Fair Trading, QBCC, VBA etc.), read the most recent reviews, and ask for proof of public liability insurance for any job over $1,000. A reluctance to provide any of these is a red flag.
On-site — what to expect
A professional tradie will arrive on time, walk through the scope, point out anything different from the quote in writing, and provide a clear plan for staged work. You should never feel pressured to make a same-day decision on a major change of scope.
Payment safety
Pay through the TaskerAsker platform where possible — milestone payments protect you from paying for work that has not happened. Avoid large up-front cash deposits; in most states a deposit cap of 10% applies to building work over a certain value, and your tradie should know it.
Common scams to watch for
Door-knockers offering leftover bitumen for a driveway, urgent your roof needs replacing right now inspections, requests to pay to a personal bank account rather than the business account, and tradies demanding the full balance before work begins are all classic warning signs.
When you feel unsafe
If you ever feel unsafe with a tradie on site, ask them to leave, lock your door, and call 000 if you are in immediate danger. Then report the incident to TaskerAsker — we take physical safety reports extremely seriously and will permanently remove offenders.
Keeping tradies safe too
Customers also have responsibilities. Tradies are entitled to a safe worksite, clear access, working amenities, and respectful treatment. Verbal abuse or unsafe site conditions are grounds for the tradie to leave with quote work compensated.