Building your first home means relying on people who know far more than you do: sales consultants, finance brokers and the builder's staff. Most of them are honest. But a sales consultant's job is to get you to sign, and a promise made in a display home is worth nothing unless it ends up in your contract.

You might have read that you can spot a lie from body language: touching the face, avoiding eye contact, fidgeting. Research shows those cues are a poor guide to lying, and relying on them can backfire, because a confident, practised salesperson will pass every "test". Don't try to read faces. Check the facts.

C4 - Asking the Right Questions Checklist

$59.00 AUD

Last updated 5 Oct 2026 · Revision 1 · Free updates for life

Checklist Type: Minor

Form Factor: Fillable, print-ready PDF (A4, 15 pages) plus the C4 Explainer PDF (35 pages)

When to use: Choosing a builder (before you pay a deposit or sign)

102 questions to ask every builder on your shortlist, including a visual check of one of their current sites. Compare like for like and choose your builder with confidence before you pay a deposit.

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The golden rule

If it matters to you, it needs to be in the contract. Everything else is just conversation.

That includes anything said about price, inclusions, timeframes, site costs, upgrades, discounts and promotions.

Questions that get you to the truth

These questions work because they turn a verbal claim into something you can check.

  1. "Is that in the base price, or is it an upgrade?" Display homes are full of upgrades. Ask about every feature you like.
  2. "Can you show me where that is in the inclusions list?" If it isn't written down, assume it isn't included.
  3. "What site costs are not included?" Soil class, slab upgrades, retaining, rock, sewer and stormwater connections, bushfire and wind upgrades all add up.
  4. "Is this price fixed, and until when?" Ask what can change between now and contract, and between contract and completion.
  5. "What's the realistic build time for a house like this, right now?" Then ask what the contract says about delays.
  6. "Can you put that in writing?" A genuine offer survives this question. A vague one usually doesn't.
  7. "Can I see one you're building now?" A house under construction tells you more than a display home.

Watch for these answers

These aren't proof of anything, but they're signals to slow down and ask for it in writing:

  • Avoiding the question, or answering with another question.
  • "Don't worry about that, we'll sort it out later." Later is after you've signed.
  • "This deal ends today." Pressure to sign quickly is a reason to take more time, not less.
  • "Everyone gets that." Then it should be easy to put in the contract.
  • Prices and promises that are well ahead of other builders. Too good to be true usually is.

Verify, don't guess

  • Check the builder on the QBCC licence register. Make sure the licence is current and look for any disciplinary history.
  • Compare the contract with the brochure. The contract and its specification are what count, not the brochure or the display home.
  • Get independent advice. A building lawyer can review the contract, and an independent inspector can check the work at each stage.
  • Talk to past clients you find yourself, not just the ones the builder suggests.
  • Keep notes. Write down what was promised, by whom and when, and follow up by email so there's a record.

The bottom line

Trust your instincts enough to ask questions, but don't rely on them to tell you who's honest. A good builder will be happy to put promises in writing and show you where they sit in the contract. If they won't, that tells you everything you need to know.