1
Define the rooms and outcomes
List the rooms or areas in scope and the outcome you want for each. Separate must-haves from nice-to-haves so proposals can be compared against the same core request.
Home renovation planner
Plan the renovation before comparing builder quotes
Define the rooms, outcomes and constraints, understand the approval and asbestos questions for your home, then compare itemised proposals against the same brief.
A request may be sent to up to three eligible suppliers, subject to service-area and supplier availability. Supplier availability and quote outcomes vary.
Local Coverage
Renovation planning by city
Browse location pages for major Australian cities. Supplier coverage and availability vary by area.
Select your nearest city to compare local suppliers, suburb coverage and quote options.
Clear matching limits
How supplier matching works
Submit your project details once. We look for eligible local suppliers; availability and response times vary.
Up to 3
Supplier matches
Eligible suppliers are selected by service, area and current availability
Every one
ABN-checked suppliers
Suppliers are ABN-checked and manually reviewed before receiving leads
$0
Free for homeowners
No payment and no obligation to hire
No obligation
You decide
Compare any responses and choose whether to proceed
Free to request
Matching subject to supplier availability
No obligation to proceed
Before requesting proposals
Give every builder the same renovation brief
Your brief defines the request; it does not establish feasibility, approvals or structural options. Builders may still need to inspect the home before confirming scope.
2
Document the existing home
Photograph the areas in scope, note the approximate age of the home, and gather any plans, previous approvals, strata by-laws or reports you already hold.
3
Note the services involved
Record where plumbing, gas, electrical and drainage currently run in the affected areas, and whether fixtures are staying in place or moving. Relocations change scope significantly.
4
Living arrangements and access
Note whether you plan to live in the home during the work, plus parking, access routes and any site constraints a builder should plan around.
Property-specific checks
A renovation quote is not an approval or a structural assessment
Approval, asbestos, structural, strata and contract questions belong in the brief before a start date is agreed.
Approvals for the exact address
Whether a renovation needs approval depends on the scope, the property and the planning controls that apply. Check with the responsible council or a certifier before assuming a rule from elsewhere applies.
Asbestos-era materials
Homes built or renovated before 1990 may contain asbestos in walls, floors, eaves and wet areas. Do not cut, drill or sand suspect material; arrange an appropriate assessment before demolition or strip-out.
Structural changes need design input
Removing or altering walls, openings and floors requires design and engineering input specific to the building. A quote is not a structural assessment.
Strata, heritage and shared property
Check strata or body-corporate approval requirements, heritage or character controls, and any easements or shared services before committing to a start date.
Wet areas and waterproofing
Bathroom, laundry and kitchen work involves waterproofing and compliance requirements that vary by jurisdiction. Ask who certifies this work and what documentation you receive.
Contract and payment rules
Home building contracts, deposits and staged payments are regulated differently by state and territory. Check the rules for your jurisdiction before signing or paying.
Scope and delivery
Ask how the renovation will actually be delivered
Two proposals for the same rooms can describe very different projects. These questions surface the differences before you compare totals.
Who designs, who builds
Ask whether the builder works from your drawings, provides design services, or expects decisions along the way, and who coordinates architects, engineers and certifiers.
Allowances and provisional sums
Ask which parts of the proposal are fixed and which are allowances or provisional sums, how they were estimated, and how differences are handled when real selections are made.
Sequencing and staging
Ask how the work will be staged, what happens first, which trades are involved at each stage, and what depends on approvals, materials or third parties.
Selections and supply
Ask what you are expected to select and by when, what the builder supplies versus what you supply, and how changes to selections are documented and priced.
Compare like with like
Make each renovation proposal answer the same six questions
A total is only comparable when the scope, allowances, site management and payment terms behind it are visible.
1
Scope and referenced documents
The rooms and work included, the drawings or specifications the price is based on, and any assumptions that still need confirmation.
2
Inclusions and exclusions
What is supplied, installed and finished by the builder, and what is explicitly out of scope or by others.
3
Allowances
Every prime-cost item and provisional sum, the amount allowed, and the process when actual costs differ.
4
Site management
Protection of the home, dust and waste management, site amenities, working hours and how occupants are accommodated.
5
Approvals and compliance
Responsibility for approvals, certification, inspections and compliance documentation, and which certificates you receive at completion.
6
Payments, variations and defects
The payment schedule against stages, the written variation process, warranty responsibilities and how defects are handled after completion.
Provider due diligence
Check the builder against the actual job
Marketplace eligibility is not proof of a builder licence, insurance policy or capability for your project. Verify the evidence that matters before hiring.
Identity and licensing
Confirm the contracting entity and ABN, then check the licence or registration requirements for the work value and type in your state or territory.
Insurance evidence
Ask what insurance applies to the work, including any home building compensation or warranty insurance requirements in your jurisdiction, and request current evidence.
Relevant examples
Ask for examples of comparable renovations, ideally with owners you can speak to, rather than a general portfolio.
Subcontracting and supervision
Ask who manages the site day to day, which trades are subcontracted and how their work is checked.
Written variations
Require scope, selection and price changes to be documented and agreed in writing before the work proceeds.
Completion and handover
Agree how completion is defined, what documentation is handed over, and how post-completion defects are reported and fixed.
How it works
Request supplier matches in three simple steps
Requesting supplier matches is free and does not obligate you to hire.
1
Tell Us What You Need
Share details about your renovation needs using the request form.
2
Look for Supplier Matches
We look for up to 3 eligible renovation builders based on service fit, coverage and current availability.
3
Compare Any Responses
Compare any responses you receive, including scope, price, timing and supplier terms. You decide whether to proceed.
Authority directory
Starting points, not a national rulebook
Each source has a stated role and limit. Use the council, consumer body and licence register relevant to the property and proposed work.
NSW Government
Building or renovating a home
A New South Wales starting point covering approvals, contracts, licensing checks and consumer protections for home building work.
Limit: New South Wales only. Other states and territories have different legislation, thresholds and consumer bodies.
Open source page (opens in a new tab)Asbestos and Silica Safety and Eradication Agency
Householders and home renovators
Australian Government guidance on asbestos in homes built or renovated before 1990 and what to do before disturbing materials.
Limit: Identification requires testing. State and territory rules govern assessment and removal; this page does not replace a licensed assessment.
Open source page (opens in a new tab)YourHome (Australian Government)
Getting started
Federal guidance on planning, designing and briefing a home project, including renovation decisions and working with professionals.
Limit: Design and sustainability guidance. It does not cover approvals, licensing or contract rules for your jurisdiction.
Open source page (opens in a new tab)
Get up to 3 free renovation quotes for your property
Requesting quotes is free for homeowners, and a request may be sent to up to three eligible suppliers, subject to service-area and supplier availability. Share the rooms in scope, the outcomes you want and any known approval or asbestos questions. Builders may still need to inspect the home before proposing a scope.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Clear answers to the questions homeowners usually ask before comparing quotes.
1 Do I need council approval for a renovation?
Do I need council approval for a renovation?
It depends on the scope, the property and the planning controls that apply to the exact address. Some internal work is treated differently from structural changes, extensions or work on heritage or strata properties. Check with the responsible council or a certifier before assuming a general rule applies.
2 What should a renovation quote include?
What should a renovation quote include?
Compare the scope and referenced drawings, inclusions and exclusions, every allowance and provisional sum, site management arrangements, responsibility for approvals and certification, the payment schedule, the written variation process and how defects are handled after completion.
3 What are provisional sums and prime-cost allowances?
What are provisional sums and prime-cost allowances?
They are estimates in a quote for items not yet finally selected or priced, such as tapware or excavation conditions. Ask which parts of your proposal are fixed and which are allowances, how each was estimated, and how differences are handled when actual costs are known.
4 Could my home contain asbestos?
Could my home contain asbestos?
Homes built or renovated before 1990 may contain asbestos in walls, floors, eaves and wet areas. Do not cut, drill or sand suspect material. Arrange an appropriate assessment before demolition or strip-out, and treat any removal as a separate licensed scope.
5 Can I live in my home during the renovation?
Can I live in my home during the renovation?
That depends on the rooms in scope, whether water, power and sanitation stay connected, dust and safety controls, and the staging of the work. Discuss living arrangements with builders during quoting so proposals reflect the same assumptions.
6 Should I renovate or rebuild?
Should I renovate or rebuild?
That is a design, budget and property question rather than a rule. The condition of the existing structure, the extent of change you want, planning controls and comparative proposals all matter. Independent design or building advice against your specific property is more useful than a general threshold.
7 How much should I pay upfront?
How much should I pay upfront?
Deposits and staged payments for home building work are regulated differently by state and territory, and requirements can depend on the contract value. Check the rules for your jurisdiction, pay against a written contract and keep the payment schedule tied to completed stages.
8 How does The Wombat renovation request work?
How does The Wombat renovation request work?
Requesting a supplier match is free for homeowners. A request may be sent to up to three eligible suppliers, subject to service-area and supplier availability. Supplier availability and quote outcomes vary, and you should independently verify the provider and written scope before hiring.
Not sure how to choose between the builders who quote? Our national guide covers licence checks, insurance evidence and contract basics: How to hire a tradie in Australia. Weighing up doing parts yourself? See where the DIY line actually sits.
Expert resources
View all guides
Our Renovation Guides
Free guides to help you plan, budget and compare renovation projects for your property
Kitchen Renovation Cost Guide 2026
Cost structure and pricing factors for kitchen renovations in Australia
Read guide
Bathroom Renovation Cost Guide 2026
Cost structure and pricing factors for bathroom renovations
Read guide
Kitchen vs Bathroom: Which to Renovate First
How to prioritise renovation projects against budget and disruption
Read guide
Council Approval for Renovations
How approval pathways work and when renovations need consent
Read guide Related services
Plan the project scope together
Compare related quotes for kitchens, bathrooms, extensions and demolition scope.
Kitchen Renovation
Compare quotes for a dedicated kitchen project.
- Cabinetry and benchtops
- Appliance planning
- Trade coordination
Get Quotes
Bathroom Renovation
Compare quotes for a dedicated bathroom project.
- Waterproofing scope
- Fixture selection
- Compliance documentation
Get Quotes
Second Storey Extension
Plan a larger structural addition as its own project.
- Structural planning
- Design coordination
- Approval questions
Get Quotes
Demolition Services
Plan strip-out or demolition as a separate scope where needed.
- Strip-out scope
- Suspect-material checks
- Site clearance
Get Quotes
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