Why is Queenstown harder to book than Dunedin?
Demand and housing: the Lakes have more work than trades most of the year, and many businesses are quoting weeks out. Putting your dates and flexibility in the request is what gets a usable answer rather than silence.
Do I need a Licensed Building Practitioner?
For restricted building work, which covers most structural jobs and weathertightness, yes. Smaller work such as a low deck or a fence often does not need one. Describe the job and the builders who reply will tell you which it is.
Will I need a building consent?
Often, and it depends on your council as well as the work. A good builder will tell you at quoting stage and many will handle the consent for you. It is worth asking who is responsible for it before you accept a price.
How many quotes should I get?
Three is the usual advice, and the reason is spread rather than luck: on larger jobs the gap between quotes is frequently thousands. NovaPay asks several builders at once so getting three is not three separate errands.
How do progress payments work?
Larger builds are usually paid in stages rather than all at the end. Each stage is a separate payment you approve in NovaPay when that part of the work is done, and the money goes straight to the builder.