When dealing with Perth homeowners who are renovating kitchens, we hear concerns about knowing who to trust. In some cases people have already had poo experiences dealing with other providers. When working directly with our customers we ensure we meet all legal and regulatory obligations when renovating a kitchen. Whilst we don’t anticipate any issues if you work with us as we guarantee our work, there are three things you should know if you are renovating a kitchen and dealing with cabinet makers, in the event of a dispute.
1. Any building renovation work between $7,500 and $500,000 in value falls under the jurisdiction of the Home Building Contracts Act (1991). This includes built-in cabinet work such as kitchens, bathrooms and laundries. Under the Act, your cabinet maker must provide you with a written contract and a “Notice for the Home Owner”. The “Notice for the Home Owner” provides information about the Home Building Contracts Act (1991) and outlines the responsibilities of each party to the contract.
2. Under the Home Building Contracts Act the maximum deposit that the cabinet maker can ask for is 6.5% on signing of the contract.
3. In the event of a dispute with a non-member business the WA Building Commission may require you to provide an expert report on the work before proceeding with your complaint (if the contract value of the work is between$7,500 and $500,000). This may also apply with disputes in the Local Court (under $7,500 in value).
What if I am building a new home?
Some builders are happy for customers to source their own cabinet work on new homes or renovation projects. Other builders will try to discourage you from contracting your own work. Whichever way you go the CMA strongly urges you to use a CMA member, or contract a builder whose cabinet maker is a CMA member. This way all the cabinet work is covered by the CMA’s dispute resolution process.
