By Sergio Olea, owner of Monkeys Roofing and qualified roof plumber (Certificate III in Roof Plumbing). Published 5 November 2026. Last checked 5 November 2026.
You have two or three quotes for roof work on your Inner West home and the numbers are far apart. One roofer wants a large deposit up front, another sends a one-line quote by text message, and you are not sure what you are entitled to ask for. In NSW the answer is not a matter of opinion: the rules for licences, contracts, deposits and insurance are set out by the NSW Government, and most of them depend on one number, the price of the job.
Does my roofer need a licence for this job?
If the job is worth more than $5,000 including GST in labour and materials, yes. NSW requires a contractor licence for residential building work above that amount. Below $5,000 a general roofing job does not need one, but specialist work such as plumbing, drainage, electrical wiring and gasfitting needs a licence at any price. You can check any licence yourself with the NSW Government online licence check.
The check shows whether the licence is current and what class of work it covers. That second part matters. A licence for one type of work does not cover everything, so compare the class shown on the register with the work in the quote. If your roof job includes new downpipes connected to the stormwater system, that drainage component is specialist work and the person doing it must hold the right licence, whatever the total.
When do I need a written contract?
Any residential building work priced over $5,000 including GST needs a written contract. If the price is not fixed, the rule still applies when the reasonable market cost of labour and materials is over $5,000. Jobs between $5,000 and $20,000 need a small job contract. Jobs over $20,000 need a large job contract, which is far more detailed. A text message with a figure is not a contract.
A small job contract is short, but it is not optional. It must be dated and signed by both parties, and it must include:
- the names of the parties, including the licence holder’s name exactly as it appears on the contractor licence;
- the contractor licence number;
- a description of the work and any plans or specifications;
- the contract price, if it is known;
- a clause stating the work will comply with the Building Code of Australia and any relevant development consent.
The name and licence number are the two items worth checking against the register before you sign. Once signed, the contractor must give you a copy within five business days. The same written detail is worth asking for on smaller jobs too: a quote for roof repair in the Inner West that lists each tile, flashing or ridge section being fixed is easier to check than a single total.
How much deposit can a roofer ask for?
No more than 10% of the contract price. That limit applies to residential building contracts in NSW. If a roofer asks for 30% or 50% before starting, that request is outside the rules. After the deposit, progress payments should match work actually completed, not days on the job or materials ordered but not yet installed.
In practice that means one dollar in ten up front, at most. Payment stages written into the contract should line up with visible milestones, for example after the roof is cleaned and repaired, then after coating, then on completion. If the contract ties payments to dates instead of finished work, ask for it to be changed before you sign.
What changes when the job is over $20,000?
Three things. The contractor must hold Home Building Compensation cover and give you the certificate before you pay the deposit. You get a cooling-off period of five clear business days after receiving the contract. And the large job contract must include a checklist of 17 items for you to review. Do not pay anything until you have checked the insurance certificate is valid.
You can confirm the certificate with the insurer named on it or with the HBC Check tool on the Service NSW website. Home Building Compensation cover was formerly called home warranty insurance, so an older contractor may still use that name. If a quote for major roof work comes in above $20,000, ask for the certificate at the same time as the contract, not after.
What if problems show up after the job is finished?
NSW law gives you statutory warranties whether or not they are written in the contract. They last six years for major defects and two years for all other defects, starting from the date the work was completed. The work must be done with due care and skill, follow the contract’s plans and specifications, and use materials that are suitable and new unless agreed otherwise.
This is why the description of work in the contract matters. If it says “repair roof”, it is hard to show later that something was missed. If it says “replace 14 cracked tiles on the rear hip, re-bed and repoint ridge capping on the main roof, replace the box gutter outlet”, you have a clear record. The same applies to gutters: a quote for gutter repairs in the Inner West should list the lengths, joints and outlets being replaced, not just a total.
The short version
- Over $5,000 including GST: the roofer needs a contractor licence and you need a written contract with their name and licence number. Check both on the NSW licence register.
- Deposit: never more than 10% of the price. Later payments follow finished work, not time.
- Over $20,000: see and verify the Home Building Compensation certificate before paying anything. You have five clear business days to cool off.
- After the job: six years for major defects, two years for the rest, written in the contract or not.
- Plumbing, drainage or electrical work: needs the right licence at any price.
Sources: NSW Government, Contracts for residential building work; NSW Government, Checking your contractor or tradesperson is qualified.
Get a free quote, written and itemised, for your Inner West roof. We work across the Inner West, including roof repairs in Marrickville, Ashfield and Balmain. See our Inner West roof repair and gutter repair services, or call 0452 223 327.
