Most demolition projects go smoothly. The ones that don't almost always trace back to the contractor selection — wrong skill set, missing licence, weak insurance, vague quote, or just the wrong fit for the project. The ten questions below separate genuine demolition specialists from the ones who should be doing something else. The right answers tell you who to hire; the wrong ones tell you who to walk away from.
1. "Are you licensed for this work, and can I see the licence number?"
Demolition contractors in Victoria need building practitioner registration through the Victorian Building Authority. Asbestos removalists need a separate Class A or Class B licence through WorkSafe Victoria. The licence numbers should be on the truck, the website, and every piece of paperwork.
Right answer: Specific licence number(s) provided immediately, and you can verify them on the VBA or WorkSafe websites in 30 seconds.
Wrong answer: "We've been doing this for years, you can trust us." Walk away.
2. "What's your public liability insurance, and can I see the certificate?"
Public liability cover should be a minimum of $20 million for residential demolition. Higher for commercial. The certificate of currency should be available on request and current — not from two years ago.
Right answer: Certificate emailed to you within an hour, in your name as a beneficiary if requested.
Wrong answer: "Sure, sure" with no follow-up. Walk away.
3. "Can I see three recent jobs of similar type, with reference contacts?"
Specifics matter. "Recent residential work" means projects in the last 12 months for residential. "Heritage demolition experience" should come with addresses and homeowner contacts willing to talk. Photos are evidence, but a quick call to a previous customer is the real test.
Right answer: Three addresses, three contact names, and the contacts answer when you call.
Wrong answer: Generic photos of generic jobs, no references provided.
4. "Will you walk the site before quoting?"
A real quote is built from a site walk. Phone quotes for residential demolition are guesses with margin baked in for the unknowns. Site walk detail here.
Right answer: "Yes, when works for you?"
Wrong answer: "Send me a few photos and I'll quote you." Walk away.
5. "How are you handling asbestos?"
Specific answer expected. The contractor should know whether they hold the asbestos licence themselves or sub-contract to a licensed removalist. They should explain what survey will be done, who does it, and how the removal cost is included in the quote. Asbestos detail.
Right answer: "We engage a licensed assessor for the survey, then either remove ourselves with our Class B licence or engage a Class A specialist depending on what's found. Cost is in the quote based on the survey results."
Wrong answer: "There's probably no asbestos." Walk away.
6. "What's included and excluded from the quote?"
The right contractor has a written list of inclusions and exclusions. Permits, asbestos, asset protection bond, service disconnection coordination, hoarding, dust suppression, final clearance — every item is either in or out, in writing. Vagueness is where variations grow. Hidden cost detail.
Right answer: A formal quote document with numbered inclusions and exclusions.
Wrong answer: "It's all included, mate." That's not how contracts work.
7. "Who is the named site supervisor?"
The site supervisor is the competent person in charge of the works on the day. They have to be on site during demolition, qualified for the work, and have authority to stop unsafe activity. WorkSafe rules detail.
Right answer: A specific person named, with their qualifications.
Wrong answer: "Don't worry, we always have someone there." That's not a name.
8. "What's your equipment, and is it owned or hired?"
Owned equipment generally means more reliable scheduling and less mid-job sub-contractor swap-outs. Hired equipment isn't bad, but it can mean the contractor doesn't have continuous access to the right machine for your job — and on a tight programme, the wrong day to discover that.
Right answer: Specific list of owned machines, with hire arrangements named for any specialised equipment.
Wrong answer: "We'll bring whatever we need." That's not an answer.
9. "What's the payment schedule, and what triggers each stage?"
A reasonable payment schedule for residential demolition might be 10% deposit on signing, 40% at site setup / start of works, 40% at structural demolition complete, 10% on final handover. The triggers should be objective and verifiable — not "when we say so."
Right answer: Numbered stages with clear triggers, set out in the contract.
Wrong answer: "Cash up front." Run, don't walk.
Legitimate demolition contractors invoice properly and accept bank transfer. Cash discounts are usually a tax issue for the contractor, and they shift the legal protection of a documented transaction off the homeowner. More red flags here.
10. "Can I see your draft contract before I commit?"
The contract — not just the quote — should be available for review before you sign. A standard small-works construction contract or a tailored demolition contract is fine. Verbal agreements with no contract are not fine, even for small jobs.
Right answer: Standard contract emailed for review, with willingness to discuss terms.
Wrong answer: "We don't need a written contract for this." Walk away.
The pattern in the right answers
A good contractor expects these questions. They have the answers ready. They give specifics, not generalities. They provide documentation. They speak about their process with calm familiarity, because they've done it many times before. They aren't defensive when you ask, because they have nothing to be defensive about.
A bad contractor finds the questions annoying. They give vague answers. They promise to "send things later." They get pushy on price and try to close you on the spot. They imply the questions are insulting.
The questions themselves are the test. The answers are the evidence.
The cheapest quote vs the right contractor
The cheapest quote isn't always wrong. Sometimes a smaller contractor is genuinely competitive because their overhead is lower. The questions above let you tell the difference between a cheap quote from a competent contractor and a cheap quote from someone you should not hire.
If two contractors give similar answers but one is meaningfully cheaper, ask the cheaper one why. Sometimes there's a good reason (their truck depot is closer, they're between bigger jobs, they want a referral in your suburb). Sometimes the gap reveals scope they didn't include. Spotting scope gaps.
The five-minute filter
If you only had five minutes for a contractor phone call, ask three things: licence number, public liability cover amount, and whether they walk the site before quoting. Those three answers filter out roughly 80% of bad fits. Use the remaining seven for the contractors who pass the first three.
The right fit goes both ways
The right contractor will also be assessing you. They want clear scope, decisions made promptly, payment on time, and reasonable expectations. The conversation should feel like a professional engagement, not a transaction. If both sides are comfortable, the project will run smoothly.
