Define the specialism and work scope precisely
Specialist subcontracting can include fire protection, scaffolding, demolition, asbestos work, roofing, concrete cutting, post-tensioning, industrial coatings, access systems, structural work, fit-out, waterproofing, and other technical services. The regulatory path can involve building, trade, high-risk-work, safety, environmental, engineering, certification, and principal-contractor requirements.
List each activity, jurisdiction, customer sector, contract form, credential, responsible person, major hazard, and subcontracted element. Do not infer licence coverage from the company name or a general building credential.
Map licensing and building regulation by jurisdiction
| Jurisdiction | Primary entry point | Seller diligence focus |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | NSW licences and credentials | Exact trade, specialist, contractor, certifier, and safety credentials, including who holds them and the approved work scope. |
| Victoria | Energy Safe Victoria and Building and Plumbing Commission | Separate electrical, plumbing, gas, building, and practitioner pathways. Check individual and business coverage. |
| Queensland | Queensland electrical licences and QBCC licences | Separate electrical and QBCC pathways, including plumbing, drainage, fire protection, building, and certifier classes where relevant. |
| Western Australia | Building and Energy | Electrical, plumbing, gas, building-services, provider, and board requirements for the work and business model. |
| South Australia | Consumer and Business Services | Contractor, worker, building, plumbing, gas, electrical, and occupational authority for each service performed. |
| Tasmania | Consumer, Building and Occupational Services | Practitioner, contractor, building-services, electrical, plumbing, gas, and specialist-work coverage. |
| Australian Capital Territory | Access Canberra occupational licences | Construction occupation, electrical, plumbing, gasfitting, inspection, business, and endorsement requirements. |
| Northern Territory | NT WorkSafe and Building Practitioners Board | Electrical, high-risk, building-practitioner, plumbing, drainage, certifier, and contractor pathways. |
This table identifies official entry points, not a complete licence determination. For every operating location, confirm the service, work scope, credential holder, business or nominee requirement, supervision, expiry, mutual-recognition position, and effect of a share or asset sale.
Test contract economics and cash exposure
- head contract, subcontract, purchase order, scope, exclusions, programme, and access assumptions
- variations, extensions, delay exposure, liquidated damages, set-off, security, and termination
- progress claims, payment schedules, retentions, bank guarantees, disputed amounts, and debtor ageing
- work in progress, cost to complete, productivity, rework, defects, warranties, and claims
- customer, builder, project, sector, geography, and estimator concentration
Backlog and framework status are not guaranteed earnings. A buyer will test legal rights, historic conversion, margin quality, delivery capacity, cash requirements, and downside cases.
Prove safety and technical capability
Safe Work Australia develops national policy and model WHS laws, but jurisdictional regulators enforce workplace duties. Prepare governance, risk assessments, safe-work methods, consultation, inductions, competency, high-risk-work licences, plant records, incidents, investigations, notices, subcontractor controls, and corrective actions.
Where work relies on a named engineer, supervisor, certifier, licence holder, project manager, estimator, or customer-approved person, show the authority, availability, employment status, succession path, and work they alone can approve.
Prepare equipment, insurance, and claims evidence
- ownership, finance, maintenance, inspection, certification, utilisation, and replacement of specialist plant
- public liability, professional indemnity where applicable, contract works, motor, workers compensation, and claims history
- defects, warranties, latent exposure, regulator matters, customer disputes, and legal claims
- supplier and subcontractor agreements, single-source dependencies, and competency evidence
- systems for estimating, project control, document retention, quality, and completion records
Assess transferability and buyer fit
Test whether management can price, win, plan, supervise, certify, complete, collect, and resolve work without the owner. Then compare buyers on funding, conditions, licence continuity, people, equipment, working capital, operating plans, and seller transition.
Use the Australian seller diligence checklist and buyer scorecard. No buyer label determines price, speed, employee outcomes, brand, or completion certainty.
Official Australian resources
- Safe Work Australia: Law and regulation
- Australian Building Codes Board: National Construction Code
- business.gov.au: Sell your business
- business.gov.au: Value your business
- NSW Government: Licences and credentials
- Energy Safe Victoria: Licensing
- Victoria Building and Plumbing Commission
- Queensland: Electrical licences
- Queensland Building and Construction Commission: Licences
- Western Australia Building and Energy
- South Australia Consumer and Business Services: Licensing
- Tasmania Consumer, Building and Occupational Services: Licensing
- Access Canberra: Occupational licences
- NT WorkSafe: Licensing and registration
- Northern Territory Building Practitioners Board