The best builders in Hobart
Three separate lists of Hobart builders, each checked against the Tasmanian licence register, and no builder pays to be on them. Unlike the mainland states, Tasmania has no home warranty insurance scheme in force, so checking the builder matters even more here.
- Regulator (from 1 Oct 2026)
- Building Standards Tasmania
- House builder licence
- Builder Domestic or higher
- Home warranty insurance
- None in force
- Maximum deposit, $50,000+
- 5%
- Average new house cost (TAS)
- $2,538 per sqm
Choose the kind of builder you need
Each list is researched separately, so a great renovation builder isn't padded onto the new home list.
Renovation builders in Hobart
Extensions, second storeys, raise and build under, and whole-house renovations.
See all 5New home builders in Hobart
Custom and project homes, knockdown rebuilds and builds on tricky blocks.
See all 5Commercial builders in Hobart
Fitouts, retail, medical, industrial and small multi-residential projects.
See all 5What building costs in Hobart
Construction costs only. None of these figures include land.
| Project | Indicative cost | What the figure is |
|---|---|---|
| Ground floor extension | $2,000 to $4,000 per sqm | National consumer guide (indicative). A Hobart guide puts it at $2,500 to $5,000 per sqm including GST. |
| Second storey addition | $200,000 to $450,000 | National consumer guide, typical total. Indicative. |
| Kitchen renovation, mid-range | $22,500 to $40,500 | Hobart consumer guide, typically $31,500. Includes GST. |
| Bathroom renovation, mid-range | $18,000 to $31,500 | Hobart consumer guide, typically $24,300. Includes GST. |
| New house, average | $2,538 per sqm | Tasmanian average for new detached houses in 2024-25 (ABS data). Statewide. |
| New house, custom or architectural | $2,700 to $6,900 per sqm | RLB Melbourne rate, used because RLB publishes no Tasmanian figures. Indicative only. |
| Office fitout | $1,440 to $5,500 per sqm | RLB Melbourne rate, used as the nearest comparable market. Indicative only. |
| Warehouse or industrial | $1,160 to $1,740 per sqm | RLB Melbourne rate, used as the nearest comparable market. Indicative only. |
Tasmania's average new house cost of $2,538 per sqm is the highest state figure on this site, ahead of NSW. Hobart's kitchen and bathroom estimates are the lowest of the cities we cover, though. Quantity surveyors RLB don't publish Tasmanian rates, so the custom home and commercial rows use Melbourne figures as a guide only.
Consumer guide figures are indicative. RLB rates exclude GST, land, site works and professional fees.
Compare renovation builders in Hobart, new home builders in Hobart and commercial builders in Hobart, or read our building costs guide.
Who regulates builders in Tasmania now
CBOS is gone as of 1 October 2026.
From 1 October 2026, Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS) has transitioned to two agencies: Building Standards Tasmania and Consumer Affairs Tasmania. The Tasmanian Government says any reference to CBOS should now be read as the matching function in the new agencies.
In practice, building rules and consumer building information sit with Building Standards Tasmania, while Consumer Affairs Tasmania handles licence questions. Old CBOS links and documents still turn up, so don't be thrown if you see the old name.
Approvals in Hobart
For permit building work, you engage a building surveyor, who issues a certificate of likely compliance. The council's permit authority then issues the building permit. Some projects also need planning approval from council first.
The City of Hobart is the council for the city itself. If you're in another part of greater Hobart, check which council your property falls in before you lodge anything.
No home warranty insurance: what protects you instead
Tasmania has no home warranty insurance scheme in force. Parliament passed the Residential Building (Home Warranty Insurance Amendments) Act 2023, but the authorised Building Act reprint (as at 5 June 2026) still lists it as not commenced. If your builder goes broke mid-job, there is no insurer to step in.
What you do have:
- Statutory warranties that last 6 years from practical completion and pass to later owners.
- Written contracts for residential work of $20,000 or more, and the builder must give you the Residential Building Consumer Guide before you sign.
- Deposit caps: 10% for contracts of $20,000 to under $50,000, and 5% for $50,000 or more (20% if off-site work is more than half the price).
- Cooling-off of 5 business days. Getting legal advice before signing ends that right. If you weren't given the Consumer Guide, you can withdraw within 7 days of finding out.
- Disputes: free advice from the regulator, then mediation with the Director of Building Control, then the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (TASCAT).
With no insurance backstop, keep payments tied to finished stages and never pay ahead of the work. Our home warranty insurance guide explains how cover works in other states, and our questions to ask a builder are worth working through before you sign.
Checking a Tasmanian builder's licence
Search the occupational licensing register
Select the Builder category and search by name or licence number. Tasmanian occupational licensing search
No result means unlicensed
The register only shows current licence holders. If the builder doesn't appear, treat them as unlicensed until they show you otherwise.
Check the class and subclass
For a house you want the Builder (General Construction) class with the Domestic subclass or higher (Low Rise, Medium Rise or Open). A Demolisher licence can't do new building work.
Match the contract
The licence details written into the contract should match the register exactly. Building Standards Tasmania: find a licensed tradesperson
Building in Hobart: common questions
How much does it cost to build a house in Hobart?
The Tasmanian average for a new detached house in 2024-25 was $2,538 per square metre (ABS data), before land. No Hobart only figure is published.
Is home warranty insurance required in Tasmania?
No. Tasmania has no home warranty insurance scheme in force. A 2023 Act to bring it back has passed but has not commenced. Owners rely on statutory warranties, which last 6 years from practical completion.
What happened to CBOS?
From 1 October 2026, CBOS transitioned to Building Standards Tasmania and Consumer Affairs Tasmania. References to CBOS should be read as the matching function in the new agencies.
What is the maximum deposit a builder can ask for in Tasmania?
10% for contracts of $20,000 to under $50,000, and 5% for $50,000 or more. Up to 20% is allowed where off-site work is more than half the price.
Is there a cooling-off period on a building contract in Tasmania?
Yes, at least 5 business days. Getting legal advice before signing removes it. If the builder didn't give you the Residential Building Consumer Guide, you can withdraw within 7 days of becoming aware of that.
Who issues building permits in Hobart?
The council's permit authority, after your building surveyor issues a certificate of likely compliance. Planning approval may also be needed.
Ready to talk to builders?
One form, up to three builders that suit your project.
Sources
- Tasmanian occupational licensing search
- Building Standards Tasmania: Find a licensed tradesperson
- Building Standards Tasmania: Consumer building information
- Consumer Affairs Tasmania: Builder licence
- Residential Building Consumer Guide, July 2024 (PDF)
- Building Standards Tasmania: Resolving a building dispute
- Building Act 2016 (Tas), authorised version as at 5 June 2026 (PDF)
- Residential Building (Home Warranty Insurance Amendments) Act 2023 (Tas)
- Residential Building Work Contracts and Dispute Resolution Act 2016 (Tas) (PDF)
- City of Hobart
- Master Builders NSW: The cost of constructing Australian homes (ABS data, 2024-25)
- RLB Riders Digest 2026, Melbourne
- hipages: How much do house extensions cost?
- hipages: How much does a second storey addition cost?
- What's The Damage: Kitchen renovation cost Hobart
- What's The Damage: Bathroom renovation cost Hobart