CONSTRUCTION LAWYERS
For Builders, Contractors & Trades
Specialised legal support for construction businesses across the Gold Coast and Brisbane. Contractor agreements, QBCC compliance, PPSR registrations and security of payment, built to keep your projects moving.
BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION LAWYERS FOR GOLD COAST AND BRISBANE BUSINESSES
The construction industry runs on tight margins, moving deadlines and a long chain of people who all need to be paid. Unclear payment terms, unregistered plant and equipment, and regulatory obligations that are easy to overlook can expose your business, your gear and your reputation on a single bad job.
The right legal foundations change that. Well-drafted contractor and subcontractor agreements set expectations before the first slab is poured, PPSR registrations protect the equipment your business depends on, and staying on top of QBCC licensing and financial reporting keeps you on the tools.
New Wave Law’s construction lawyers specialise in QBCC compliance and construction law. We work with builders, subcontractors and trades across the Gold Coast and Brisbane to put practical, plain-English protections in place, so you spend less time worrying about disputes and more time building.
WHO WE WORK WITH IN CONSTRUCTION
From sole-trader tradies to established building companies, we tailor our advice to how your business actually operates, on site and off it.
Residential and commercial builders juggling multiple subcontractors, progress claims and client contracts. We help you run compliant contracts, respond to payment claims correctly and keep your QBCC licence in good standing.
Electricians, plumbers, carpenters and specialist trades working under head contractors. We review the subcontract before you sign, make sure your payment terms are enforceable and explain the statutory payment process when invoices stall.
Businesses commissioning building work who need the construction contract, the variation procedure and the defects process in writing before anyone starts on site. We draft the documents so they match what was actually agreed.
Building suppliers and plant-hire businesses that hand over materials or machinery before they are paid. PPSR registrations and clear supply terms protect your interest if a customer cannot pay.
LEGAL CHALLENGES IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
Most construction disputes trace back to a handful of avoidable gaps. These are the ones we see most often.
Progress claims, variations and retention get argued about because the contract never spelled them out. Without clear payment terms and timelines, a slow payer becomes a dispute, and a dispute quickly becomes a cash-flow problem for the whole job.
High-value machinery, vehicles and tools that are not registered on the PPSR can be caught up in a customer's or hirer's insolvency. That was the position one construction business was in before we registered its equipment and put asset protection agreements in place.
Licensed contractors must meet the QBCC's Minimum Financial Requirements and, depending on turnover category, lodge annual financial information. Let the licence or the reporting lapse and you cannot lawfully take on the work you rely on.
Site labour is often engaged as contractors when the law would treat those people as employees. Misclassification under the Fair Work Act carries wage, superannuation and tax consequences that surface long after the job is finished.
Scope changes agreed over the phone and defects raised months later are the classic triggers for a fight. A contract that sets out how variations are approved, how delays are notified and how defects are handled removes the argument before it starts.
HOW WE HELP CONSTRUCTION BUSINESSES
Every engagement starts with how your business actually works. These are the services construction clients use most.
Drafting and reviewing head contracts and subcontracts with clearly defined payment terms, timelines, variation procedures and dispute resolution clauses.
Separating the operating entity from the assets it relies on, so a problem on one project does not put your equipment, property or family at risk.
Registering your interest in plant, vehicles and equipment on the Personal Property Securities Register, and documenting commercial loan agreements properly.
Employment contracts and independent contractor agreements for site and office staff that reflect how people are genuinely engaged.
Reviewing and negotiating leases for depots, yards, workshops and offices before you commit to the term.
Due diligence, sale agreements and a clean handover when you acquire another operator or sell your own business.
Planning who takes over the business, the licence and the assets when the founder steps back.
Book a free 15-minute consultation with our construction lawyers and tell us what is sitting on your desk right now.
CONSTRUCTION REGULATION IN QUEENSLAND
Queensland’s building industry is closely regulated. These are the frameworks that touch almost every construction business we advise.
Building work valued over $3,300 generally requires a QBCC licence, and some work such as plumbing, gas fitting and fire protection needs one at any value. Contractor licensees must also meet the Minimum Financial Requirements, with annual financial reporting for the higher-turnover categories.
The Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act 2017 gives contractors and subcontractors a statutory path to payment: payment claims, payment schedules and rapid adjudication when a claim is disputed. Head contractors must also provide a supporting statement about subcontractor payments with each payment claim.
Registering equipment and assets on the Personal Property Securities Register records your interest in them and protects your ownership against third-party claims. For plant-heavy businesses working on other people’s sites, it is one of the most cost-effective protections available.
Domestic building work priced over $3,300 must be under a written contract that complies with Schedule 1B of the QBCC Act. For contracts of $20,000 or more the owner must receive the QBCC Consumer Building Guide before signing, and a signed copy of the contract within five business days.
Case Studies
Two matters that show how the right documents change the outcome for a construction business.
Protecting a Construction Business from Contractor Disputes
How we helped resolve a contractor agreement issue
A Gold Coast builder faced disputes with contractors over unclear payment terms and delays.
New Wave Law reviewed and updated their contractor agreements, clearly defining payment terms, timelines, and dispute resolution clauses.
The business reduced disputes by 80% and streamlined contractor relationships, saving time and legal fees.
Securing Assets for a Growing Construction Business
Safeguarding equipment and assets with PPSR registrations
A construction business with high-value machinery was exposed to creditor claims due to unregistered assets.
New Wave Law registered their equipment on the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) and drafted asset protection agreements.
The business secured its assets, protecting them from potential third-party claims and improving financial stability.
WHY CHOOSE NEW WAVE LAW FOR YOUR CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS
We understand the construction industry’s unique pressures. Here is what sets our team apart.
Fixed fees and upfront quotes, so you know the cost before we start and there are no surprises on the invoice.
Specialists in QBCC compliance and construction law, with advice built for how the Queensland building industry actually operates.
Contractor agreements with clearly defined payment terms, timelines and dispute resolution clauses, written to stop arguments before they begin.
PPSR registrations and asset protection agreements that safeguard your personal and business assets from the outset.
Legal advice that connects with financial planning, insurance, accounting and marketing under the New Wave Group, which matters when a structuring or asset-protection decision has tax and insurance consequences.
What Our Clients Say About Us
FAQs About Construction Legal Services
What legal challenges do construction businesses face?
The recurring ones are payment and exposure. Payment problems come from progress claims, variations and retention that were never clearly agreed. Exposure comes from equipment that is not registered on the PPSR, or a business structure that leaves personal assets on the line. Add QBCC licensing and financial reporting, worker classification and the occasional contract dispute, and it is a long list for an owner to manage alone.
What do your construction legal services include?
Drafting and reviewing head contracts and subcontracts, PPSR registrations and asset protection agreements, business structuring, employment and contractor agreements, commercial leases for yards and workshops, and advice on QBCC compliance. We also help construction businesses buy, sell and plan succession. Everything links back to the same goal: fewer disputes and a business that is protected.
What is a PPSR registration and why does it matter for builders?
A PPSR registration records your interest in equipment and assets on the Personal Property Securities Register. If a customer or hirer runs into financial trouble, a registered interest gives you a documented claim to your machinery instead of an argument. For construction businesses with expensive plant sitting on other people’s sites, it is a small step that prevents a very large loss.
Can you help with QBCC compliance?
Yes. We advise on licensing questions, the Minimum Financial Requirements and what has to be reported to the QBCC each year, and we make sure the contracts you use comply with Schedule 1B of the QBCC Act where domestic building work is involved. Compliance is easier to maintain than to recover, so we build it into the documents from day one.
How do I make sure I get paid on a construction job?
Start with the contract: clear payment terms, timelines and an agreed variation process remove most of the reasons an invoice gets questioned. Queensland’s Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act 2017 then gives you a statutory process of payment claims, payment schedules and adjudication if a payment still stalls. We draft contracts that work with that process rather than against it.
How much do construction legal services cost?
We work on fixed fees and upfront quotes wherever we can, so you know the cost before work begins. Every matter is scoped and quoted up front rather than billed by surprise. The best place to start is a free 15-minute consultation, where we will talk through what is involved and what it is likely to cost.
Related Resources
Guides and case studies from our team for construction business owners.
The legal tests that decide whether your site labour are contractors or employees, and the risks of getting it wrong.
What an employment contract must include under Australian law, from your first hire onward.
How a construction business used commercial loan agreements and PPSR registrations to protect its assets.
BUILD A STRONG LEGAL FOUNDATION FOR YOUR CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS
Work with construction lawyers who understand your industry. Book a free initial consultation and tell us what you are building.