The insurance most homeowners never ask about
You check a builder's photos. You read reviews, walk through a finished home and ask about the price. Almost nobody starts by asking how much warranty insurance the builder carries, or what the certificate for their own project will say.
Lambert York has a $20M warranty insurance facility. It is a business-capacity figure, not a promise of a $20M payout if something goes wrong with your house. Understanding that distinction is the useful part of the conversation.
If you are researching builder warranty insurance Victoria requirements, start with the project-specific cover. Ask who issues it, when you receive it and which events allow a claim. Then ask about the builder's facility. Both questions matter, but they answer different things.
What domestic building insurance is
Victorian government guidance requires domestic building insurance for eligible domestic building work costing more than $16,000, generally for projects of three storeys or less. The builder arranges it for the homeowner. Confirm the requirements for your particular work and contract date rather than assuming every residential job has identical obligations.
Domestic building insurance Victoria homeowners commonly call home warranty insurance is a safety net. It can respond to incomplete or defective work if the builder dies, disappears or becomes insolvent. Those are important protections, but the policy is not a guarantee that the insurer will pay for every problem.
Other claim pathways may apply under the relevant policy and scheme, including certain failures to comply with a court or tribunal order. Check the current wording with the issuer. Victorian reforms and the date of your policy can affect the rules; do not rely on an old summary as a substitute for your documents.
Coverage terms, exclusions and limits are set by the applicable scheme and policy. We are not putting a made-up payout limit on your house here. Read the certificate and policy, and ask the issuer to explain anything unclear. Ordinary building obligations and insurance cover are not the same thing.
You should receive the project-specific certificate before work starts. More importantly, do not leave it until then: where DBI is required, ask for and verify it before paying a deposit or any other amount. It must also be in place before the building permit is issued. A promise to organise insurance later is not your certificate.
What a builder's warranty facility is
A builder insurance facility is the capacity approved by the insurer under that builder's eligibility arrangements. In plain English, it concerns how much work the insurer is prepared to back, subject to the facility's terms and the builder's position. Ask whether the quoted figure relates to concurrent work or another defined measure.
It is not a single policy shared equally between every homeowner. Nor does a large facility replace the need to obtain cover for your own address. Builder eligibility and project insurance are separate checks: being eligible to obtain insurance does not prove it has actually been issued for your job.
The insurer's assessment can include the business's financial position and its capacity to carry work. A larger approved facility can reflect that assessment, but the number alone is not an independent guarantee of financial strength, build quality or future performance. Ask what the facility means in practice and whether it is current.
A smaller facility does not automatically make a builder unsuitable. It may suit the size and number of jobs that business undertakes. The relevant question is whether your project fits within the approved arrangements and has its own valid insurance, not whether a builder wins a contest over the biggest headline.
$20M vs $7M vs $2M
Lambert York's confirmed facility is $20M, increased in 2025. The $2–7M range below is a comparison benchmark awaiting confirmation, not a verified survey of boutique builders. We are not making claims about named competitors or stating that most builders carry less without evidence.
| Facility size | What it signals | Typical builder profile |
|---|---|---|
| $20M · Lambert York | Confirmed approved facility; project-specific insurance still required | Lambert York — owner-led new homes, renovations and extensions |
| $7M · illustrative benchmark | A different capacity figure; meaning depends on the approved terms | [CONFIRM: typical boutique-builder profile and supporting data] |
| $2M · illustrative benchmark | Lower stated capacity, not proof of poorer work or invalid insurance | [CONFIRM: typical boutique-builder profile and supporting data] |
Do not read this table as a payout ladder. A homeowner with a $20M-facility builder does not receive $20M of personal cover. Equally, a $2M facility does not mean a homeowner's claim limit is $2M. Individual protection follows the applicable project policy.
Use the comparison to start a practical discussion about capacity and documentation. Then look at the builder's current eligibility, registration, relevant work and proposed contract together. Insurance is one part of choosing a builder, not a replacement for doing the rest of the checks. Our ten questions to ask a builder put insurance alongside scope, communication and aftercare.
5 questions to ask any builder about insurance
1. Can I see the project-specific certificate?
Ask for the certificate for your actual work, not a sample from another address or a general business-insurance document. Public liability insurance is not domestic building insurance. If the builder says DBI is not required, ask for the basis and verify it independently.
2. What can I check before signing and paying?
Before signing, ask how the insurance will be arranged, who issues it and when you will receive the documents. Review any certificate already available. Before paying a deposit or another amount, verify the project-specific cover. Signing a contract and handing over money are separate milestones.
3. Is it issued for my name and address?
Check owner details, the property address and the builder's legal identity. Compare the contract particulars and insured work too. A spelling mistake or mismatched address is worth fixing now. Keep copies somewhere you can access even if the builder is no longer available.
4. What is your current facility, and what does it measure?
Ask for a plain explanation of the approved capacity and any relevant conditions. Do not stop at a dollar figure. Ask how your project is insured within those arrangements, and verify the certificate directly with the issuer using independently sourced contact details.
5. Can I verify your Victorian registration?
Use the Building and Plumbing Commission's public practitioner register, including the service formerly associated with the VBA. Match the legal name, registration number, category and current status to the person or entity contracting with you. Lambert York's registrations are CDB-U 68183 and CCB-U 68182; check that the registration covers the proposed work.
Why Lambert York chose to carry $20M
The confirmed fact is that Lambert York's warranty insurance facility increased to $20M in 2025. Pat's personal explanation belongs in his own words, not a quotation written on his behalf. We will add it once he has approved it.
What we can explain now is how the business works. Pat Pugliese handles quotes, pricing, contracts and client contact. David Filippelli runs the builds on site, coordinating trades, programme and build quality. Both are Founder and Director, and both stand behind the guarantee and warranty.
Knowing who we are helps you ask the right person the right questions. Pat is the pre-contract contact for insurance documents and the scope you are agreeing to. David runs delivery against the programme. Neither role removes the need for clear paperwork and project-specific cover.
Building with confidence
Confidence comes from understanding the agreement, not from a large number printed beside a photograph. Read our explanation of the $20M warranty insurance facility, then ask to see the documents relevant to your own home. If a term is unclear, ask before committing.
Our process puts the scope, selections and programme before contract. Insurance checks belong alongside that preparation. Know what is included, who is responsible and what must happen before the first payment and the first day on site. Read the renovation mistakes guide for other pre-contract risks worth addressing.
Talk to Pat about your project and the insurance questions you want answered. You do not need to know every industry term. You should be able to get a straight explanation, verify the paperwork and make your decision with the relevant facts in front of you.
Questions answered
Is domestic building insurance mandatory in Victoria?+
It is required for eligible domestic building work costing more than $16,000, generally for projects of three storeys or less. Check the requirements for your specific work and contract date with the current Victorian regulator or insurance issuer.
What does builder warranty insurance cover?+
It can cover eligible incomplete or defective work if the builder dies, disappears or becomes insolvent, subject to the policy's terms, limits and exclusions. Other pathways may apply under the relevant scheme, including certain failures to comply with a court or tribunal order; it is not comprehensive cover for every loss.
When should I receive my insurance certificate?+
Where DBI is required, ask for and verify the project-specific certificate before paying a deposit or any other amount. Cover must be in place before a building permit is issued and before work starts; confirm the owner, address, builder and contract details match.
What does a builder's warranty facility mean?+
It is the insurer-approved capacity under the builder's eligibility arrangements, subject to their terms. It is not the payout limit for your individual home and does not prove a policy has been issued for your project; verify your own certificate separately.
How do I check a builder is registered in Victoria?+
Search the Building and Plumbing Commission's public practitioner register, including the former VBA register service. Check the legal name, registration number, category and current status against your contract, and verify that the registration covers the proposed work.
