For homeowners
Pay your tradie. Safely. With proof at every milestone.
Victorian deposit rules limit what a builder can ask for upfront. TradeFlo+ adds a product workflow around that reality: the accepted job is funded upfront, then releases only as you approve each milestone.
Why this matters
What can go wrong without a system
The deposit walk-off
You pay a deposit. Materials never arrive. The tradie's number stops ringing. You're left chasing through Consumer Affairs Victoria with no leverage.
The slow drift
Work starts well, then slows. You've already paid 70% on trust. Now you're stuck — pay more to keep them on, or call it and absorb the loss.
The dispute black hole
Something's not right. You stop paying. They stop working. Months pass. BPC refers it to VCAT. VCAT takes 14 months to 3 years. Nobody wins.
The protections
How TradeFlo+ protects you
Money held, not handed over
Full-job upfront funding is confirmed before work starts, then TradeFlo+ tracks milestone releases after approval and dispute-window checks. Your tradie cannot draw down a milestone until approval and release checks pass.
Approve only what's done
Each milestone needs your tap before money moves. Photos, notes, and a clear scope mean you're approving against evidence, not a vague 'all good?' text.
A real dispute process
48 hours to raise an issue after a milestone is submitted. Evidence in from both sides. Structured review. Most disputes resolve in days. The BPC and VCAT remain available if it ever needs to escalate.
Audit trail on every dollar
Every quote, milestone, approval, release, and message is logged with a timestamp. If you ever need to make a claim or take a matter further, the paper trail is already done.
Victorian rules
Victoria's deposit rules at a glance
These are the Victorian deposit and insurance rules a registered builder may need to follow. TradeFlo+ is designed to work alongside them, not replace them.
- Contract $20,000 or more: maximum deposit 5%.
- Contract under $20,000: maximum deposit 10%.
- Domestic Building Insurance is required for any domestic build of $16,000 or more — covers up to $300,000, 6 years structural / 2 years non-structural.
- Cooling-off periods can apply after signing; check the current contract rules before relying on them.
- The Building & Plumbing Commission (BPC) replaced the Victorian Building Authority on 1 July 2025.
- Some 2025 building-law reforms commence later; check current regulator guidance before acting.
TradeFlo+ does not replace your contract or your DBI policy. It's the payment layer underneath them.
If it goes wrong
What if there's a dispute?
When a tradie submits a milestone, you have 48 hours to raise a dispute. That pauses the funds. Both sides upload evidence — photos, messages, plans, certificates. We run a structured review on a fixed timeline. Most disputes settle in days.
If something needs to escalate, the regulator pathway stays open: the Building & Plumbing Commission (which absorbed DBDRV's dispute-resolution function on 1 July 2025) and ultimately VCAT. We'll hand over the full audit trail.
What it costs
Homeowner share: 1.5% capped at A$74.50. Refundable if you cancel before the tradie's paid.
Your share of the capped platform fee is charged when you fund the job. No monthly fee. If you cancel before any milestone is released, you get the homeowner platform fee back along with the funded amount.
See full pricingFAQ
Homeowner FAQs
Pay properly. Sleep properly.
Set up a job in five minutes. You only fund it when you're ready to start.