Refund Policy

Effective date: 1 September 2025

At Renovo Home Services Pty Ltd (ABN: 48 302 917 564), trading as HomeFix Craft ("we", "us", or "our"), we take pride in the quality of every renovation project we deliver across the Melbourne metropolitan area. We understand that inviting tradespeople into your home is a significant decision, and we want you to feel confident that the finished result meets your expectations. This Refund Policy outlines our approach to handling concerns about completed work, including our satisfaction guarantee, defect remediation process, refund eligibility, and your rights under Australian Consumer Law.

1. Our Satisfaction Guarantee

HomeFix Craft operates on a principle of getting the job right. Before we consider a project complete, our site supervisor conducts a final walk-through with you to inspect the finished work. During this walk-through, we go room by room (or area by area for outdoor projects) and check that every element matches the agreed scope and specifications.

If during the walk-through you identify any items that are not to your satisfaction — for example, a paint finish that appears uneven under certain lighting, a tile grout line that is inconsistent, or a door that does not close flush — we will record these items on a defects list and schedule their rectification before requesting final payment. This process ensures that you only pay for work that meets the standard described in your project contract.

Our satisfaction guarantee applies to the workmanship and materials specified in the accepted quote. It does not extend to changes in personal preference after the work has been completed to specification (for instance, deciding you would prefer a different paint colour after the agreed colour has been applied and approved during the progress stages of the project).

2. Defect Remediation

If a defect in workmanship becomes apparent after project completion and final payment — for example, paint peeling within months of application, a tiled surface developing cracks not caused by structural movement, or a newly installed timber deck showing premature warping — we will rectify the issue at no additional cost, provided the defect is reported within the warranty period specified in your project contract.

2.1 Reporting a Defect

To report a defect, contact us as soon as you become aware of the issue. Early reporting helps us diagnose the cause and prevents minor issues from escalating. You can reach us by:

• Email: [email protected] — please include your project reference number, a description of the defect, the location within your property, and photographs if possible.
• Phone: +61 3 9812 7640 — our team will log your complaint and arrange a follow-up.

2.2 Assessment and Rectification

Once a defect is reported, we will arrange for a qualified tradesperson to inspect the affected area, typically within five business days of your report. After the inspection, we will provide you with a written assessment that explains the likely cause of the defect, the proposed remedy, and the estimated timeframe for rectification.

For straightforward issues — such as touch-up painting on a small area, re-grouting a few tiles, or adjusting a cabinet hinge — we aim to complete the repair within ten business days of the inspection. For more complex defects that require sourcing specific materials or coordinating multiple trades, we will agree on a reasonable timeframe with you and keep you informed of progress.

2.3 What Is Covered

Our defect remediation commitment covers issues that result from:

• Faulty workmanship by our team or sub-contractors (for example, insufficient surface preparation leading to paint adhesion failure).
• Use of materials that are defective or not fit for purpose (for example, a batch of tiles that develop surface crazing despite correct installation).
• Failure to follow manufacturer specifications during installation (for example, incorrect adhesive coverage when laying floor tiles, leading to hollow spots).

2.4 What Is Not Covered

The following situations fall outside the scope of our defect remediation guarantee:

• Damage caused by the homeowner or third parties after project completion, including accidental impacts, water damage from plumbing leaks not related to our work, or modifications made by other contractors.
• Normal wear and tear, including gradual fading of paint exposed to direct sunlight, minor shrinkage of timber during seasonal humidity changes, or surface scratching on high-traffic flooring.
• Issues arising from the homeowner's failure to follow maintenance recommendations provided at handover (for example, failing to re-oil a hardwood deck at the recommended intervals).
• Damage caused by natural events such as storms, floods, earthquakes, or extreme temperature fluctuations.
• Defects in existing structures or systems that were not part of our contracted scope of work. If, for example, we renovated a bathroom and the existing plumbing (which was not included in our scope) subsequently fails and causes water damage to our tiling, the defect in the plumbing is not our responsibility.

3. Refund Eligibility

We believe that remediation — actually fixing the problem — is almost always a better outcome than a refund, because it delivers the result you originally wanted. However, we recognise that there are circumstances where a refund or partial refund is the appropriate remedy.

3.1 Full Refund

A full refund of the contract price (less the value of any materials that have been permanently incorporated into your property and cannot be returned) may be provided if:

• We are unable to commence work within a reasonable timeframe after the agreed start date, and the delay is due to our own scheduling failure rather than factors outside our control (such as permit delays or adverse weather).
• We are unable to rectify a major defect after being given a reasonable opportunity to do so. Under Australian Consumer Law, a "major failure" in services means the result is substantially unfit for its normal purpose and cannot be remedied within a reasonable time.

3.2 Partial Refund

A partial refund may be offered where:

• A portion of the work was completed to an acceptable standard but another portion was not, and we are unable to rectify the substandard portion. In this case, the refund would correspond to the value of the deficient work.
• You and HomeFix Craft mutually agree to terminate a project partway through for reasons unrelated to defects (for example, a change in your personal circumstances). In this scenario, you would pay for work completed and materials ordered to date, and any deposit paid in excess of that amount would be refunded.

3.3 No Refund

A refund will not be provided where:

• The work has been completed in accordance with the agreed scope and specifications and you have approved the finished result during the final walk-through.
• You have changed your mind about a design choice (such as a colour, material, or layout) after the work has been completed to the agreed specification. We encourage you to finalise all design decisions before work commences, and we offer samples and mock-ups at the quoting stage to help you make confident choices.
• A third party has modified, damaged, or interfered with the completed work.

4. Process for Lodging a Complaint

If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of our work and wish to lodge a formal complaint, please follow these steps:

1. Contact us directly: Email [email protected] or call +61 3 9812 7640 with a detailed description of the issue. Include your project reference number, the date of project completion, the nature of the complaint, and any supporting photographs or documents.
2. Acknowledgement: We will acknowledge your complaint in writing within two business days and assign a dedicated contact person to manage its resolution.
3. Investigation: We will investigate the complaint, which may include arranging an on-site inspection. We aim to complete our investigation within ten business days of acknowledgement.
4. Resolution: Following the investigation, we will contact you with a proposed resolution, which may include defect rectification, a partial refund, a full refund, or another remedy that is fair and reasonable in the circumstances.
5. Escalation: If you are not satisfied with the proposed resolution, you may escalate the matter to Consumer Affairs Victoria (phone: 1300 558 181, website: consumer.vic.gov.au) or the Victorian Building Authority (phone: 1300 815 127, website: vba.vic.gov.au). You may also pursue the matter through the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) or the courts.

5. Deposits and Progress Payments

Our standard payment structure involves a deposit upon acceptance of the quote, one or more progress payments during the project, and a final payment upon satisfactory completion. The deposit secures your place in our schedule and covers initial material procurement.

If you cancel a project after paying a deposit but before any work has commenced or materials have been ordered, we will refund the deposit in full, less a reasonable administration fee of $250 (inclusive of GST) to cover the cost of the site inspection, quote preparation, and scheduling.

If materials have already been ordered at the time of cancellation, the cost of any non-returnable materials will be deducted from the deposit refund. We will provide you with an itemised account showing the materials ordered, their cost, and which items can and cannot be returned to the supplier.

6. Timeframe for Refund Processing

Where a refund is agreed, we will process it within 14 business days of the agreement. Refunds will be issued using the same payment method as the original payment wherever possible. If the original payment was made by bank transfer, we will refund to the same bank account. If the original payment was made by credit card, the refund will be credited to the same card.

7. Australian Consumer Law

Our services come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law (Schedule 2 of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010). Under the consumer guarantees, services must be provided with due care and skill, be fit for the purpose specified by the consumer, and be delivered within a reasonable time. If we fail to meet a consumer guarantee, you are entitled to a remedy, which may include having the service re-performed, receiving a refund, or being compensated for any reduction in value.

Nothing in this Refund Policy is intended to exclude, restrict, or modify any rights or remedies you have under the Australian Consumer Law. Where there is any inconsistency between this policy and the Australian Consumer Law, the Australian Consumer Law prevails.

8. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Refund Policy from time to time. The revised version will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. Changes to this policy will not affect the terms of any project contract that has already been entered into at the time of the change.

9. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Refund Policy or wish to lodge a complaint, please contact us:

• Business name: Renovo Home Services Pty Ltd (trading as HomeFix Craft)
• ABN: 48 302 917 564
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: +61 3 9812 7640
• Address: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia