Homeowner Booking Terms

Tracehome is a platform that connects you with independent tradespeople. When you make a booking, the contract for the work is between you and the tradesperson — Tracehome is not the provider of the work and is not a party to that contract, except that we may facilitate payment. Tradespeople are not our employees or agents.

You describe the work and review an AI-generated indicative estimate. Paying the provisional deposit (25% of the top of that estimate) creates a binding arrangement with Tracehome to hold your payment and invite a matched tradesperson to confirm price. It is an offer to engage that tradesperson on the job details you submit. It is not yet a contract for the trade work.

The contract for the work is between you and the tradesperson and is formed when the tradesperson confirms the final price in our system (including an auto-accepted increase under section 03), or when you approve a variation that requires your consent. Until then, the tradesperson may decline; if they do, we refund your deposit in full.

You are responsible for accurate details about the work and property, and for safe access at the agreed time.

The amount shown before deposit is a provisional price derived from an AI estimate (using the maximum of the estimate range), not a fixed quote from the tradesperson. The tradesperson sets the confirmed price after reviewing the job.

• If the confirmed total equals or is less than the provisional total, the price is confirmed.
• If the confirmed total is higher by no more than 10% of the provisional total, or by no more than $100 AUD, we treat that increase as accepted by you when you paid the deposit (an auto-accepted variation). We will notify you of the confirmed total.
• If the increase exceeds both of those thresholds, you must approve or reject. Rejection cancels the booking and triggers a full deposit refund.

Further variations after confirmation should be agreed before extra work is done, unless a further in-product approval flow applies.

Payments are processed by Stripe. Your deposit is charged to Tracehome’s platform account and held until release conditions are met. After the tradesperson marks the job complete, you pay the remaining balance (confirmed total minus deposit). We then release the held deposit to the tradesperson’s Stripe Connect account, less Tracehome’s platform fee of 8% of the confirmed job total (taken from the tradesperson’s proceeds). By paying, you authorise these charges and releases.

The 8% platform fee and the 25% deposit calculation will be disclosed in the booking flow before you pay. If a fee is ever non-refundable to you, that will be stated before payment; today, decline and variation-rejection refunds return the full deposit.

Automatic full deposit refunds apply when the tradesperson declines, or when you reject a variation that required your approval. There is currently no self-serve homeowner cancel button after deposit; contact us. Refunds after price confirmation or after work has started depend on the circumstances and your Australian Consumer Law rights. Details are in our Refunds & Consumer Guarantees policy.

• provide safe and timely access to your property;
• give accurate information about the work and any hazards;
• be available (or arrange someone to be) as needed; and
• pay the agreed amount for work performed.

Issues with the work are primarily between you and the tradesperson. Australian Consumer Law guarantees (including due care and skill) apply against the tradesperson. While funds are still held on the platform, Tracehome can help with communication. We are not an adjudicator of workmanship disputes and are not responsible for quality, timing, or outcome of the work.

If you open a chargeback with your card issuer, the booking may be marked disputed and handled under Stripe’s dispute process. Prefer contacting us first while funds are held.

Choose and instruct tradespeople with care, and raise any safety concerns with the tradesperson and with us. In an emergency, contact emergency services on 000.

To the extent permitted by law, Tracehome is not liable for the acts, omissions, or work of tradespeople. Our liability to you is limited as set out in our Terms of Service. Nothing in these terms excludes rights and guarantees that cannot lawfully be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law.

We may update these terms and will update the “last updated” date above. These terms are governed by the laws of Western Australia, Australia. Questions? Email hello@tracehome.com.au.