Current pilot
Registered Residential Carpenter (RRC) is the first proposed pilot and remains the current focus of reform work.
The Advanced Residential Trades Framework is a staged reform concept. It does not claim government endorsement and is presented for policy discussion.
Staged reform concept · Victoria
Advanced Residential Trades Framework
A practical sequencing framework to support clearer residential trade pathways while protecting consumers and preserving domestic builder responsibility.
This framework starts with one defined pilot: the Registered Residential Carpenter (RRC) pathway. Additional pathways for other trades are identified only as potential future investigations and not as current proposals.
Framework overview
How the staged pathway is structured
The framework is intentionally staged to allow evidence-led evaluation before any broader pathway discussions.
Review and evidence
Pilot outcomes, safeguards, compliance behaviour and consumer impacts would be assessed before any potential expansion is discussed.
Future investigations
Additional trade pathways may be investigated in future policy work, subject to risk, evidence and regulatory feasibility.
First pilot priority
RRC remains the first proposed pilot pathway
This reform sequence begins with the Registered Residential Carpenter pathway. The RRC pilot is intended to test role clarity, scope boundaries, consumer communication and handoff triggers within a bounded renovation setting.
The framework is pilot-first: evaluate the RRC pathway before considering any broader trade pathway investigations.
Potential future work
Tiling, concreting and plastering as future investigations only
Tiling
Identified as a potential future investigation only, pending evidence, safeguards and consultation.
Concreting
Identified as a potential future investigation only, with any consideration requiring clear risk thresholds and scope controls.
Plastering
Identified as a potential future investigation only, to be considered only after staged evidence from earlier reform work.
These are not active pathway proposals on this page and are not presented as approved reforms.
High-risk category
Waterproofing is a separate high-risk consideration
Waterproofing is treated separately due to high concealed-work risk, defect consequences and downstream consumer harm. Any waterproofing reform pathway should remain distinct from general trade-pathway sequencing and requires dedicated assurance settings.
Waterproofing should be addressed through a separate risk-based assurance model, not merged into a general advanced trades pathway.
Consultation
Contribute Practical Evidence
This framework relies on practical, on-the-ground evidence from working tradespeople, builders, consumers and industry professionals. If you have relevant experience with trade pathway reform, regulation or residential renovation work, we want to hear from you.
When contacting us, please include information about:
- Your trade or professional role
- Your qualification and registration status
- Your years of relevant experience
- An example of hidden or changed project conditions you have encountered
- The original expected scope or value of that project
- The final scope or value after conditions changed
- Current regulatory difficulties you face
- What work you believe should remain builder-controlled
- What evidence you believe should prove advanced practitioner competence
- Whether you would be willing to provide a confidential interview or case study