Does Landscaping Count Toward Queensland's $3,300 Home Warranty Threshold?

Under the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) premium-calculation guidance, updated 6 Dec 2022, associated landscaping forms part of the home warranty insurable value when it is included as associated work in a residential construction contract. The QBCC home warranty insurance guidance, updated 11 May 2025 says home warranty insurance is compulsory for residential construction work valued at more than $3,300, including materials, labour and GST. The QBCC’s 6 Dec 2022 guidance also says that insurable value includes the QLeave levy within labour for projects valued at more than $150,000 excluding GST.

figures checked 1 October 2026.

When does landscaping count toward the insurable value?

Landscaping counts when it is associated work included in the residential construction contract. The QBCC’s other examples of associated work include driveways, fences, pool fences, retaining walls, air conditioning, hot water systems, security doors and grills.

This is a valuation rule, not a blanket statement that every landscaping-only project is residential construction work. The Queensland Home Warranty Scheme applies only to residential construction work and does not cover every type of building and construction work.

Which costs are included in the calculation?

The QBCC’s 6 Dec 2022 guidance sets out the following treatment:

Excluding the QBCC premium from the calculation does not mean omitting it from the contract. The QBCC says the contractor includes the home warranty insurance premium in the contract, collects it from the homeowner and pays it before work begins.

How do the home warranty premium and QLeave levy interact?

Where the QLeave levy applies, a licensed contractor must pay it in addition to the home warranty premium. The cost of each amount must be included when calculating the other, and the QBCC says the order does not change the end result:

• Pay the QLeave levy first, include its cost, and then calculate the home warranty premium.
• Calculate the home warranty premium first, include its cost, and then calculate the QLeave levy.

The value of work used to calculate the QLeave levy is the cost paid by the project owner. The QLeave levy excludes GST, while the home warranty premium includes GST.

How is the more-than-$3,300 trigger applied?

Use the full insurable value rather than looking only at the landscaping item. Add associated work included in the contract, material values regardless of who supplies them, labour and GST, then exclude the QBCC premium.

If the resulting residential construction work is valued at more than $3,300, the QBCC says home warranty insurance is compulsory. Contractors must include its cost in the quote so the total can be assessed correctly.

The insurance trigger and the premium bands are separate. Under the QBCC’s 6 Dec 2022 guidance, premium tables increase in $1,000 increments; if the insurable value is any amount over a $1,000 threshold, the premium moves to the next level.

What should a landscaper check before quoting?

• Confirm that landscaping is identified as associated work in the residential construction contract.
• Record the value of all materials, including any supplied by the homeowner or another party.
• Include labour and GST in the insurable-value calculation.
• Account for the QLeave levy within labour where the relevant threshold applies.
• Exclude the QBCC premium from the insurable value while including it in the contract as required.
• Apply the home warranty trigger only after calculating the complete residential construction work value.

This is general information, not financial or legal advice. Check the current QBCC regulator page and the relevant policy’s PDS before applying these rules to a particular contract.

Sources

figures checked 1 October 2026.

• Calculating the premium | Queensland Building and Construction Commission — updated 6 Dec 2022.
• What is home warranty insurance | Queensland Building and Construction Commission — updated 11 May 2025.

FAQ

Does landscaping always count toward the home warranty trigger?

Landscaping counts when it is associated work included in a residential construction contract. A landscaping-only project should not automatically be treated the same way because the scheme applies only to residential construction work and does not cover all building and construction work.

What if the homeowner supplies the plants or other materials?

The material values still count even if someone other than the contractor supplies them. For the home warranty calculation, the QBCC uses the basis that all building and other materials are provided by the contractor, even if that is not what actually happens.

Does GST or the QBCC premium enter the insurable value?

GST is included in the home warranty insurable value, while the QBCC premium is excluded. Where the QLeave levy applies, it is included within labour when calculating the home warranty insurable value.

How are the home warranty premium and QLeave levy calculated together?

Each cost must be included when calculating the other. You can pay the QLeave levy first and include it before calculating the home warranty premium, or calculate the home warranty premium first and include it when calculating the QLeave levy; the QBCC says either order produces the same end result.