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Builders in Cairns

Every business below is checked against the QBCC licence register and ranked by quantified Google-review themes — never by who paid.

Showing all 12 licensed builders across CairnsUpdated 2026-08-27 · Register QBCC
Nº 01

Alkira Constructions

QBCC Licence verified
4.611 reviews on Google

Based in Trinity Beach

Quality of work · 5Clean & tidy · 4Professional & friendly · 3

Customers at Alkira Constructions tend to single out the same tradesperson in their feedback, a pattern that suggests the owner is hands-on with the work rather than delegating to a crew, and the earliest Google review for this Trinity Beach builder lands in August 2021, so its review history spans more than five years. The owner also replies to a good share of the customers who leave feedback, with six of the ten analysed reviews getting a response. Renovations lead what customers describe, with decks, patios & pergolas coming up behind. The QBCC register listed Alkira Constructions as holding a current Builder - Low Rise licence when checked on 22 August 2026. It holds 4.6 stars across 11 Google reviews as of 28 August 2026.

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Nº 02

Allaro Homes Cairns

QBCC Licence verified
3.922 reviews on Google

Based in Bungalow

Professional & friendly · 4Quality of work · 4Response time · 1

In Bungalow, Allaro Homes Cairns has a Google review history reaching back to at least January 2018, with the earliest review landing there over eight years ago. The owner writes back to most customers who leave feedback, replying to 11 of the 13 analysed reviews. Customers most often talk about design & approvals, with new home builds also coming up. The QBCC register confirmed the builder's licence as current on 22 August 2026, covering Builder - Open and Builder - Medium Rise. As of 28 August 2026, the business holds 3.9 stars across 22 Google reviews.

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Nº 03

Centrobuild

QBCC Licence verified
5.011 reviews on Google

Based in Edge Hill

Professional & friendly · 7Quality of work · 7Response time · 2

Customers at Centrobuild keep naming the same person, which suggests the owner does the work themselves. Google reviews for this Edge Hill builder go back to January 2018, more than eight years of feedback on record. The QBCC register confirmed a current Builder - Low Rise licence on 22 August 2026. As of 28 August 2026, Centrobuild holds a 5.0 rating across 11 Google reviews. In that same sample, customers bring up granny flats and sheds, design and approvals, and extensions & additions. The owner also writes back to nearly half of the customers who leave feedback, based on the analysed reviews.

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Nº 04

Cougar Homes

QBCC Licence verified
4.150 reviews on Google

Based in Manunda

Professional & friendly · 16Quality of work · 16Communication · 15

At Cougar Homes, customers repeatedly single out the same tradesperson in their feedback, a pattern that points to the owner being the one on the tools. The earliest Google review for this Manunda builder lands in March 2017, so its review history spans more than nine years. Design & approvals is what customers describe most often, with repairs & maintenance also coming up. The owner writes back to 8 of the 46 customers who left feedback. As of 28 August 2026, the business holds 4.1 stars across 50 Google reviews. The QBCC register confirmed its Builder - Low Rise licence as current on 22 August 2026.

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Nº 05

Eden by Design Builders

QBCC Licence verified
4.311 reviews on Google

Based in Whitfield

Quality of work · 6Professional & friendly · 2Communication · 2

The same tradesperson keeps getting named in feedback for Eden by Design Builders, pointing to an owner who works hands-on rather than a larger team. That feedback trail for the Whitfield builder stretches back to October 2018, meaning more than seven years' worth of customer comments. Every one of the 10 customers whose feedback was reviewed as of 28 August 2026 got a reply from the owner. With 4.3 stars across 11 Google reviews, the QBCC register confirmed a current Builder - Low Rise licence on 22 August 2026.

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Nº 06

ISON BUILDING PTY LTD

QBCC Licence verified
4.917 reviews on Google

Based in Manunda

Quality of work · 9Professional & friendly · 7Response time · 1

Customers at ISON BUILDING PTY LTD keep naming the same tradesperson in their feedback, a pattern that points to the owner handling the jobs personally. Renovations lead what customers describe, with bathrooms & kitchens and decks, patios & pergolas also coming up. The first Google review of the Manunda builder was posted in February 2020, so its review trail spans more than six years. Rated 4.9 stars across 17 Google reviews as of 28 August 2026. The QBCC register confirmed a current Builder - Low Rise licence on 22 August 2026.

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Nº 07

Liam Gilligan Builders

QBCC Licence verified
5.017 reviews on Google

Based in Cairns City

Quality of work · 14Professional & friendly · 7Communication · 7

In Cairns City, customers of Liam Gilligan Builders keep naming the same tradesperson in their Google feedback — suggesting a one-person operation rather than a larger team. The earliest review on record lands in August 2017, giving the business close to nine years of customer feedback. Quality of work is what reviewers describe most often, with design & approvals also coming up. The QBCC register listed the builder as holding a current Builder - Low Rise licence when checked on 22 August 2026. As of 28 August 2026, the business holds 5 stars across 17 Google reviews.

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Nº 08

Malone Building Company Pty Ltd

QBCC Licence verified
5.011 reviews on Google

Based in Freshwater

Communication · 7Quality of work · 6Professional & friendly · 2

In Freshwater, customers of Malone Building Company Pty Ltd talk most about renovations, with bathrooms & kitchens close behind. One tradesperson is named over and over in the customer feedback, suggesting the owner is hands-on. Google reviews reach back to April 2026, and the business rates 5 stars across 11 reviews as of 28 August 2026. A QBCC licence for Builder - Low Rise was checked and found current on 22 August 2026.

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Nº 09

MiHaven

QBCC Licence verified
3.621 reviews on Google

Based in Parramatta Park

Professional & friendly · 4Clean & tidy · 2Value & pricing · 1

In Parramatta Park, MiHaven is a builder whose Google rating sits at 3.6 stars across 21 reviews as of 28 August 2026. The earliest review on record goes back to March 2020, giving over six years of customer feedback. The QBCC register confirmed its Builder - Open licence as current on 22 August 2026. Customers mention professionalism and friendliness, and a few note clean and tidy work.

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Nº 10

MJS Building Solutions

QBCC Licence verified
4.618 reviews on Google

Based in Kanimbla

Professional & friendly · 8Quality of work · 6Value & pricing · 4

The owner writes back to 16 of the 18 customers who left feedback at MJS Building Solutions, so most people who hire them hear back. Customers most often bring up renovations, with bathrooms & kitchens and repairs & maintenance also coming up. Google reviews for the Kanimbla builder reach back to August 2021, a history of at least five years. On 22 August 2026 the QBCC register showed the business holding a current Builder - Low Rise licence. As of 28 August 2026, it holds 4.6 stars across 18 Google reviews.

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Nº 11

NQ Sheds and Patios

QBCC Licence verified
4.8101 reviews on Google

Based in Smithfield

Quality of work · 53Professional & friendly · 51Response time · 24

The feedback at NQ Sheds and Patios names several different people, office staff among them, which points to a crew rather than a solo operator. Customers talk about decks, patios and pergolas more than anything else, with granny flats and sheds also coming up. Google reviews for the Smithfield builder go back to March 2014, over twelve years of history. As of 28 August 2026, it holds 4.8 stars across 101 Google reviews, with 94 analysed. The QBCC register confirmed its Builder - Low Rise licence as current on 22 August 2026.

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Nº 12

Watson Constructions FNQ

QBCC Licence verified
5.023 reviews on Google

Based in Redlynch

Quality of work · 11Response time · 9Professional & friendly · 7

New home builds lead what customers talk about at Watson Constructions FNQ, with design & approvals the next most frequent topic in the sample pulled on 28 August 2026. Several different names surface in the feedback, including someone handling enquiries, which fits a team with office support rather than a solo operator. The QBCC register confirmed a current Builder - Low Rise licence for the Redlynch builder when checked on 22 August 2026. Google shows a 5-star rating across 23 reviews, with the earliest feedback on record from July 2023.

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By the numbers

Builders in Cairns, ranked by verified Google review volume

Every figure below is counted from this page's own register checks and review analysis — 276 reviews read across 12 licence-verified businesses. Ratings are shown as attributed text and link to the source profile.

RankBusinessBase suburbLicence classGoogle ratingMost-mentioned praise
01NQ Sheds and PatiosSmithfieldBuilder - Low Rise4.8101 on GoogleQuality of work · 53
02Cougar HomesManundaBuilder - Low Rise4.150 on GoogleProfessional & friendly · 16
03Watson Constructions FNQRedlynchBuilder - Low Rise5.023 on GoogleQuality of work · 11
04Allaro Homes CairnsBungalowBuilder - Open · Builder - Medium Rise3.922 on GoogleProfessional & friendly · 4
05MiHavenParramatta ParkBuilder - Open3.621 on GoogleProfessional & friendly · 4
06MJS Building SolutionsKanimblaBuilder - Low Rise4.618 on GoogleProfessional & friendly · 8
07ISON BUILDING PTY LTDManundaBuilder - Low Rise4.917 on GoogleQuality of work · 9
08Liam Gilligan BuildersCairns CityBuilder - Low Rise5.017 on GoogleQuality of work · 14
09Alkira ConstructionsTrinity BeachBuilder - Low Rise4.611 on GoogleQuality of work · 5
10CentrobuildEdge HillBuilder - Low Rise5.011 on GoogleProfessional & friendly · 7
11Eden by Design BuildersWhitfieldBuilder - Low Rise4.311 on GoogleQuality of work · 6
12Malone Building Company Pty LtdFreshwaterBuilder - Low Rise5.011 on GoogleCommunication · 7

What reviewers praise most

Professional & friendlypraised at 12 of 12 · 118 mentions
Quality of workpraised at 11 of 12 · 137 mentions
Response timepraised at 5 of 12 · 37 mentions
Communicationpraised at 4 of 12 · 31 mentions
Clean & tidypraised at 2 of 12 · 6 mentions
Value & pricingpraised at 2 of 12 · 5 mentions

Licence classes held

Builder - Low Rise10 of 12
Builder - Open2 of 12
Builder - Medium Rise1 of 12
Coverage and verification dates

12 businesses based across 11 suburbs. Licences all verified on 2026-08-22.

About builders in Cairns

Cairns sits in a cyclone-prone part of the coast, and that reality reaches a quote before any QBCC rule does: tie-downs, glazing and bracing are typically specified to a higher wind rating than an equivalent job needs in Brisbane or on the Gold Coast. The paperwork underneath is fixed by regulation, not by whoever you hire — work over $3,300 in labour and materials needs a QBCC contractor in a licence class that covers the job, that contractor's premium buys Home Warranty cover to $200,000, and an owner-builder past $11,000 needs a permit first and gets no warranty behind it. Every builder here is checked against the QBCC register, not taken on trust.

Cairns builds around the wet season, not the calendar year: November to April brings monsoonal rain and the region's highest cyclone likelihood, so a contract here should price in wet-season delays to roof-on and lock-up rather than assume a dry-climate schedule. Year-round humidity also makes termite and timber-decay pressure a bigger factor than further south — a pre-purchase timber pest inspection and an ongoing chemical or baiting barrier matter more here, and a builder who treats either as optional is worth questioning. Most of the city sits low and flat on the Cairns plain, but blocks in the hillside suburbs on its western fringe carry real slope, where elevated or pole construction and engineered footings are standard — ask whether a builder has actually worked on sloping sites. Port Douglas and Mossman, further north, sit in Douglas Shire, a separate council from Cairns Regional Council — check which one a block falls under before assuming Cairns' rules apply.

Typical prices in Cairns

Ranges reflect quotes observed locally — not national averages, not advertised "from" prices.

ServiceTypical range (A$)
New house build or extension shell (per m²)
Archicentre Australia's CostGuide 2026 (archicentreaustralia.com.au/resources/cost-guide/, published 2026, GST-inclusive) puts new residential construction — including extensions to an existing building — at $2,700–$5,100/m² for the shell. This is one flat national figure with no per-city breakdown; the guide itself warns 'property location: regional areas may attract a premium' on top of it, and separately excludes wet-area fit-out, services upgrades, and site costs like paving or landscaping. A Cairns build additionally carries cyclone-rated tie-downs, bracing and glazing not itemised in this shell rate.
A$2,700 — A$5,100
Renovation inside an existing building (per m²)
Archicentre Australia's CostGuide 2026 gives renovation work inside an existing building at $1,600–$3,900/m², assuming the renovated rooms need no structural upgrade and good site access; it separately notes hazardous-material removal (relevant to older Cairns high-set homes, where asbestos-containing sheet turns up) and temporary accommodation as additions on top. Same single national figure and regional-premium caveat as the build line above.
A$1,600 — A$3,900
Full bathroom or en-suite wet-area fit-out
The same guide's wet-area fit-out table prices a bathroom or en-suite at $17,500–$35,000, a kitchen at $23,000–$49,000 and a laundry at $10,000–$19,000 — the bathroom/en-suite figure is used here. White goods are excluded. As with the lines above, this is a national figure with no Cairns-specific breakdown.
A$17,500 — A$35,000
Termite chemical barrier treatment (150m² house)
Archicentre's CostGuide 2026 prices termite treatment for a 150m² house with reasonable access at four tiers: dusting $1,000–$1,500, chemical barrier treatment $3,000–$6,000, monitoring/baiting systems $3,500–$5,500, and drilling trees at $250–$600 per tree — the chemical barrier figure is used here as the tier most directly comparable to what a new Cairns build or major renovation typically specifies under AS 3660. Far North Queensland's year-round humidity makes this a live line item on a Cairns quote in a way it usually isn't further south.
A$3,000 — A$6,000
House painting
Airtasker's Cairns house-painting page (airtasker.com/au/services/house-painting/cairns/, fetched 2026) discloses completed-task pricing: $230 low, $449 median, $695 high, 'based on 5 reviews' — a small sample, so treat this as indicative of a general repaint or touch-up rather than a full exterior repaint quote from a licensed builder or painter.
A$230 — A$695
Carpentry (small jobs)
Airtasker's Cairns carpentry page (airtasker.com/au/services/carpentry/cairns/, fetched 2026) discloses: $150 low, $250 median, $500 high, 'based on 14 reviews'. This is completed small-job carpentry pricing (repairs, fit-outs, small builds) via the platform, not a builder's quote for a defined project.
A$150 — A$500

Common questions

How do I check a Cairns builder's QBCC licence — and does the class cover cyclone-rated work?

Search the free QBCC licensee register with the person's or company's name or licence number, and check two things: that the licence is current, and that its class covers the job. Licence classes are set by building class and floor area, not by wind region — 'Builder – Low Rise' covers class 1/10 buildings without limit and other building classes up to 2,000m² of gross floor area, 'Builder – Medium Rise' is capped at 3 storeys, and 'Builder – Open' is unrestricted. QBCC doesn't issue a separate 'cyclone' licence, so once the class is confirmed, it's worth asking directly whether the builder has actually built to cyclonic wind requirements before, rather than assuming a Low Rise ticket means they have. Every builder on this page links to the register.

How does the wet season affect a Cairns building contract?

Queensland building contracts fix a completion date and can specify liquidated damages for late finishing. November to April brings the wettest months and the region's highest cyclone likelihood, and it commonly slows roofing, concrete pours and any external trade — ask a builder how they've allowed for it in the program before you sign, rather than assuming a dry-season timeline. A completion date that ignores the wet season is either optimistic or a program the builder hasn't actually built to Cairns conditions.

Should I become an owner-builder to save money on a Cairns project?

You can, but weigh the trade-offs. Once your own building work tops $11,000 you need a QBCC owner-builder permit and must complete a course first. Owner-builders get no Home Warranty cover, carry all liability personally, and QBCC issues only one permit every six years. The permit itself is recorded against the land title, and the registrar can only remove that record after seven years. Separately, if the land is offered for sale within six years of the work being completed, you must give the buyer a written notice about that work before they sign the contract — miss it and the law treats you as having warranted the work was properly carried out. In a cyclone-rated wind region, getting the structural detailing wrong carries a higher cost than in a milder climate — for anything structural, a licensed builder's warranty cover is usually worth paying for.

My block is elevated or on a slope in Cairns' hillside suburbs — what should I ask a builder before getting quotes?

Ask whether they've actually built on sloping or elevated sites, not just flat coastal-plain slabs — footing systems and site-access costs differ. A geotechnical report before design is standard practice on sloping Cairns blocks, and elevated or pole construction changes both the structural engineering and the cost compared with a slab-on-ground build nearby. Confirm early whether a quote already assumes a particular footing system or is still pending a site assessment.

When does a Home Warranty premium have to appear on my contract?

For residential building work over $3,300 (labour, materials and GST combined), your licensed builder must pay a premium into the Queensland Home Warranty Scheme, itemised in your contract. It covers non-completion, defective work and subsidence for six years and six months from completion, up to $200,000. A cash-job builder proposing to skip it leaves you with no cover at all — for a cyclone-rated rebuild or major renovation, that's a bigger risk to carry than it would be for a small job.

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