Community Guidelines at a glance

Humble Hammer brings together homeowners, renovators, building professionals, designers, tradespeople, suppliers and makers to share their work, exchange knowledge and help one another build with greater confidence.

We want everyone to feel welcome asking questions, sharing experiences and contributing ideas. Different opinions and honest criticism are an important part of learning, especially in building and renovation. We simply ask that conversations remain thoughtful, fair and respectful of the real people and businesses involved.

When taking part in the Humble Hammer community, we encourage you to:

approach others with respect, even when you see things differently;
share genuine experiences accurately and with appropriate context;
keep feedback focused on the work, conduct or idea rather than the person;
be considerate of different experience levels, budgets, tastes and professions;
take care when making serious claims and share only what you reasonably believe to be true;
help discussions remain constructive rather than encouraging shame, hostility or pile-ons;
respect personal, confidential and security-sensitive information;
be open about relevant personal, professional or commercial interests;
share advice responsibly, particularly where health, safety or legal requirements may be involved;
welcome genuine questions, including questions from beginners;
acknowledge the people who contribute their time and knowledge;
correct important mistakes when you become aware of them;
share useful experience where it may help someone else; and
report concerning conduct privately rather than allowing a public discussion to escalate.

A simple principle to keep in mind is:

Be honest and kind. Share what you know without talking down to others, and focus on the issue rather than the person.

Most concerns can be resolved through a reminder, clarification or correction. Where needed, Humble Hammer may also moderate Content or Accounts to protect the community and keep the Platform welcoming, trustworthy and safe.

Conduct that creates a serious risk to others, such as credible threats, sharing private information, discriminatory abuse, fabricated reviews, impersonation or coordinated harassment, may require prompt action.

Complete Community Guidelines

1. Our community standard

Humble Hammer exists to help people build, renovate, design, repair, maintain and improve their homes and projects with greater knowledge, confidence and trust.

Our community includes people with different:

levels of building knowledge;
professional backgrounds;
budgets;
tastes and design preferences;
communication styles;
physical abilities;
cultural backgrounds;
project sizes;
experiences; and
opinions.

You do not need to agree with another user. You must treat them as a person deserving basic dignity and fairness.

A healthy community is built by people who contribute as well as receive help. Where you can:

share useful experience;
answer genuine questions constructively;
acknowledge people who help you;
return to update the community on what happened;
correct information if you later learn that it was inaccurate; and
help discussions remain useful and focused.

Participation should be aimed at helping the community, not only gaining attention, promoting yourself or winning an argument.

These Guidelines apply to all areas of Humble Hammer, including:

projects and project updates;
questions and discussions;
comments and replies;
reviews and ratings;
business profiles;
direct messages and project chats;
photographs, videos and files;
quote requests and responses;
professional and supplier communications; and
reports, complaints and appeals.

These Guidelines form part of the Humble Hammer Terms of Use.

2. Respect people, even when you disagree

Disagreement is allowed. Personal abuse is not.

You may:

disagree with another user’s opinion;
explain why you believe advice is incorrect;
question whether work appears suitable or compliant;
recommend a different method, material, product or Professional;
provide constructive criticism;
describe problems with work or service;
correct inaccurate information; and
participate in robust but civil discussion.

You must not:

insult or degrade another person;
call someone stupid, useless, incompetent, disgusting or similar names;
ridicule a person for asking a basic question;
mock someone’s home, budget, taste, education, occupation or skill level;
make demeaning comments about homeowners, renters, apprentices, tradespeople, Professionals or other groups;
deliberately embarrass or humiliate someone;
respond with hostility merely because someone is inexperienced;
repeatedly provoke someone after they have tried to disengage; or
turn a disagreement about an issue into an attack on someone’s character.

Constructive disagreement

Instead of:

“You clearly have no idea what you are doing.”

Say:

“I do not think this approach will work because the waterproofing detail appears incomplete.”

Instead of:

“Only an idiot would pay that much.”

Say:

“That price seems high compared with the quotes I received. It may be worth requesting a breakdown or obtaining another quote.”

3. Genuine questions are welcome

People should feel safe asking questions, including basic questions.

You must not ridicule, dismiss or shame someone because they:

lack technical knowledge;
are new to building or renovation;
misunderstand an industry term;
have a limited budget;
made a correctable mistake;
are uncertain about a process; or
are unsure whether something is safe or compliant.

Asking early is better than hiding uncertainty, especially where safety, cost, contracts, approvals or legal requirements may be involved.

Members with greater experience should:

explain unfamiliar terms where practical;
identify the specific concern;
explain why it matters;
offer a safer or more accurate alternative; and
state the limits of their own knowledge where relevant.

Expertise does not excuse contempt, ridicule or condescension.

4. Criticise responsibly

Humble Hammer does not require users to be positive. Honest criticism is important, especially where building quality, safety, communication, cost or professional conduct is concerned.

Criticism should be:

based on a genuine experience or reasonable observation;
specific enough to be useful;
presented in context;
proportionate to what occurred;
clearly expressed as opinion where it is an opinion;
focused on relevant conduct, work, service or advice; and
written without unnecessary abuse or exaggeration.

Where possible, explain:

what happened;
when it happened;
what you expected;
what was agreed;
what steps were taken to resolve the issue; and
what remains unresolved.

You must not:

knowingly publish false or misleading claims;
present rumours as established facts;
omit important context in a way that makes a statement materially misleading;
exaggerate a minor issue into a serious accusation;
describe an entire business or workforce through an unrelated personal attack;
accuse someone of criminal, fraudulent, corrupt or dishonest conduct without a reasonable basis;
repeatedly repost an allegation after it has been removed;
recruit others to damage a person’s or business’s reputation; or
use Humble Hammer to conduct a campaign of public punishment.

Statements of fact and opinion

Users should distinguish between observable facts and personal conclusions.

For example:

More appropriate:

“The work was completed three weeks after the date stated in our schedule, and three of my emails were not answered.”

Potentially harmful:

“They deliberately lie to every customer and cannot be trusted.”

The second statement makes a broad allegation about intention and character that may not be supported by the user’s personal experience.

5. Reviews and business reputation

Reviews can significantly affect a person’s livelihood and a customer’s decision. They must be handled responsibly.

Reviews must reflect a genuine experience and comply with the Humble Hammer Review Policy.

When reviewing a Professional, Supplier, product, tool or material:

describe your experience honestly;
keep the review relevant to that experience;
distinguish fact from opinion;
avoid unnecessary personal information;
disclose incentives and relevant relationships;
provide supporting information if reasonably requested;
update or correct the review if material circumstances change; and
avoid language intended primarily to punish or humiliate.

You must not:

submit a review for an experience that did not occur;
ask friends, family members or associates to post reviews about an experience they did not have;
create multiple Accounts to influence a rating;
use artificial intelligence to fabricate an experience or allegation;
submit a competitor review without disclosing the conflict;
offer an incentive that is conditional on a positive review;
threaten a negative review to obtain free work, money, a refund or another improper benefit;
retaliate against someone because they made a complaint;
publish a person’s home address, private phone number or unrelated personal details;
encourage others to leave reviews without genuine experiences; or
coordinate a review-bombing campaign.

A negative review does not breach these Guidelines merely because it is critical or because the reviewed business disagrees with it.

A business response must also remain professional. Businesses and Professionals must not:

threaten or intimidate reviewers;
disclose confidential customer information in retaliation;
mock or shame a customer;
pressure a customer to remove an honest review;
suggest legal consequences merely to silence legitimate criticism; or
encourage employees or associates to attack the reviewer.

6. No harassment, bullying or persistent unwanted contact

Harassment includes repeated, targeted or severe conduct that causes a person to feel intimidated, degraded, unsafe or unable to participate normally.

You must not:

repeatedly contact someone after they have asked you to stop;
follow a person across discussions to provoke or attack them;
send repeated hostile or abusive messages;
target a person with unwanted sexual or personal comments;
monitor or repeatedly question another user in an intimidating way;
create new Accounts to evade a block;
pressure someone to disclose private information;
organise others to contact or confront a person;
use reporting tools to harass another user; or
repeatedly publish Content about a person for the purpose of shaming them.

A single serious incident may be treated as harassment even if it is not repeated.

7. No ridicule, humiliation or dogpiling

Dogpiling occurs when multiple users overwhelm, mock, shame or attack a person, often after a dispute or unpopular post.

You must not:

invite others to go after another user or business;
share a post primarily so others can ridicule its author;
encourage mass commenting, messaging, reviewing or reporting;
continue attacking someone who is already being overwhelmed;
turn a genuine question or mistake into public entertainment;
post mocking edits, memes or images targeting another user;
tag a person repeatedly to prolong conflict; or
use group pressure to force an apology, refund or other outcome.

Do not join a hostile discussion merely to repeat criticism, ridicule someone or increase pressure.

Before replying, consider whether your contribution:

adds new and useful information;
helps clarify the issue;
offers a practical next step;
reduces misunderstanding; or
supports a fair and respectful discussion.

If it does none of these things, stepping away may be the better contribution.

8. No threats, intimidation or retaliation

You must not threaten:

physical harm;
damage to property;
damage to a business or livelihood;
exposure of private information;
false reports to authorities;
fabricated complaints or reviews;
coordinated reputational harm;
stalking or unwanted attendance at a home, workplace or site; or
any other unlawful or improper consequence.

You must not use Humble Hammer to intimidate someone into:

paying money;
providing free work;
changing a review;
withdrawing a complaint;
accepting defective work;
entering or leaving a contract;
providing personal information; or
remaining silent about a genuine issue.

Statements framed as jokes may still breach these Guidelines if a reasonable person could understand them as threatening or intimidating.

9. No discrimination, vilification or hateful conduct

Humble Hammer welcomes people from different backgrounds and circumstances.

You must not attack, exclude, degrade or threaten a person or group based on characteristics protected by law or comparable personal characteristics, including:

race;
colour;
ethnicity;
nationality;
religion;
sex;
gender;
gender identity;
sexual orientation;
disability;
age;
pregnancy;
family or carer status; or
another protected attribute.

This includes slurs, dehumanising language, calls for exclusion, hostile stereotypes and statements encouraging discrimination.

Good-faith discussion of accessibility, cultural practices, legal requirements or social issues is allowed when conducted respectfully and without targeting people for abuse.

10. Avoid stereotypes and group hostility

Do not make sweeping or degrading claims about groups such as:

homeowners;
builders;
tradespeople;
architects;
designers;
suppliers;
apprentices;
DIY users;
landlords;
renters; or
people with particular budgets or project types.

Address the specific conduct, advice or experience rather than treating every member of a group as though they are the same.

For example, instead of saying:

“Builders always lie about timelines.”

Describe the specific experience:

“On my project, the completion date changed several times and I was not given a clear explanation.”

Criticism of industry practices or recurring problems is allowed when it is expressed fairly and does not become an attack on every person in that group.

11. Protect privacy and personal information

Building and renovation Content can reveal sensitive information about homes, families, businesses and worksites.

Do not publish another person’s private or identifying information without authority.

This may include:

private home addresses;
personal phone numbers;
personal email addresses;
private messages;
identification documents;
signatures;
banking information;
licence or registration numbers where disclosure is unnecessary;
vehicle registration details;
access codes, alarm details or security arrangements;
information about children;
private medical or family information;
employee records;
confidential quotes or contracts;
private plans and drawings; and
precise location information that creates a safety risk.

Before posting a photograph, video, plan or document, check whether it contains:

visible addresses;
mail or labels;
faces of people who have not consented;
children;
licence plates;
computer screens;
security systems;
keys or access codes;
signatures;
financial details; or
confidential project information.

Do not threaten to publish private information as leverage in a dispute.

12. Be honest about identity, experience and relationships

You must not:

impersonate another person or business;
falsely claim to represent a company;
falsely claim a licence, qualification, membership or professional status;
create a misleading business profile;
pretend to be an independent customer when you have a commercial connection;
falsely claim to have worked on a project;
fabricate project photographs or results;
conceal a relevant conflict when recommending a business or product; or
coordinate deceptive activity through multiple Accounts.

When relevant, disclose that you are:

an employee;
a contractor;
a business owner;
a family member;
a competitor;
an affiliate;
a paid promoter;
a product recipient;
a project participant; or
otherwise connected to the subject being discussed.

Having a commercial interest does not automatically prevent participation. Concealing it may mislead others.

13. Build trust through honesty and follow-through

Trust grows when people communicate clearly and do what they say they will do.

Members should:

give relevant context;
disclose important interests or relationships;
distinguish personal opinion from established fact;
acknowledge uncertainty;
correct meaningful errors;
avoid overstating experience, qualifications or evidence;
follow through on commitments made to other users where reasonably possible; and
update others when circumstances materially change.

Do not present speculation as certainty merely to appear authoritative.

Where you do not know, it is acceptable to say so.

14. Responsible building, renovation and safety discussions

Building discussions may involve structural work, electricity, gas, plumbing, asbestos, hazardous materials, working at heights, demolition, machinery and other serious risks.

You may share personal experience and general information, but you must not:

deliberately encourage dangerous conduct;
present uncertain information as guaranteed professional advice;
encourage unlicensed work where a licence is legally required;
instruct someone to ignore a safety warning, recall, permit or legal requirement;
promote disabling safety equipment;
encourage the unsafe handling of hazardous materials;
knowingly provide materially false technical information;
pressure someone to continue work in unsafe conditions; or
ridicule someone for seeking professional help.

Where advice may carry meaningful safety or legal risk:

explain the limits of your knowledge;
identify assumptions;
encourage confirmation from a suitably qualified person;
refer to manufacturer instructions or official sources where appropriate; and
avoid giving false confidence.

Professionals should take particular care not to imply that general online comments amount to a site assessment, certification or formal professional advice.

15. Respect different budgets, tastes and levels of experience

Humble Hammer includes first-time renovators, experienced builders, renters, designers, DIY users, premium projects and modest repairs.

Do not shame users because:

their budget is limited;
they chose an economical product;
they chose an expensive product;
they do not know an industry term;
they are learning a practical skill;
they hired a Professional instead of doing the work themselves;
they completed lawful DIY work;
their home is small, unfinished or unconventional;
their design taste differs from yours; or
they made a correctable mistake.

Constructive advice is welcome. Status-based ridicule is not.

16. Professional and homeowner conduct

The same community standards apply to homeowners, Professionals, Suppliers and other Business Users.

Homeowners must not:

treat Professionals as though they are not entitled to dignity or boundaries;
use public posts to pressure a Professional into free or additional work;
make threats based on reviews or social-media exposure;
demand responses outside reasonable communication expectations;
knowingly misrepresent a scope, quote, contract or dispute;
publish private employee details unnecessarily; or
encourage others to harass a business.

Professionals and Business Users must not:

intimidate users who ask questions or make complaints;
dismiss homeowners through insulting or patronising language;
exploit a user’s lack of technical knowledge;
pressure users to communicate or pay outside agreed processes;
make misleading claims about competitors;
retaliate against reviewers;
expose confidential customer information;
contact users repeatedly after being asked to stop; or
use professional status to discourage legitimate reporting.

17. Keep disputes focused and proportionate

Humble Hammer is not a court or building dispute tribunal. Public discussion may help users understand an issue, but it should not become a substitute for an appropriate dispute process.

When discussing an active dispute:

focus on information relevant to the issue;
avoid publishing every private communication;
avoid involving unrelated employees or family members;
avoid presenting contested matters as conclusively determined;
do not ask the community to punish the other party;
consider whether a direct complaint, contractual process, regulator or tribunal is more appropriate; and
comply with any legal obligations or orders applying to the matter.

You may state that a matter is disputed.

For example:

“The builder and I disagree about whether this item was included in the scope. The issue has not yet been resolved.”

This is generally more responsible than presenting your preferred interpretation as an established legal finding.

18. No scams, fraud or deceptive conduct

You must not use Humble Hammer to:

obtain money or information through deception;
offer services you do not intend or are unable to provide;
create false invoices, quotes or documents;
redirect payments through impersonation;
promote fraudulent investment or payment arrangements;
misrepresent a product’s origin, condition or certification;
sell stolen, counterfeit or unlawfully obtained goods;
obtain access to homes or sites under false pretences;
manipulate referrals, leads, Credits or promotions;
engage in phishing or credential theft; or
assist another person to do so.

Suspicious payment instructions, identity changes or account details should be independently verified before money is transferred.

19. Commercial promotion and spam

Relevant recommendations and professional participation are welcome. Spam and deceptive promotion are not.

If you use Humble Hammer for business or professional purposes, including promoting or offering goods or services or responding to leads as a supplier or provider, you must do so through a Business Account, as required by the Terms of Use.

You must not:

send repetitive unsolicited advertisements;
post the same promotion across unrelated discussions;
contact users for unrelated marketing without permission;
disguise advertising as an independent recommendation;
use misleading claims, fake scarcity or false testimonials;
collect user details for unauthorised marketing;
use automated tools to send messages or comments;
manipulate engagement through fake Accounts; or
continue promotional contact after a user has asked you to stop.

Commercial relationships, sponsorships, affiliate links, gifted products and paid promotions must be disclosed where relevant.

20. Images, plans, documents and intellectual property

Only upload Content that you own or are authorised to use.

You must not upload or share:

another person’s photographs without permission where permission is required;
copied plans, drawings or reports without authority;
copyrighted articles or product images in a way that infringes rights;
confidential tender documents;
private communications without a proper reason or authority;
watermarked work presented as your own;
portfolio work you did not create or participate in;
manipulated before-and-after images that materially misrepresent results; or
Content removed from another service because it infringed rights.

Give appropriate credit where required, but attribution alone does not create permission.

21. Sexually explicit, exploitative and seriously harmful Content

You must not publish:

sexual exploitation material;
intimate images shared without consent;
child sexual exploitation material;
sexual content involving or targeting minors;
grooming or predatory communications;
graphic material intended primarily to shock or traumatise;
instructions encouraging suicide or serious self-harm;
terrorist propaganda;
Content promoting extreme violence; or
material facilitating human trafficking or exploitation.

Content documenting a legitimate safety, news, educational or reporting issue may still be restricted where graphic detail is unnecessary or harmful.

22. Help keep shared spaces healthy

Every member influences the quality of Humble Hammer.

Users should help maintain a useful environment by:

reporting serious concerns rather than escalating them publicly;
avoiding unnecessary conflict;
welcoming constructive participation from newcomers;
giving others room to explain or correct themselves;
respecting moderator directions;
not reviving settled disputes without a genuine reason;
helping discussions return to the relevant issue when they become personal;
acknowledging useful contributions;
sharing outcomes where they may help others; and
avoiding participation that exists only to attract attention or provoke a reaction.

A strong community depends on repeated helpful participation, not only on enforcement after something goes wrong.

23. Kindness does not prevent honest criticism

Respect does not mean avoiding difficult conversations.

You may:

describe poor workmanship;
discuss delays, communication failures or unexpected costs;
question advice;
disagree with a Professional;
raise safety concerns;
post a negative review; and
challenge conduct you believe is unfair.

You must do so honestly, specifically and without unnecessary humiliation, threats or personal attacks.

Kindness is not the same as agreement. It means treating the other person with dignity while discussing the issue clearly.

24. Make space for repair

People sometimes communicate poorly, misunderstand one another or make mistakes.

Where appropriate, members should be willing to:

clarify what they meant;
correct inaccurate information;
remove unnecessary personal details;
acknowledge harm caused;
apologise without demanding forgiveness;
stop conduct that another person has reasonably asked them to stop; and
participate constructively in resolving the issue.

A correction or apology does not automatically remove responsibility for serious or repeated conduct, but genuine efforts to repair harm may be taken into account.

People should not be pressured to accept an apology, withdraw a report or resume contact.

25. Do not misuse reporting and moderation systems

Reports help us identify harmful conduct. They must be used honestly.

You must not:

submit knowingly false reports;
coordinate mass reporting merely because you disagree with someone;
repeatedly report Content already assessed without providing new information;
threaten to report someone as leverage;
impersonate an affected person;
alter or fabricate evidence;
use complaints to harass a competitor; or
retaliate against someone for making a report.

Making a good-faith report does not breach these Guidelines merely because Humble Hammer ultimately decides not to take action.

26. Reporting concerns

You can report Content, reviews, messages, profiles or Accounts using the available reporting tools or by contacting:

Email: support@humblehammer.com.au

When making a report, include where possible:

the Content or Account involved;
a description of the concern;
relevant dates;
screenshots or supporting information;
whether there is an immediate safety risk; and
your connection to the matter.

Do not publicly repost harmful Content merely to draw attention to it.

Where there is an immediate danger or credible threat of serious harm, contact emergency services or the appropriate authority directly. Humble Hammer is not an emergency service.

27. How Humble Hammer moderates

Humble Hammer may use human review, automated systems or a combination of both.

We may consider:

the words, images or conduct involved;
context;
severity;
whether the conduct was targeted;
whether it was repeated;
the likely impact on affected users;
evidence available to us;
previous warnings or breaches;
whether the user corrected the issue;
whether there is a safety or legal risk;
whether the Content serves a legitimate public-interest or educational purpose; and
whether a less restrictive response would be effective.

Context matters, but describing abuse as humour, sarcasm or just an opinion does not automatically make it acceptable.

We are not required to resolve the underlying contractual or factual dispute before deciding whether Content breaches these Guidelines.

For example, we may leave a disputed but respectfully expressed review visible while removing an abusive comment attached to it.

28. Moderation actions

Depending on the circumstances, we may:

take no action;
provide guidance;
ask a user to edit or clarify Content;
add a warning, label or context;
reduce distribution or visibility;
close or limit comments;
remove part or all of the Content;
restrict messaging or other features;
issue a formal warning;
require verification;
temporarily suspend an Account;
permanently close an Account;
preserve relevant records;
notify affected users;
adjust ratings affected by invalid reviews;
refer a matter to an appropriate authority; or
take another proportionate step permitted by our Terms of Use.

We may act immediately where conduct involves:

credible threats;
doxxing or serious privacy violations;
child exploitation;
serious discriminatory abuse;
impersonation used for fraud;
fabricated or coordinated reviews;
serious scams;
malware or security attacks;
repeated evasion of enforcement;
coordinated harassment; or
another serious safety or legal risk.

29. Repeated and cumulative behaviour

A series of individually minor actions may collectively breach these Guidelines.

For example, repeated sarcastic comments, unwanted messages, mocking reactions or references to the same person may amount to harassment when viewed together.

We may consider conduct across:

public posts;
comments;
reviews;
messages;
reports;
business profiles;
multiple Accounts; and
related activity reasonably connected to the same user.

Creating a new Account does not erase previous conduct.

30. Corrections and restoring trust

People make mistakes. In suitable cases, we may consider whether a user:

removed or corrected inaccurate Content;
apologised without pressuring the affected person;
stopped the harmful conduct;
cooperated with reasonable requests;
acknowledged a conflict of interest;
provided missing context; or
demonstrated an understanding of the relevant rule.

A correction does not guarantee that no action will be taken, particularly where harm was serious or deliberate. It may affect the action we consider proportionate.

31. Appeals

Where reasonably appropriate, a user affected by an enforcement decision may request an internal review by contacting:

Email: support@humblehammer.com.au

The request should:

identify the Content or decision;
explain why the decision is believed to be incorrect;
provide relevant context or evidence; and
be submitted within 30 days of the decision.

An appeal is not an opportunity to repeat abuse, threaten staff or attack the person who made a report.

We may uphold, change or reverse the original decision.

32. Relationship with other Humble Hammer policies

These Guidelines should be read together with:

the Humble Hammer Terms of Use;
the Review Policy;
applicable purchase, subscription and Credit terms; and
any feature-specific rules shown on the Platform.

Where conduct involves reviews, the Review Policy provides additional detail.

Where conduct may be unlawful, these Guidelines do not limit any legal rights, obligations or remedies.

33. Changes to these Guidelines

We may update these Guidelines to reflect:

changes to the Platform;
new community risks;
changes in law;
experience gained through moderation;
user feedback; or
improvements to clarity and fairness.

We will publish the updated version and revise the “Last updated” date.

Material changes may also be communicated through the Platform, by email or by another appropriate method.

34. Contact us

Questions about these Guidelines may be sent to:

Humble Hammer Pty Ltd
ABN: 12691209739 Email: support@humblehammer.com.au Website: https://humblehammer.com.au/