The importance of working with professional builders
When commencing your home build, it is vital that you work with experienced licensed builders who hold a building safety certification. At Calm Living Homes, we have noticed a drastic uptick in the number of unlicensed tradespeople who are putting the homes and safety of Australian families at risk.
We have taken the lead in exposing these unlicensed tradespeople and have created this helpful guide to help people everywhere determine whether they will be working with professional builders or risky unlicensed contractors.
Be wary of low quotes
It’s easy to get tempted by a quote that seems cheap, however in the building industry, the general rule of thumb is that if something is too cheap, you should be wary.
Genuine tradespeople are exposed to the handiwork of unlicensed tradies all the time – with the majority of cases involving homeowners needing professional builders to come in and pick up the pieces of a poor quality build.
Often when you’re provided with an unreasonably low quote, you are opening yourself up to the possibility of shoddy work. The results can look terrible and not to mention installations that don’t function properly or are outright dangerous. In some situations, the problem is not obvious until something goes wrong, causing the homeowner unnecessary stress and costing them serious money.
In the words of Jane Garret, the Victorian Consumer Affairs Minister “if someone’s offering to do it dirt cheap you may well get a dirt poor job…When things go wrong the effects can be absolutely devastating. It’s not just an issue of heartbreak or lost money or your home not looking right, it’s an issue of safety.”
Check their licence
One simple way to protect yourself is to ask to see any tradesperson’s licence before they begin work on your property and keep a record of it with you.
Andre Engelmayer from Calm Living Homes estimates that “20–25% of all work is performed outside the licence system”. This causes a number of issues for both homeowners and builders, as homeowners are opening themselves up to costly repairs in the future and quality builders are being pushed out of the market and under pricing jobs.
Licenced builders will be happy to show you their qualifications. If you ask a builder to provide you with this information and they refuse, this is cause for concern.
Get a building inspection before you buy a home
It is essential to receive a professional building inspection before you buy a home, even if it looks to be in a good condition. By getting a building inspection before you buy, you minimise the likelihood of any problems occurring after the sale has taken place – problems that the original owner may not have even known about.
If you inherit a home you suspect has poor quality workmanship, you may have difficulty obtaining compensation if one of your family members is injured as a result.
Stick with building professionals
At Calm Living Homes, we are committed to producing top quality eco-friendly results. Our team of experienced licensed builders have built up a strong reputation over the past thirty years in the industry. From building to renovating, the dedicated team at Calm Living Homes are able to fix any issues caused by unlicensed builders.
To discuss your home build, get in touch with our friendly team today on 0418 177 380 or fill out our online contact form, and we will get back to you.