Local builders say plans to scrap the country’s federal building watchdog will complicate an industry which is already suffering supply and integrity issues.
Builder Matt Smith worked on a block of units in Loganlea earlier this year said there are already enough issues in the industry.
“Since Covid, we have had huge supply issues and that means that projects are taking twice as long as they should,” he said.
The new federal government says the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) should be axed.
“The price of quality building materials and insurances have also skyrocketed, so it’s not surprising that some builders and developers are cutting corners to save costs, and that is putting people’s lives at risk,” Mr Smith said.
“I think Logan is going to suffer more as a lower income area, because often these homeowners and apartment owners are young families just buying their first property and they can’t afford to fix these screw ups down the track.”
Mr Smith said he had been called in on several occasions in the past year to fix up bad construction work and unfinished projects.
“I have seen some dodgy things in my 20 years as a builder, but since Covid and all these issues, there are a lot more of those deals going on,” he said.
“I have been called into several homes and apartment blocks in Logan to fix things that weren’t finished. It shouldn’t happen and these poor people have to pay extra to get things fixed that should have been done in the first place.”
According to Australian Apartment Advocacy Head, Samantha Reece said there is serious concern within the apartment and home unit sector that more building collapses, like Probuild earlier this year, would happen over the next 12 months if the ABCC is scrapped.
Probuild was one of the country’s largest construction companies which collapsed in February, leaving $5 billion in unfinished projects.
“There are too many builders cutting corners in the current housing boom and too many builder collapses that have left apartment and unit owners with voided warranties and defect nightmares and no recourse for getting their properties fixed,” Ms Reece said.
“The new federal government has got to sit down and address the problems that confront the apartment and home unit sector, and we hope they do that within 100 days of winning office and hold an industry summit.”
