4 June 2010

Who're you callin' a shonk? Building Industry meets Government

| johnboy
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Andrew Barr is sending his people to talk to Canberra’s recently maligned builders about how to improve standards.

“Possible solutions contained in the Minister’s ten-point plan will be discussed as will any
solutions that industry might propose. After the meeting ACTPLA will develop a strategy under ACTPLAn to give to the Minister next week that covers possible short, medium and long-term solutions to this problem”, Mr Savery said.

That’s a very aggressive timetable. It’s amazing what can be done when the Minister’s in a dodgy apartment himself.

Canberra builders (with some exceptions) are...

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I also find the Kent St development particularly puzzling, especially since there’s already far too much traffic going both ways down that road at peak times. I pity the poor people who live along there, trying to get out of their driveways and side streets at 8:30am. Not enough to take a different route to work, but still…

My impression of ACTPLA is that they are not only incompetent, and this might be due to understaffing, but they are crooked. Some developments are blatantly outside the published regulations – three storey houses when these are specifically proscribed, massive houses occupying almost the whole housing block. And what about the fiasco in Kent Street Deakin? How would you feel as a resident facing what looks like a 5 storey building which completely blocks sunlight and the view of Brindies? Or what if they put a roundabout on your front lawn, as they did in Kent Street? This developer was allowed to close of busy Kent St for weeks without any plans for the resulting traffic chaos. You can’t tell me a few slabs of beer didn’t move from the developer to ACTPLA. I don’t live in Kent St, but these residents have been screwed by ACTPLA.

It was explained to me about 6 years ago by a man who knows these things, that the local certifiers fall roughly into two groups.

On one hand, there are ex builders/tradesmen who were prepared to jump ship and police their former cohorts. On the other are a group of ex ACT Gov ACTPLA (or whatever it was at the time) employees who were quietly given the opportunity to do a course lasting a few months at a Hunter Valley (I think) technical college, to gain qualifications as certifiers. Seems that some of these individuals are less than competent.

It is little stretch of the imagination that any incompetence or laxity would be exploited by builders looking for an extra quid.

The whole question of competence of certifiers demonstrated by the passing of dodgy work should be adressed by Govco. Pigs might fly too.

The cat did it4:18 pm 05 Jun 10

54-11: thanks for that info. So now Andrew Barr has to clean up a mess of Simon Corbell’s making.

I’m surprised that the Opposition haven’t got onto this and used it against Simon already, alluding to the close relations that exist (to consumers’ detriment) between the NSW ALP and land developers. Unless, of course, they’re fulfilling their role as Property Council sock puppets, and staying quiet about anything that might make life more difficult for developers.

Sorry, that should have been addressed to cat.

2604, I can’t be bothered (sorry!) to go back and check the exact year this happened.

However it was when Simon Corbell was planning minister, and the Local Area Planning Advisory Councils that existed at the time, as well as other community organisations, warned Corbell of exactly this situation arising.

Not only did he ignore them , but he disbanded the LAPACs because he didn’t like what they were telling him about a range of issues, including private certification.

You only need half a brain (which Corbell clearly doesn’t possess) to see what the consequences would obviously be. He was a dick then and he’s a dick now.

Presumably, given the amount of stuff they’ve built over the years, some of you(Diplomats included) are living in places my father in-law and his brother have built.

Not only are they both arseholes, they’re as dodgy as it gets.

Asking MBA, HIA and Property Council – lobby groups set up to represent builders and developers – how to deal with shonky builders and developers?

A Barr might as well ask known bank robbers for their input on how to build a better safe.

Part of the problem is the certifiers are often appointed by the builder rather than the owner.

The certifier needs to be responsible to the home owner rather than to the builder. As much as I hate the US litigious mindset, if the certifiers were liable for passing dodgy buildings it would reduce the incidence of poor workmanship and dodgy shortcuts.

Or maybe they already are. The other issue is the cap for compensation by the MBA in the ACT is $80-85K, hardly enough to replace a house if the whole lot is suspect.

This all according to the Stateline program yesterday.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2010/06/04/2918959.htm

The cat did it11:52 pm 04 Jun 10

54-11: I guess I’m speaking from my own suburban renovation experience, but I agree that when it comes to unit blocks, certification needs to be independent and trustworthy.

I know I asked on a previous thread, but when did certification arrangements get revised into their present form, or to be blunt, which ACT Government decided to let unit builders off the hook? Kate in a white heat of ill considered deregulation? or Jon in a frenzy of generosity towards builders and developers?

the MBA(?) spokesperson was on 666 this afternoon, talking about remedial measures, like extra training, but basically sounding pretty grudging, as if he was hoping the whole issue would go away. Pigs will fly ….

johnboy said :

He’s certainly been in the media complaining about the workmanship of his abode since Stateline kicked this off.

Entirely possible. I haven’t seen/heard anything but that’s probably because I don’t tend to follow much of what our local pollies are saying in the media. I’m just saying he doesn’t live in an apartment.

the cat did it, that sounds OK in theory. The problem is that the great bulk of these dodgy buildings are unit blocks. Owners have no opportunity to inspect the workmanship while construction is occurring – the sites are off-limits. And that’s just for those owners who bought off the plan – most units are sold after construction is complete.

Standalone homes are quite different – the owners can definitely check on what is happening.

Several others made the same comments as you on the previous thread, showing a lack of knowledge and understanding of how these things work. The HIA or MBA spokes-idiot said the same as well, which was particularly dumb of an industry representative.

That’s why ACTPLA is so appalling in not properly monitoring what happens – they are the ones with the legislative power and responsibility to do this.

georgesgenitals1:40 pm 04 Jun 10

Cousin Zed will take care of them…

At least that’s what the Crimes reported a week or two back, JB.

I can just see all these Greek/Croatian/other builders quaking in their boots when Barr gets out his big stick.

What a joke.

No idea what your source is Johnboy but the Minister doesn’t live in an apartment (dodgy or otherwise :).

He’s certainly been in the media complaining about the workmanship of his abode since Stateline kicked this off.

The cat did it12:18 pm 04 Jun 10

I’m not voting – the choices are too polarised. You need a category like ‘mostly adequate as long as you keep an eye on them’ as well. Isn’t there another feature on this in tonight’s Stateline?

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