Dear Members & Visitors,


From time to time businesses are recommended at this forum.

Please be reminded that we are not a registrar, nor are we a recognised body for verifying / certifying qualifications, accreditation, or registration for each business listed or mentioned at this site.

To be clear, it is the responsibility of the individual (whether visitor or member) to ensure that he / she checks the validity / relevancy / currency of credentials of each business in question.

Please check that each business you deal with is, and not limited to:

Registered
Qualified
Accredited
Licensed

Should you find any recommendation of operators that are known to be unlicensed / unregistered please report this to us so we may promptly remove these references.

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Solvent
Honest
Reliable
Good track record

Nice addition to the list. Anyone else?

• EVALUATING AND SELECTING A CONTRACTOR
• timely response
• site visit
• his introduction
• has he business card
• does he ask the right questions
• is he really interested?
• do a chit chat , ask questions
• ask him about: qual/exp/equipm/resourc
• does he listen is he sympathetic
• job examples
• references
• quote on time- is it properly filled in
• quote presentation- is it lunchbag?
• supporting quote docs
• insurance
• follow your gut feeling

Is contractor asking for money upfront?- DONT! Is contractor asking for cash? DONT!

just my two bob

I like job examples / track record. Its great to see a previous job and talk to owners.

How do you know once complete a contractor will be paid for the time materials and experience?
Don't know the answer to that but I've been bitten more times than you can poke a stick.
So much negative about tradies and no detail about the other side of the story.
Almost enough to NEVER work for an unknown entity again!

In my experience most people will pay when the work is done well but there is a small number of serial non payers so a tradie has to be just as careful as the owner.

The biggest obstacles a tradie can face are :
1 Adverse conditions under which good job is difficult or impossible
2 Misunderstandings leading to unrealised expectations

Many tradies will not work for OB's because it is just too hard, For example: ambitious home with design on the cheap, owners having no clue to give instructions or solve problem but then expecting unrealistic results. Many builders are clueless as well.
If you get yourself into a mess you probably won't get paid.

So you have to do your research. Tradies before you , have they been paid?
Then you have to be selective and sometimes just walk away.

Being sucked in to the grip of trying to accomplish a task that under so-called normal conditions for a job that is easy and that is made impossible by the slackness, Nieve, unscrupulous, or just down right stupid its part of the risk. Who shares that risk?
The person that puts all that have gone before them into the same basket.
The wise refrain from dealing with the general public.
The loser?
The genuine person that is prepared to aim high that follow instructions that care for one another to achieve better than average.
What is lost?
The availability of trades and services.
My grand ma told me once there are 2 sides to each story and the truth is between both!
If you have heard only one side of the story you are not yet close to the truth.
The judicial system rewards the one with the deepest pockets and the truth gets lost along with the trade, skill and desire to provide a product .
Why have we lost so many masters?
Because they are good at their job not good at litigation nor do they have the time nor inclination to prove themselves right.

Security of Payments Act... in most states. Quote it on your invoice and if they don't challenge it within 2 weeks, then they must pay.

But I know what you mean...

Ed

the dole would at times pay better and there are no costs, no risks, I could go fishing, have weekends, see my family. On second thoughts see ya!

If you are a trades person working for a wage then you don't have to worry about business.
If you are a trades person working for yourself then you are are running a business and have to rise to the occasion.
The key element is the control and that means not getting into a situation you cannot control.
Even though you may be perfectly capable of doing a good job, you cannot do it if the conditions won't allow you, and you won't get paid.
This is why you have to do your homework before committing to a contract.

Just my two bob

Hahahaha...that cracks me up.

that's the building industrie I guess I paid all my trades as they finished the job but trying too get them back to fix a defect was near impossible. its hard to know even with recommendations if you've got a good tradie even good ones make mistakes but getting them too admit it can be tough and I don't think its just owner builders its the industry as a whole stiffer penaltys need to be introduced for both sides of the contract so ev1 is protected sadly ive found all too often its about the bottom dollar not the pride in my work attitude that rules most problems. bring "cowboy builders show" to Australia that will protect the home owners and the good tradies trying to do the right thing

I'm starting to experience issues with unregistered draftspersons under-cutting industry rates.

I can't see how these guys are getting away with it???? You need to be registered to submit a plan to council/building surveyor.....Is there some loop hole I don't know about.

wow didn't know you HAD to be registered to submit plans to councils I always thought anyone could draw them up it was up to council too approve them. thanks for that info I will make sure my next drafty is registered

I wasn't aware of the need for a draftee to be registered-
They would normally be an independent contractor for the client to lodge the plans, or a contractor to the builder.
Then it is the owner builder, or the builder lodging the plans.

how many tradies who aren't Registered Builders are signing into contracts with OB's for works >$5K???