Browse Forums Building Standards; Getting It Right! Re: Just found my concreter has no licence! 21Jan 09, 2016 11:59 am Right, yeah I see what you mean. I guess the thing is that just doing a degree in something doesn't mean you are that. E.g. someone who comes straight out of an engineering degree is not properly equipped to undertake the work of an engineer until they have done suitable experience under the supervision of an engineer and been deemed competent by their peers. The most common way of acknowledging this achievement is through being assessed by and receiving membership of a recognized body, e.g. getting MIEAust or CPEng with Engineers Australia, and in Queensland to provide engineering services you must be a board registered RPEQ otherwise it is illegal. Similar thing for architects through AIA becoming a registered architect. We have the same process for many professions and the idea is to maintain a high level of trust, professionalism and quality. Lawyers, accountants, nurses, doctors, teachers (I think?).. but to name a few. There is no such thing as a monopoly in any of these professions and there is more than enough competition to ensure prices are kept reasonable. I don't know about you but I've seen the sort of work performed in countries where there is no regulation on various professions, and it ain't pretty. Re: Just found my concreter has no licence! 22Jan 09, 2016 12:47 pm I am not sure a monopoly is the right word. The various associations are not monopolies: "DEFINITION of 'Monopoly' A situation in which a single company or group owns all or nearly all of the market for a given type of product or service. By definition, monopoly is characterized by an absence of competition, which often results in high prices and inferior products." The Associations do not own anything per se, they provide member services and self governance so that members not adhering to minimum standards are hopefully weeded out. There is plenty of competition because members set their own charge out rates and market forces help keep things competitive. If I am looking for a professional trade the first thing I will do is check with the professional body and then do further due diligence and needed. I am not sure whether you have to be licensed to be a contractor in WA but for what I need I am looking at a number of jobs that has been done by the person and checking from his clients. I am also confirming with knowledgeable people on what I need to suit my requirements. 1960s makes a very valid point, just fresh out of studies without practical experience is not much help. To call yourself an engineer straight out of Uni would be misleading. In my profession straight out of uni still requires a great deal of hand holding to make it through the day...... Re: Just found my concreter has no licence! 23Jan 09, 2016 1:39 pm AussieMark 1960s makes a very valid point, just fresh out of studies without practical experience is not much help. To call yourself an engineer straight out of Uni would be misleading. In my profession straight out of uni still requires a great deal of hand holding to make it through the day...... Anyone without experience is a liability and currently in WA we are seeing a whole generation (lost) of graduates that will leave the engineering industries because they cant get a job.. internships,indenture and working for peanuts isn't appealing.. either way their jobs are just going offshore or are being automated,etc BTW..I train and support graduates to work on site in many disciplines/trades... Fair pay for a full days work Designer,Engineer (Civil,Const & Envir),Builder,Concrete & Masonry Contract.Struct Repairs Re: Just found my concreter has no licence! 24Jan 09, 2016 3:41 pm Over here we also have a surplus of engineers. Mainly because we opened the floodgates to engineers from everywhere during the mining boom, now that's fallen in a heap they are all looking for jobs. But in the building industry most of them are useless because all they know is mining, and if you try and design a building to mining specs the thing costs twice what it should. Building Services Engineer Renovating our 1960's modernist home in Brisbane https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=82091 Re: Just found my concreter has no licence! 25Jan 09, 2016 4:07 pm I am not an engineer but I do have friends that are and very qualified aussie engineers ten years back simply could not compete in singapore with the wages surrounding countries were willing to accept. At the time I recall saying that we pay our admin secretary more than what a 7 year experienced engineer gets... madness. I suspect the same may be happening because of mining, cheaper labour can result in possibly cheaper standards screeping in. Re: Just found my concreter has no licence! 26Jan 09, 2016 8:13 pm Yeah there are more and more engineering firms offshoring work to south east asia. One particular company operating in the east coast only has a few engineers in each of their local offices who liaise with clients, attend meetings etc, and the actual engineering and drafting is done in what I like to call "sweat shops" overseas that are not familiar with Australian Standards and normal practise. I wouldn't have a problem with it if they openly advertised that this is what they're doing and that's how they can offer substantially lower fees, but they don't. This leads me to think that they're not proud of what they're doing. I'd also tend to think that clients may not use their services if they knew what they were getting. Building Services Engineer Renovating our 1960's modernist home in Brisbane https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=82091 Re: Just found my concreter has no licence! 27Jan 10, 2016 10:28 am Design, Data, Compliance, Optimization and engineering can be automated and the only sweating I do is working on site during the Perth summer heat..full technology is yet to impact the home building Industry.. but we are trying to lead the way..Here https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities ... 2205285216 Designer,Engineer (Civil,Const & Envir),Builder,Concrete & Masonry Contract.Struct Repairs Re: Just found my concreter has no licence! 28Jan 10, 2016 5:00 pm We use BIM (Revit) as standard now, as well as a bunch of other task-specific engineering software packages. I couldn't tell you the last time I did a manual calculation other than back of the beer coaster stuff. But the main hurdle to taking full advantage of BIM (e.g. 5D or 6D BIM) is that contractors don't want to know about it, and they are a vital link in te chain. They just want a piece of paper with a 2D plan on it. They don't want to play around with Revit models and incorporate as-built information. It's difficult enough to just get them to build what's on the damn drawing half the time. Building Services Engineer Renovating our 1960's modernist home in Brisbane https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=82091 Re: Just found my concreter has no licence! 29Jan 10, 2016 8:29 pm I agree..The main reason most Builders don't like using/sharing BIM data is that their work comes under the microscope..I don't have a problem with sharing, clients should know where their monies go on projects Designer,Engineer (Civil,Const & Envir),Builder,Concrete & Masonry Contract.Struct Repairs Re: Just found my concreter has no licence! 30Jan 11, 2016 1:55 am Seeing as how this thread has got so far off topic, I may as well post a link that allows people to check numerous trade registrations all across Australia. http://www.**.com.au/ 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: Just found my concreter has no licence! 31Jan 11, 2016 6:44 am Yes it has, sorry! Building Services Engineer Renovating our 1960's modernist home in Brisbane https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=82091 Re: Just found my concreter has no licence! 32Jan 11, 2016 7:59 am My point precisely, Find Licenced trades eg. listed Plumbers, Painters and Builders .... LOL.."get a free tradie Quote" they would do better in explaining why $2K of materials/labour becomes 10k? Back to my previous point knowing How ,why & when things should be done can save you big bucks that's called Optimizing Data. Designer,Engineer (Civil,Const & Envir),Builder,Concrete & Masonry Contract.Struct Repairs Re: Just found my concreter has no licence! 33Jan 15, 2016 12:59 am StructuralBIMGuy Licensed Concretors and Builders didn't make the National trusted professions list 2015 Here: http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/6188- ... 1504280343 BTW, Engineers are amongst the most trusted.HTH Trusted by whom? The governments? Not those left with defective properties I bet 😉 Re: Just found my concreter has no licence! 34Jan 15, 2016 1:01 am 1960sModernistHome StructuralBIMGuy Most of the building trades aren't licensed If they were required to be then your house would cost you an absolute fortune. Licensed trades like Architects & Painters (LOL) are remnants of the renaissance period This article may be of interest. Building designer caught posing as architect & fined http://architectureau.com/articles/buil ... architect/ Link doesn't work unfortunately Re: Just found my concreter has no licence! 35Jan 15, 2016 1:19 am SaveH2O Seeing as how this thread has got so far off topic, I may as well post a link that allows people to check numerous trade registrations all across Australia. http://www.**.com.au/ I think this link may be out of date as it still has the building commission for Victoria and it's been the VBA for quite some time now. Re: Just found my concreter has no licence! 36Jan 15, 2016 7:04 pm Slab Heave Recipient StructuralBIMGuy Licensed Concretors and Builders didn't make the National trusted professions list 2015 Here: http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/6188- ... 1504280343 BTW, Engineers are amongst the most trusted.HTH Trusted by whom? The governments? Not those left with defective properties I bet 😉 Everybody & Governments included..think about it every time you use planes, elevators, high speed trains you put a lot of trust in engineers. I would say the Victorian Building Bureaucracy has let you down and it is pathetic, to think that we have made great technological advancements and they are not interested in advancing the plot of the average punter. Designer,Engineer (Civil,Const & Envir),Builder,Concrete & Masonry Contract.Struct Repairs Re: Just found my concreter has no licence! 37Jan 15, 2016 8:10 pm Slab Heave Recipient SaveH2O Seeing as how this thread has got so far off topic, I may as well post a link that allows people to check numerous trade registrations all across Australia. http://www.**.com.au/ I think this link may be out of date as it still has the building commission for Victoria and it's been the VBA for quite some time now. Yes, I know. It is a good website that deserves to be kept updated. Nearly all of the information is current though. Hmmm. For some reason, the website address has changed in my post and clicking it no longer takes you to the site. Strange! I have notified admin. 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: Just found my concreter has no licence! 38Jan 15, 2016 8:30 pm Slab Heave Recipient StructuralBIMGuy Licensed Concretors and Builders didn't make the National trusted professions list 2015 Here: http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/6188- ... 1504280343 BTW, Engineers are amongst the most trusted.HTH Trusted by whom? The governments? Not those left with defective properties I bet 😉 In my experience it is generally builders not correctly following the drawings and specifications that cause issues. But no one is perfect and from time to time we all make mistakes. Especially when customers want cheaper and cheaper fees. Re: Just found my concreter has no licence! 39Jan 16, 2016 1:04 am StructuralBIMGuy I am against restrictive practices that create monopolies and control services/prices eg If you complete the Architectural Degree you can't use the word architect unless you are a member of AIA, which is not the case for engineers. That is no quite right there. Architects must be registered with the state Architectural Registration Board. AIA is only an industry body to promote architecture, lobby government and provides support networks ongoing professional education. Registration in NSW is required under the NSW Architect Act 2003. The only time you must use an architect is in the design of residential flat buildings under SEPP 65. My understanding engineers in NSW are subject similar regulation. What this boils down to that the Architects act is designed to protect the consumer... Not the architect. The architect is require to carry PI Insurance, as a designer you are not. If you go to sue a designer without PI insurance then it is unlikely that you will have potentially access to 5 mill provided by my insurance. The completion of an architectural does not make an architect. The registration process requires a minimum of 2 years experience and to sit 2 very grueling exams, one of which is a face to face interview. Many do not make it through. I would be the first to agree, however the industry needs a shake up and rethink the way in which we practice and the services we offer and how we offer them. On my part all I can say is stay tuned, there is a number of thing I am working on to provide greater service, beyond simply bespoke design services for squillionairs or companies with deep pockets. HACK architecture Www.hackarchitecture.com.au Re: Just found my concreter has no licence! 40Jan 16, 2016 1:15 am 60sMederistHome, I would say this happens at some level every project, some of it for good reason, like the design didn't work. None of the building game is an exact science. It comes down to the approach by all parties to want the best outcome and find the path that suits. HACK architecture Www.hackarchitecture.com.au Hello needing some advice. I was about to build my Alfresco and needed a new slab and remove exisiting slab as its not standard. So they start to excavate and jackhammer… 0 10702 The significant date is when receive final payment invoice Check that section of contract Bit of fluff by builders prior to that 1 15952 I work with owner, he/she is my man on the ground and I instruct them when to visit the site and take photos and I have other tools in the bag. 4 15284 |