BUILDERS NETWORK

Stuart Collinson – CFL Building Permits surveyors 

Stuart started by telling us about his involvement with the Building Appeals Board (From their website)

The BAB hears appeals and disputes in relation to building control matters and can waive, modify or vary the provisions of particular regulations based upon the particular case.  Furthermore, the BAB can determine that a particular design or element of a building complies with the Act and Building Regulations.  There are a number of circumstances in which the BAB may be of assistance to you.

            Appeals and disputes are generally determined within four weeks of an application. The majority of determinations of modification and referral applications are generally made within two weeks of an application.

    The BAB may begin to hear or otherwise deal with an appeal heard within 48 hours of application for an additional fee if the BAB agrees to the request.  This is commonly referred to as a “fast track appeal”.

Stuart also spoke about the company’s work doing costings for the Commonwealth bank. The bank requires costings to make sure that it marries with the loan provided. The costings are calculated using “Cordells” figures times the square metres.

Stuart said that to get a certificate of Occupancy a Plumbing certificate is required. Other certificates – Electrical, tanking, insulation, fighting, termite may also be requested, but not mandatory.

Stuart spoke about new regulations that relate to people with disabilities. For example, the requirement to provide a lift, if the second level is greater than 200 square metres, and the requirement to provide a disabled toilet if one has not previously been provided.

We also talked about new lighting regulations that came in to force in May requiring no more than 5 watts per square metre.

Products that are imported (like foam cladding) that may not meet regulations even though they have been stamped.

It was an excellent night, even though there were only 4 people in attendance.

Thanks to Stuart for his attendance and David S. for organising it.

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Our guest speakers on Thursday 26 May were Sam Polimeni and Robert Verri of SP Solutions (www.spsol.com.au). If you missed them then you most certainly missed out! The presentation was professional, polished, informative and very engaging – I can understand why Peter Virtue is an advocate of the company!

Rob and Sam presented ‘10 Steps On How To Turn Your Business From a Job Into An Investment’, we were given tools to implement in our day to day business and so much food for thought that we really felt we’d sat down with them for an  in-depth one on one advisory session!

From the importance of ‘Knowing our numbers’ to the need to learn strategies to improve customer conversion and from working out if our business models were the right fit for our businesses  to realising that as a business owner ‘we can’t do it all!’. Sam and Rob took us on a  journey; they covered  key topic areas such as Focus, Profit, Cash, Team, Systems, Strategy and Growth. ‘A well presented, professional, interesting presentation’ Carmel Cook, Banyule Master Builders.

We all took something away from the evening and we thank Sam and Rob for giving us such useful information in such a short amount of time! I suggest you all take a look at their website – they have proved to me that they are not ‘just accountants!’

Thursday March 31st:

We had 2 suppliers speak to us about their products.

Firstly from Bostik Gary spoke about 3 of their products:

And from James Hardie products Alec spoke about Scyon products.

Scyon is a differentiated product in the market place and provides architectural looking products to achieve a range of different looks and caters for all building types and designs. The Scyon range includes external claddings through to flooring solutions and provides peace of mind, as well as reducing the labour component on site, therefore reducing the overall ‘On the Wall’ cost. The Scyon technology differentiates itself in the market place by providing thicker products and allowing a wider range of profiles and looks, as well as only needing two trades to supply and install (Builder/Carpenter and Painter).

Thanks to Gary and Alec for excellent presentations.

Thursday February 21st

Dianna from Reno Reclaimers spoke to us about the service that she offers. Her business is to turn parts of “demo’s” into cash. Dianna will come to site, assess and photograph the items and then sell them on the web charging you 20% fees and sharing the profit with you. Do you have windows stored in your shed? Turn them into cash!

Contact Diana: 0434-027-144 9 Amy’s Grove, Donvale, 3111

www.renoreclaimers.com.au

We also had James and Leon from WHK accountants to speak to us about the different structures that are possible for businesses and the pros and cons on each. It was a good night.

Thursday January 27th

Phil Dwyer spoke to us about concerns that he has had with the industry in relation to builders insurance.

For the past 10 years we as small business builders have faced uncertainty and upheaval many times as private insurers jockey for position at our expense and they only give us annual tenure in our profession, make us underwrite the policies they receive the premiums for and remove our ability to plan, grow and employ. This circumstance does not exist in any other profession in the western world and is an affront to democracy as we know it.

So why do these circumstances exist? Mainly because our self proclaimed peak body who has had the ear of Governments and has been able to maintain the status quo on the basis that they are representing our views.

HIA and MBA do not represent our views as this scheme was set up as a business model for and on behalf of HIA and Royal & SunAlliance by their own admissions (Please request the Rehame transcript for clarity) as insurance commissions alone represent the majority of the trade association’s income.

The points discussed at the gathering were:

• · The legality of the insurance/management regime
• · Builders businesses turnover being capped
• · Size of project being capped
• · Length of time for assessment
• · Cost of premiums
• · The value of trade association membership
• · Alternate insurance to the Government/QBE insurance

The outcomes of the discussions:

• · 100% of the builders in attendance pledged support for the class action and financial support of the BCA
• · Total rejection of the current circumstances
• · Trade Association membership being questioned with many not renewing
• · Many builders asked for the details of the alternate insurer and these details will be provided in a second email