clevehurst

We are off to Mandurah, WA from UK on 163 state sponsored visas to set up another building contracting business (have been in business in UK for 25 years). Wondered if anyone else in similar situation is able to give any advice or share their experience regarding the following:-

1. Building licence applications (necessary to start building business).

2. Is it common practice to use 110V power tools on site (as in the UK)?

3. What differences do you find from building in the UK?

4. How easy is it to find sub-contractors or labourers? Have heard there is a long wait for electricians and plumbers.

Look forward to hearing from you.

lewandkate

if you need a carpenter we are hoping to go at the end of the year!

thanks lew

clevehurst

Lew,

Make sure you keep in contact, as we may well be of use to each other.

Cheers
Olly

lewandkate

Cheers mate

when you hoping to be out there


lew

wulfruna

I don't know if you know but you have to be a Registered Builder to build houses in West Australia. You would have to apply to the Builders Registration Board.

Their Web Site is at http://www.brb.org.au/ You could possibly go there and make some enquiries.

It is booming in Mandurah and sub-contractors of every type are in very high demand.

clevehurst

All being well, first week in November. A lot depends on whether the sale of our house goes through successfully this time (we were let down by a buyer a month ago, although it went back under offer within a few days). Fingers crossed! We actually have to be out there by 13th April 2007, but I'd like to get there in November so our kids can have some fun before they settle back into school etc. in January.

What are your plans and where are you hoping to settle?

Olly

clevehurst

Thanks for your reply. I had heard about the registration process, I guess you can't get it under way until you are actually in the country? We are not planning to arrive until November but I'd like to save some time and be prepared with whatever I need beforehand (say references etc.), so that I don't waste too much time being non productive when we get there.

Has anyone out there been through the registration or licensing process?

Regards,
Olly

sue and mick

Hi cleveland we will be over to live in early 2007 hopefully in secret harbour my husband is a self employed electrician with his own company who will be looking for work he can do many other building trades as well, keep him in mind for the future that would be great.

many thanks

sue

lewandkate

we was hoping to be south of river but not sure where
its all depends on the work in perth and back in the uk as i'm so booked up and do not want to turn it down

lew

wulfruna

If you go the Site I posted and click on the Builder Application Tab -part way down you will find forms you can download. You will find information and how to apply. We used to be Home Builders (retired now) and my husband applied as a Builder coming from overseas.
My husband needed plans of some houses he had built in England, how long he had been building, references from Council etc. You could get all these ready before you came.

sassenach

Hi all ,well i have been here for 15 years and havent got a builders ticket [perth ],they arnt quite as easy as people may think to get hold of .
For starters if your fresh over from the uk you will more than likely have to study at night school [part-time]three or four nights a week for 4-5 years .Then you will have to go in front of the board and show you are of good character and are financially sound .
Most of the younger builders here have inherited their tickets from their dads who got one when they where handing them out in boxes of frosties ,30 years ago .
Unfortunately there are heaps of british tradesmen here who could act as a small builder ,but cannot because of red tape .I am afraid to say just because you may have acted as a builder in the uk means absolutely nothing here and a fair amount of unneccessary study will be needed just to get you back to where you may have been in the uk ,or you have to be content with staying in the trade you originally migrated out on and paying a dodgy builder a certain percentage to use his ticket .

wulfruna

You have never been able to inherit Builder's Registration from your Fathers, that is rubbish. My son is a Registered Builder but had to study and take 14 exams (He went for the Diploma I think it is about 9 exams to be a Registered Builder). They can use their Father's Ticket to build but the Father is ultimately the one who is legally responsible for all building work. As far the Builder's Registration Board are concerned the name on the ticket is the one who is building and legally responsible. If you pay to use someone's ticket that person is not a dodgy Builder because he/she is ultimately responsible. He is taking a chance that we never would have.

We had a Builder from England working for us for a two years, then because he had experience over here plus his experience back in the UK was granted his ticket and now has his own Building Firm and doing very well.

Building Registrations have never been handed out like a box of Frosties. When the area where you had to be a Registered Builder was extended to Mandurah 30 years back (country area did not have to be Registered) the Builders already there who had been building houses for many years were granted a licence but had to show building history plus be financially viable and of good character.

When people have a house built it is usually the biggest purchase of their life, they need to be assured that the Builder is of good character, knows all aspects of building a house and be financially viable, not some fly by night.

wulfruna

2. Is it common practice to use 110V power tools on site (as in the UK)?

Never did answer this question, Power tools are 240v.

sassenach

As i stated they arnt as easy to get as they may think and as you have stated you had a guy working for you for two years earning you money when he was probably quite capable of doing the job without working for you .
Yes i stand corrected it isnt inherited ,but the fact is they are using daddies ticket and by and large rely on their tradesmen to sort quantitiies out ,well thats my experience anyway .

sassenach

The fact is the whole builders registration system is a club to protect all of those already in it ,its a known scam that sons use dads ticket and most of these sons wouldnt know what a nail is .
I can honestly say in fifteen years i have probably worked for 2 decent builders who were well experienced and knew their quantities , but by and large especially recently with the building boom full steam ahead ,it really makes me vomit when i see these tossers who know sweet FA really making a quid and asking us the poor subbie how many bricks do you need? Its bollocks and the system needs changing and the whole of west australian system is full of bodgy builders because there is no inspections by the local authoritys ,these builders here are a law unto themselves .I personally am in favour of relaxing rules in regards to building and putting the onus of quality and inspections on local government departments ,lets face it why cant a butcher have a go at his own building company ,if he hires the right men he would just as well as a man who has been in it for 20 years .
It always makes me chuckle when builders start pontificating about not being bodgy ,but the fact is the building trade can and is bodgy at times especially now.