Home owners left high and dry while their building crumbles around them

[@alfred.g7521]

Have been in the building industry for 35 years and cannot believe how bad it's become. The 80s and early 90s had strict codes and quality control. Its non existent now and it's in complete dissaray. Never before gave I seen such poor workmanship and so many defects on every apartment and house. Let's not go into high rise apartments. They are a complete disaster. Australian standards. Non existent

[@MrWilliam.Stewart]

There seems to be a lot of comment suggesting it's not the fault of recent Government. To which I ask, how many individuals have been jailed for using flammable cladding?

[@ngevacorp]

The worst is a builder or developer sets up proxy companies for each project and they can just default or declare bankrupt to get away from responsibilities. They all should be locked up and have all their assets n companies repossessed to repay debt

[@TheFriend2u]

Money is one of the temptation that satan uses to lure souls into hell. Greed over conscience.

[@mossie1954]

That's why we left Sydney..too bloody expensive, and we went country. Bought a 1964 house for $155,000 May 2019. It was made well in 1964...and is fully paid for. Not for everyone, but we just had to do something. If the houses in Melb or Sydney are not hundreds of thousands (and units), then they are falling to bits! As for work it's here! you just have to look that simple.

[@CastorRabbit]

We did the same. Tassy. Best move ever.

[@mossie1954]

@@CastorRabbit Great to hear :)

[@Peter-qc6ve]

Most of the problems in the first building seem water related. You have to have good water protection on a building. This is a huge problem with any poorly built or maintained buildings. Water leaking into a building is sure to cause a lot of problems. Only fire or earthquakes can wreak a building faster than water.

[@gtlegacy8]

Some flex tape and flex seal, she be as good as new trust me i am a engineer.

[@saifchowdhury3581]

In Hong Kong, Building Authority has no liability if things go wrong with construction even if they are the ones who authorise constructions designs. Contractors and consultants have heavy responsibility and need to be extra caution when building and designing. Take away liability from government approvers then contractors would self regulate their work.

[@dimitriosfreedom9282]

An intelligent and insightful comment you make. There are some others posting here that builders should be shot and never allowed to walk the earth. That’s their disgraceful solution.

[@denisehitchens1418]

Chinese labor

[@sg00025]

There needs to be more regulation in all states.

[@crashweaverda]

There will always be some scum bag that will rip folks off no matter what kinda rules and regulations you put in place.

[@harveyking5038]

exactly mate

[@rattfink3285]

I would not buy a 'house', built after 1992, that was not a traditional design to suit the area, i.e. sufficient eves, clad with weatherboards and/or brick. Any house built without eves and/or cement board with a stucco surface, doesn't last the test of time. And apartments, well, you just don't go there, a concrete jungle is a concrete jungle.

[@RK-ve4xp]

This is what happens when we sacrifice quality and solely focus on profit only. Cheapest possible crap is all you get. There must be proper balance. Profit is necessary but not at the expense of reasonable quality.

[@PMMagro]

It is not just profit, it is time. Time is money and everything get's rushed. Planning is optimistic on the brink of unrealistic often.

[@Harold_Flite]

I work in Concrete construction. ..id buy a home built in the 60,70 & 80 over a new home any day...at least those homes were built by Australians that cared, not this new lot of imported builders and workers.

[@georgfriedrichhandel4390]

But Rickie G, don't libertarians keep telling us that in a completely free, unbridled and unregulated environment, marker forces will reward the best performing companies? This sector has been deregulated Shouldn't that mean better and more efficient service?

[@evah787]

The "Chinese standard" is becoming more and more visible. Look at the new building sites in China...3 years later huge chunks of cladding/cracking start falling off!!!!

[@riffraff8490]

It gives the building more character.

[@LukeXMV]

I see lots of Chinese construction workers leaving the new apartment building site each afternoon. They have real issue with a simple task like crossing the road... So, I wonder about their level of other skills including the ones required on construction site. Scary.

[@thomasridley8675]

We are seeing the results of the profit motives gone crazy. When all that matters is high returns. The system is going to fail to produce quality products. That goes for all the costs gov hangs you with as well. They want to make a profit off everything as well.

[@antpoo]

Thomas Ridley yes capitalism and democracy together in my opinion is a race to the bottom in terms of quality as everyone races to the top for profits.

[@timan2039]

If you want to harm the citizens then privatize government safety agencies and utilities.

[@LukeXMV]

How can someone fail with the standards that are so low already??? Is this a joke?

[@arrowstheorem1881]

Singapore is also having a housing crisis that will get bigger as time pass. It's public housing will depreciate to zero

[@electricdreams9446]

Wow. I never knew about that. This problem in Australia is quite new. Most apartments have been built in the last 15 years in capital cities and the regulations of the building industry has been watered down . It used to be strict.

[@gparamaeswary7276]

It goes to zero value when the 99yrs lease is up.....as do condominium with 99yrs lease.

[@harveyking5038]

Blame it all on developer greed and lack of moral values. My brother's a small property developer but we build houses that a family can live in and that we would live in also. We grew up with empathy. Many property developers wouldn't live in the houses they build for others.

[@dixcreative]

The law protects rich developers and dodgy builders. I wad screwed by McNab in QLD building called W4 they didn’t even have a license to build the number of floors they built and it all turned to shit.

[@actorzone856]

I wouldn't let any builder, engineer or surveyor on my site without a qualified person i knew personally that does not take shit from anyone and across all the work and makes sure its constructed to a high standard.

[@vincentconti3633]

You are an intelligent person!

[@vincentconti3633]

@Robert Pearce funny?

[@babesdoce7719]

Rent don't buy. If something happens you can leave that godamn apartment.

[@johnniethepom2905]

Must customers are let down by themselves . If you purchase off the plan then God help you . Why you would pay for any building house or appartment without having it independently assessed is beyond me . Pick a surveyor / building assesor from the other side of the city and go to their office to get an idea of there set up before you engage them . Third world trades do not build first world bathrooms .

[@richardzedman1160]

I do a lot of work in all these new units and I can tell you there all very shoddy theres probs every were

[@kamwaichan8048]

Richard, you are also as bad as the builder's, contractor, people like you should be on the 1st line of defence to all the homeowners. You should have reported the to the health and safety officer, council etc.

[@usaintltrade]

INSURANCE COMPANY SHOULD PAY UP? 🤯

[@ilegalalien]

Australians would be an easy target for people trying to sell lots on the moon🌝...look at all the crap they buy they call homes 🏡

[@jarred333Boss]

eeeee

[@navajyotichetia3211]

EEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!! @$?&®}\~•💩👊🕸🕷🦂👞

[@gerardmarquez2826]

Mainly Chinese buyers looking for property abroad.

[@codorin]

And Canadians right behind them..... trying to push them away..... yay

[@HerrFrankenstein]

Building materials are ever changing... Governments too... Accountability matters......

[@stumac869]

Cheaply constructed buildings which will have a short life span regardless of the quality of construction. If it's built badly then it just accelerates the problem but I doubt many of these new builds will be around in 50 years time without significant maintenance.

[@gregnulik1975]

O_O; thought about a houseboat? omg.

[@joneslo5572]

Government regulations are just too LAX! Buyers should be able to sue builders, sellers and government house inspector.

[@wallstreethamster8341]

this sh*t should not happen in Australia. we should have the best & toughest regulations when it comes to construction and engineering.........why is the government failing people? You never let builders regulate and monitor themselves.

[@grahamdowdell4356]

Just remember a small few ruin it for the majority.

[@johncford3957]

Now we know where Florida builders have gone to.

[@tkx86]

There is alot of criminality in the construction industry too. Bikies have a big part in it.

[@Unknown-nf1se]

I can’t comment on what’s available now in the building industry but let’s just say the old experienced Italians and Aussies most moved on because we don’t work for peanuts just to provide shit work we take pride in our work Enough pride to go work in cleaning for ok money per hr instead of giving our experience to idiots who don’t deserve it greed good luck u all

[@vincentconti3633]

That young couple just landed in a pile of doodoo...happens all the time!

[@fr0stmourn3]

Why do you keep showing stock footage of the Gold Coast when all these issues are centred around Melbourne and Sydney?

[@kmuinde]

Soo sad considering how hard people work and save to be able to afford a property this kind of doggy work should be dealt with very seriously

[@Paul-qq7mh]

Get rid of all the Lebo builders.

[@janejan9728]

America's lawsuit culture would have a field day with this. Why can't Australians sue?

[@melvinch]

Are the construction workers from China ? They have a reputation of shoddy workmanship.

[@melvinch]

@Gost731 Do your due diligence on China workers before commenting. You are only making yourselves look stupid here. Or are you from China defending your people ?

[@denisehitchens1418]

Yes you should see the buildings in China falling to bits after 3 years and the lifts collapse.

[@Jennyoy]

Seriously, this are the Australian buildings? Thought they were buildings in China. How come the Australian builders become the Chinese!

[@IndianPrince04]

Both reflect Soviet era construction styles which prioritized function over form.

[@cbcluckyii4042]

Wow. Had no idea this kind of shady stuff is going on down under. From what I recall Melbourne real estate is petty expensive too. No wonder there's so much animosity towards immigrants there. I'm surprised this haven't been blamed on the Chinese yet. Time to take a page from the French and put your government on notice.

[@vincentconti3633]

If anyone over the age of twelve believes any government can possibly protect them from this kind of thing they just don't know. We need government but it is not our mother!

[@limacnaughton3352]

We need what basically amounts to a police force for the building industry. An authorised body that has qualified inspectors and the authority to go after dodgy builders, with real penalties.

[@jarred333Boss]

wow

[@shaunsarahadams4426]

The last sentence says it all really. The regulator needs to get better and get the rubbish out of the industry. This is why we need to have a recession every 10 years or so and successive governments and central bank policies have resulted in kicking the can further down the street and making the problem much much bigger.

[@dimitriosfreedom9282]

Gee, “Our” abc isn’t censoring comments anymore. I wonder why?

[@ethank5681]

Dimitrios Freedom abc doesn’t like democracy

[@dimitriosfreedom9282]

Ethan K apparently not. I wouldn’t have a problem if it was a privately owned organisation but the abc is publicly owned and funded. It has a social obligation to be open and transparent.

[@ethank5681]

Dimitrios Freedom lol democracy died years ago m8

[@Harold_Flite]

It depends on the story....if this was an immigrant story, you only get to 👎👍.

[@allanashby8089]

Mascot Towers? Opal Towers?

[@stephanburgess654]

There you go. There's there word, Privatised. It will be a growing thing now. Privatising doesn't work.

[@vincentconti3633]

Trees sinking!! Really?

[@martinlong2804]

Never buy apartment buy a house, that way the land you build on. Will be worth something at least

[@fusong1111]

the only problem is people can't afford houses

[@jeffwilliams742]

Money hungry developers

[@nickolaykolev1663]

I can't believe people are so naive believing in building Mafia.

[@tonysmith4277]

Disgusting, regulators should be ashamed of themselves.

[@hepthegreat4005]

Looks like the buildings in China.

[@PhunkBustA]

its a logic issue, but obvious thing arent so obvious to most people

[@gparamaeswary7276]

What is the govt doing???

[@rodneyirwin4450]

Don’t buy a unit that is built after 1990s there slums of tomorrow

[@andrewmica1914]

Inexperienced...rushed ...cutting corners... Trade know how is limited .TAFE sector does not teach ...

[@out_on_bail]

It’s always the foreign builders. Always go with an ozi.

[@ngevacorp]

They r all ozzi mate, except greedy fkers

[@thinman2007]

7.30minutes

[@ervin54]

Ethiopia buildings standard

[@denisehitchens1418]

That is how they build the buildings in China.....quick money

[@weldon29]

but this is not China

[@ethank5681]

Made in China built by Lebanon

[@thelogician1934]

The problem is Aussies dont know how to build multi storey buildings. They build with timber instead of all concrete.

[@Unknown-nf1se]

You wanted cheap and not experienced people because you wanted to save money! Oh well you got what u paid for … people good with talk and beautiful websites but no experience or desire to do good work The industry is full of crap nowadays the good old Aussie Italian tradies are all gone

[@Bearthorn]

Disgusting

[@TP-fl9ul]

Omg

[@johnb6723]

Caveat emptor.

[@javedtahiri6374]

Who cares, none of my business