2014 Master Builders Victoria Magazine Sep-Oct

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MASTER BUILDERS ASSOCIATION OF VICTORIA

SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2014 VOLUME 68 ISSUE 9

Royal Commission: Opportunity for reform. p.45

Regional winners: Regional Awards round up. p.34

State Election 2014: Who will you vote for? p.20

L.U. Simon named Commercial Master Builder of the Year

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forewords Master Builder Victoria 1A WORD FROM THE EDITOR

The campaigning season is heating up as we look towards the November State Election.

Master Builders has been working behind the scenes and meeting with various stakeholders and politicians in a bid to secure the best deals for our industry. Issues such as housing affordability, trade registration and cutting red tape are high on the agenda. Now the election is drawing nearer, you will see more from us as we ramp up our lobbying for the final

run home. Read more about what we are pushing in Master Builders CEO Radley de Silva’s feature on p.20.

The first of our major annual awards, the Excellence in Construction Awards, have also been held at Palladium Crown. Congratulations to all the winners, especially Master Builder of the Year (Commercial) L.U. Simon, Regional Builder of the Year Ballarat’s Nicholson Construction and Young Builder of the Year, Kate Dawson. What a wonderful achievement for a woman in a male dominated industry. Kate exemplifies the qualities in a Master Builder and is well deserving of this honour. Read more about Kate and all the other winners on p.28.

We now look forward to the Excellence in Housing Awards to be held on 17 October.

A number of other events and issues have been keeping us occupied including the the Royal Commission in to union corruption where a number of allegations have been revealed. Read more on p.44.

There have also been a number of developments in planning and insurance legislation that are worth reading more about in the news round up from p.8.

Lastly, I urge you to have a read of Kelly Ambrose’s feature on p.26 about the construction of one of Melbourne’s most famous landmarks; Flinders Street Station. I’m sure those of you with a particular interest in history will enjoy this article which explores the birth of this local icon.

Enjoy this issue of Master Builder, the second last for the year!

Laura LuvaraEditor

2014

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contents Master Builder Victoria 3CONTENTS

fo rewords

A WORD FROM THE EDITOR 1

PRESIDENT’S FOREWORD 5

GUEST FOREWORDS 6Mathew Guy, Minister for Planning

Brian Tee, Shadow Minister for Planning,

Sustainable Growth, Major Projects and

Infrastructure

regu la r s

NEWS ROUND UP 8

CASE STUDY CONSTRUCTIONS 52Chris Realises Knowledge is Power

FINANCIAL SERVICES 54Interest Rates Plummet as Competition Soars

REGIONAL ROUND UP 56

MEET THE STAFF 59

SOCIAL PAGES 60

DIRECTORY 85

WHAT’S NEW 87

PUBLISHED BY

Tel: 1800 222 757 Fax: 1800 063 151 Email: [email protected] Advertising: Paul Baird Tel: 1800 222 757 Email: [email protected] Production: Brooke Travers Tel: 1800 222 757 Email: [email protected] Graphic Design Team: Amanda Bennet, Byron Bailey and Carol Taylor Print: Newstyle Printing Distribution: adelaide business bureaux

Disclaimer: The Publisher and the Master Builders Association of Victoria, their employees and agents take no responsibility for any inaccuracies or omissions. The opinions are those of the contributors and not necessarily of the Publishers nor of the Association. No warranty is given and no liability is accepted. Products and Services appearing in Master Builder are not necessarily endorsed by the Publisher or the Association. While every care has been taken during production, the publisher(s) do not accept any liability for errors or omissions that may have occurred.

fea tu res

FROM CEO RADLEY DE SILVA 20

BLSC 223 Reasons to use the BLSC Other Than for Training

Building a Better Workforce – Assessing the Impact of the BLSC

FLINDERS STREET STATION 26Making of a Melbourne Icon

EXCELLENCE IN CONSTRUCTION 28 AWARDS REPORT

REGIONAL BUILDING 34 AWARDS REPORT

TRAINING 42Build Up your Career: 4 Training Tips to help You Get Registered

OHS 44CFMEU Faces Misuse of HSRs

INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS 45Let’s Not Waste this Opportunity for Reform

GREEN LIVING 46Sustainable Building Revolution Continues at 2014

Excellence in Construction Awards

LEGAL 48Protection Works: The Process and the Benefits

MASTER BUILDERS FOUNDATION 51Troy Leading the Way

membersh ip

MEMBER PROFILES 62Lylex Construction

Cheney Building Services

EXLUSIVE DISCOUNTS 68

MEMBER MILESTONES 69

WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST MEMBERS 70

genera l fea tu res

TIMBER 73

CLIMATE CONTROL 76

BUILDING SOFTWARE 80

OUTDOOR LIVING 82

MASTER BUILDERS ASSOCIATION OF VICTORIA

332 Albert Street, East Melbourne VIC 3002 Tel: (03) 9411 4555Fax: (03) 9411 4591 Email: [email protected] www.mbav.com.au

Master Builder is the official journal of the Master Builders Association of Victoria, which was established in 1875 and is the state’s oldest employer organisation. The organisation is part of the Australia-wide Master Builder movement. The keynote is service: and Master Builder is produced in line with this objective of keeping all members informed of all matters affecting them. Membership of the Master Builders is open to all qualified business operatives in the building and construction industry; the basis of membership is integrity and competence, based on training and experience.

BOARD OF MANAGEMENT:Greg Zuccala (President)Lou Raunik (Vice President)Hedley Davis (Immediate Past President)Melanie Fasham (Treasurer)Phillip Herkess, Peter Picking, Jarrod Sanfilippo, Robert Ferrari, David Moyle

Council of Management:Greg Zuccala (President)Lou Raunik (Deputy President)Hedley Davis (Immediate Past President)Melanie Fasham, Phillip Herkess, Peter Picking, Jarrod Sanfilippo, Robert Ferrari, Michael Clemenger, Tom Basel, Lindsay Barber, Claude Salvatore, Michael Cameron, Nic Morgan, Sandy McPherson, Paul Gardiner, David Moyle, Adam Siegel and Neil Grenfell.

CEO: Radley de Silva, 9411 4501General Manager, Commercial Services: Viviana Hood, 9411 4516General Manager, Corporate Services: Lawrie Cross, 9411 4582General Manager, BLSC: Marc Lyons, 9411 8001

MANAGERS:Membership: Dom Butera, 9411 4598Legal: Angelo Simonetto, 9411 4593Industrial Relations: Daniel Hodges, 9411 4562OHS: John Darcy, 9411 4521Training: Julie-Anne Sheppard, 9411 4544MBA Building Services: Geoff Woolcock, 9411 4573MBA Insurance Services: Kevin Pattison, 9411 4532Policy & Communications: Tim Salathiel, 9411 4515Business Development: Tony Biffaro, 9411 4557Finance & Administration: Ron Joordans, 9411 4556Human Resources: Margaret Short, 9411 4540Sponsorship & Alliances: Danielle Penna, 9411 4551

Magazine Editor: Laura Luvara, 9411 4534, [email protected]

2014

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As a member of the Master Builders Association, you’re entitled to full Gold Fleet Discounts with Toyota, saving you thousands on models right across our range.* Just make sure you mention the discount when you order your vehicle – it’s that easy.

And right now, you’ll also receive a free Makita radio with the purchase of a new Toyota HiLux or RAV4 when you order between 1 August and 31 October for delivery before 30 November. Once your vehicle arrives, visit the website below to confi rm your purchase and we’ll send your radio.

For more information, call 1800 444 847 or visit myfl eet.toyota.com.au/mbaoff er*Excluding Special Edition models. For full terms and conditions, please visit myfl eet.toyota.com.au/mbaoff er

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Untitled-40 1 10/09/12 10:21 AM

forewords Master Builder Victoria 5PRESIDENT’S FOREWORD

Elections: Get involved and get informed

Elections are upon us again. Nominations and elections for the Master Builders sector group committees and office bearers are underway, and it’s important that you as a Master Builder member get involved and have your say in how your association is run and how it advocates our industry’s interests to all levels of government.

The other election of note is the State Election which is set for 29 November this year. The opening salvo by the Napthine Government was its May State Budget that promised a boost for Victoria and our industry by way of $27 billion of infrastructure projects, including a budget surplus and the maintaining of our state’s AAA credit rating. In contrast, the Federal Budget appears to be floundering under an assault from a dysfunctional Senate. This time last year we were heading into a federal election with hope and anticipation. We looked forward to a fresh start and to a period of certainty and stability that would lead to renewed prosperity in our industry.

Well, so much for certainty and stability. Unfortunately, Federal Parliament has become afflicted with the ‘pups’, motoring enthusiasts and various other independents; each with their particular, cultivated agendas. We’re long overdue for sensible, rational and balanced governance of our country.

Despite this, our industry continues to move forward. The positive sentiment in the residential construction sector, although tapering off recently, still continues to be a significant contributor to our economy. There appear to be some positive signs also emerging in the commercial construction sector. Our commercial builders here in Victoria showcased their professionalism at the Master Builders Excellence in Construction Awards held at Palladium Crown on 8 August, where we recognised the very high achievers in our industry. It’s a credit to all of the entrants who’ve continued to produce outstanding work in a challenging environment. Congratulations to all of the entrants and especially to the winners.

Greg ZuccalaPresident

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Warning: Users may enjoy quoting!Join a Simpler World of Quoting!

SoloAssist Quoting & Job Management is a user friendly software estimating package specifically designed for the small tomedium building industry and is ideal for Alterations, Additions, New Homes and Small Commercial projects.With a pre-setup template for builders and sub-contractors you can hit the ground running!

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Untitled-40 1 10/09/12 10:21 AM

forewords6 Master Builder Victoria

GUEST FOREWORD

Taking the politics out of planningCan we be confident there will be sufficient housing so young people can afford to live in the suburbs where they grew up? Will older Victorians have the units they need in the suburbs they live so they can down size in their community, near their family and friends?

It is a similar story with the infrastructure we need to get the city moving. Decisions like the East West Tunnel pop out from nowhere with no business case and no clear traffic modelling.

Planning and infrastructure have become political footballs that do not serve the best interests of Victorians.

If we are elected, Labor will deliver better certainty and transparency.

We will create Infrastructure Victoria – an independent body to determine Victoria’s infrastructure needs and how to fund them. Its recommendations will be public and so will the government’s response. It will act openly and transparently and make decisions in the interests of all Victorians.

Melbourne is the most liveable city in the world. Our liveability is the secret of our success; it brings the people and investment that drive the jobs in the construction sector. And the liveability of regional Victoria means that the great cities of Bendigo, Geelong and Ballarat are thriving.

But our liveability is under threat from a planning system that is falling down and

from congestion that is clogging up our roads.

Take CBD building approvals. There is no transparency, no clear public criteria or evaluation covering merit, shadowing, parking, congestion and there are no timelines. When, if and how a development application emerges from the Minister’s office is a bit of a lottery.

Similarly, the new residential zones, which determine the location and scale of development, have been finalised behind closed doors by local councils and the minister’s office.

Brian TeeShadow Minister for Planning, Sustainable Growth, Major Projects and Infrastructure

Reforming and progressing planninghousing affordability crisis ease considerably in our growth areas. Bringing forward a huge level of supply in the central city has done the same to our inner urban market. This is a huge contrast to the slow and chaotic planning system that Victoria had just four years ago.

Over the years ahead we must continue to reform the way we do business in our planning and building systems; reforming the way permits are dealt with at council level as well as looking to change our planning scheme amendment processes can all make a huge difference to how competitive our state is in the future.

Planning is not an area in which political parties can operate in a policy vacuum. This portfolio is a crucial driver of economic growth. To continue this, Victoria needs confidence, leadership and continued reform in the planning portfolio.

Failure to articulate a serious planning and building policy vision for this portfolio would be to yet again consign Victoria to a planning system that rivals the weak, chaotic mess of other states, not one that shows strength and leadership through real reform.

The Victorian building industry is a huge employer. Building permit values recently exceeded $25 billion for the first time. This is an extraordinary figure. It shows the strength and resilience of our building industry.

To assist the growth and development of the building industry, the state government has delivered more reform to our planning and building systems

over the past four years than over the previous thirty combined. That is because this state government recognises that planning is no longer an academic portfolio, it’s an economic one. And importantly, good reform has huge economic flow on effects for all Victorians.

With huge policy and structural reform now complete and importantly, the reform of development contributions now in its final stages, I believe Victoria is now best placed of any Australian state to use its planning and building systems as a key driver for new investment.

Policy reforms that have brought forward tens of thousands of land lots in Melbourne and regional cities have seen Victoria’s

Matthew GuyMinister for Planning

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news8 Master Builder Victoria

Have you heard about Building Victoria? Visit www.mbavnews.com.au for up to the minute news and info from the building and construction industry, 24/7

CROW EATERS BOWL OVER COMPETITIONSouth Australia has won the 69th James Wall Carnival with a ten shot victory.

Members of the Queensland Master Builders Association Bowls Club hosted the carnival at Tweed Heads Club from 15 to 20 June with 180 bowlers competing.

Queensland took home the David Barro A.O. Memorial Cup for the first time since it was introduced in 2010.

Next year the Master Builders Association of Victoria and Exchange Bowls Club will be conducting the 70th annual event in Geelong from 12 to 17 April.

For further information, contact Ron Beckham on (03) 9379 4137.

DO YOU USE MOBILE APPLICATIONS TO DO YOUR WORK MORE EFFICIENTLY AND EASILY? THESE APPLICATIONS, BETTER KNOW AS ‘APPS’ ARE PIECES OF SOFTWARE THAT CAN RUN ON THE INTERNET, YOUR COMPUTER, YOUR PHONE OR OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICE (E.G. TABLETS).

IN THIS SECTION OF MASTER BUILDER WE WILL REVIEW USEFUL APPS THAT CAN HELP YOUR BUSINESS (AND YOUR LIFE) RUN MORE SMOOTHLY.

Let Laura Luvara know on (03) 9411 4534 or email [email protected] and she will

run your review here so others can hear about it too.

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SmartBidNetPrice: Free. Category: Productivity. Available on: iOS, Android.Features: This app is the mobile component to the subscription-based program SmartBidNet. It allows you to organise and manage your list of subcontractors, and keep financial data for each project, along with measurements and statistics.

Lost!Price: Free. Category: Entertainment.Features: This interactive App from the National Trust uses augmented reality to enable you to visually overlay buildings from the past on to the present. It literally allows you to see Melbourne how it used to be.

Specialist Contractor Sector Group CommitteeThis year we have introduced you to Master Builders Country Sector and Materials, Manufacturing and Supply Group Committees and their priorities for 2014. We would now like to turn your attention to our Specialist Contractor Committee.

Specialist Contractor Committee members work to ensure that the views of commercial subcontractor members are represented within the association. The group is comprised of 12 members, chaired by Peter Picking from Evans and Peck and holds four Council of Management positions.

The committee provides feedback on a number of key policy issues including stimulus measures, industrial relations, investment priorities, tendering and contract conditions, training, occupational health and safety, and security of payments regulations. The committee also meets with the General Contracting Committee twice a year to address common issues.

A key priority identified by committee members for 2014 is the recruitment of new committee members. If you are interested in joining the committee or attending an upcoming meeting to find out more information please contact Policy Adviser Renée Dunstan-Ratcliff on (03) 9411 4531 or via email [email protected].

news Master Builder Victoria 9


Taking the right steps on MDF product use in staircases

Are you getting the most out of your Incolink training subsidy?

In response to Mark Crosher’s article ‘Fit for Purpose’ which appeared in the April/May edition of Master Builder, the Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (EWPAA) has come out in strong support of the use of Australian manufactured Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF) products in structural components of staircase construction.

“MDF boards have been used in staircases for at least 30 years without any instance of structural failure,” EWPAA General Manager Simon Dorries said.

Mr Dorries, as the recently appointed chair of the Australian Standards Committee TM-011 responsible for engineered wood products standards, confirmed that one of the first items of business would be an urgent update to AS/NZS 1859.2.

Master Builders offers a range of training courses to members with the added benefit of Incolink subsidy discounts.

If you’d like to access Incolink subsidised training, it’s important that you check with Incolink that you are contributing to both the redundancy fund and the training fund.

“We don’t want members to miss out on training subsidies so we encourage them to check their Incolink numbers are correct and that they are paying into the training fund in order to access

“This was last updated in 2004 and does not reflect advancements in manufacturing technologies and the production of more reliable MDF products to clarify their suitability for use in a range of protected load carrying applications.”

Mr Dorries was responding to claims in the article that non-structural MDF should not be used in staircase construction without additional reinforcement and that only MDF products which are structurally rated as High Performance (HP) MDF (as defined in AS/NZS 1859.2) should be considered and that there are no HP MDF boards made by Australian manufacturers certified to AS/NZS 1859.2.

Mr Dorries said it was likely that the some readers of the article may have misinterpreted Australian standards and

the information provided on the use of MDF in staircases.

He said the manufacturing standard for MDF boards specified values for basic structural and material properties of MDF.

“This allowed many grades of MDF to be designed and ‘fit for use’ in dry protected applications such as stair components, as has been the case for more than 30 years,” Mr Dorries said.

Producers of compliant MDF in Australia include Laminex, Borg Manufacturing and Alpine MDF Industries.

For more information, contact EWPAA on (07) 3250 3700.

the subsidy,” Master Builders Training Manager Julie-Anne Sheppard said.

Individuals also need to be aware that their individual subsidy number cannot be used to gain training discounts, they must use their employer number. “We encourage individuals to use this as an opportunity to discuss their career path with their employer, what type of training they’d like to do and how to best go about doing that while gaining the correct subsidy,” Julie-Anne said.

“It’s also important that employers pay the training levy regularly to keep it current and topped up. This will ensure that you have the funding available to cover training courses.”

For more information about training options, contact Master Builders on (03) 9411 4555 or visit www.mbavtraining.com.au.

For more information about Incolink visit www.incolink.org.au.



These applications will be exempt from advertising and a permit decision can be issued by council within 10 business days, using a simple four-step process with pre-set information requirements:

Step 1: PREPARECheck the planning scheme, discuss your proposal with council, pick up checklists and any other information.Step 2: SUBMITSubmit the application to the council with all the required information.Step 3: ASSESS A council officer assesses the application against pre-set criteria.Step 4: DECIDEA council officer approves or refuses the application within 10 business days. To be eligible under VicSmart, the proposal must be listed under one of the twelve classes of application listed in the table below, meet all criteria and be located in the specified zone or overlay. Where a proposal falls into more than one class of VicSmart application, the requirements of each class must be met.

SUBDIVISION 1Type of application• Subdivide land to realign the

common boundary between two lots.Criteria (all must be met)• The area of either lot is reduced by

less than 15 per cent; and,• The general direction of the common

boundary does not change.Where this applies• All residential zones. • All industrial zones.• All commercial zones.• Capital City Zone. • Docklands Zone.• Special Building Overlay.• Heritage Overlay.

VicSmart – a simpler planning processFROM SEPTEMBER 2014, A NEW VICSMART PERMIT ASSESSMENT PROCESS FOR STRAIGHT FORWARD, LOW-IMPACT PLANNING APPLICATIONS WILL BE INTRODUCED IN ALL PLANNING SCHEMES ACROSS THE STATE.

SUBDIVISION 2Type of application• Subdivide land into lots, each

containing an existing building or car parking space.

Criteria (all must be met)• The buildings or car parking spaces

have been constructed in accordance with the provisions of the planning scheme or a permit issued under the scheme; and,

• An occupancy permit or a certificate of final inspection has been issued under the Building Regulations in relation to the buildings within five years prior to the application for a permit for subdivision.

Where this applies• All residential zones (except the Low

Density Residential Zone). • All industrial zones. • All commercial zones. • Capital City Zone. • Docklands Zone. • Special Building Overlay.• Heritage Overlay.

SUBDIVISION 3Type of application• Subdivide land with an approved

development into two lots.Criteria (all must be met)• The construction of a building or the

construction or carrying out of works on the land has been approved under the planning scheme or by a permit issued under the scheme and the permit has not expired; and,

• The construction or carrying out of the approved building or works on the land has lawfully started; and,

• The subdivision does not create a vacant lot.


Density Residential Zone). • All industrial zones. • All commercial zones. • Capital City Zone. • Docklands Zone. • Special Building Overlay.• Heritage Overlay.

MINOR BUILDINGS AND WORKS 4Type of application• Construct or extend a front fence

within 3 metres of a street.Criteria (all must be met)• None.


Density Residential Zone).

MINOR BUILDINGS AND WORKS 5Type of application• Construct a building or construct or

carry out works.Criteria (all must be met)• The estimated cost of the buildings or

works does not exceed $50,000.• The land is not within 30 metres of land

(not a road) which is in a residential zone. (This does not apply in a Capital City Zone or Docklands Zone.)

• Must not be for a purpose listed in the table to Clause 52.10 in the planning scheme.

• Is not associated with a dwelling in a Mixed Use Zone.

Where this applies• Mixed Use Zone.• All industrial zones. • All commercial zones. • Capital City Zone. • Docklands Zone.



MINOR BUILDINGS AND WORKS 6Type of application• Construct a fence in an overlay.

Criteria (all must be met)• None.

Where this applies• Environmental Significance Overlay. • Significant Landscape Overlay. • Design and Development Overlay.

MINOR BUILDINGS AND WORKS 7Type of application• Remove, destroy or lop one tree.

Criteria (all must be met)• None.

Where this applies• Environmental Significance Overlay. • Vegetation Protection Overlay. • Significant Landscape Overlay. • Neighbourhood Character Overlay.

MINOR BUILDINGS AND WORKS IN A HERITAGE OVERLAY 8Type of application• Demolish or remove an outbuilding

(including a carport, garage, pergola, verandah, deck, shed or similar structure).

Criteria (all must be met)• The outbuilding to be demolished

or removed is not identified in the schedule to the overlay.

Where this applies• Heritage Overlay.

8Type of application• Demolish or remove a fence.

Criteria (all must be met)• The fence to be demolished or

removed is not identified in the schedule to the overlay.

Where this applies• Heritage Overlay.

8Type of application• Externally alter a non-contributory

building.Criteria (all must be met)• The building is a non-contributory

building.Where this applies• Heritage Overlay.

Court decision provides certainty on time limits for building disputesA recent Court of Appeal decision has ruled that owners can continue to bring a building action against a builder for up to 10 years from the issue of a certificate of occupancy or of final inspection, providing clarity for builders and consumers alike.

Master Builders Legal Manager, Angelo Simonetto, said that the outcome of the decision did not come as a surprise.

“This is an interesting decision that has really just confirmed the status-quo,” Mr Simonetto said.

“From a legal perspective, it’s important that builders and consumers know where they stand and this decision provides closure and certainty.”

The decision clarifies the ambiguity of conflicting interpretations between recent decisions in VCAT and the County Court in which the time by which a building action could be brought varied from six or 10 years.

The Court of Appeal decision followed the appeal of a County Court decision in which Brirek Industries sued building surveyor, McKenzie Group Consulting for breach of contract.

Victoria’s Building Act 1993 provides for a 10 year limit for aggrieved parties to sue for breach of contract and negligence in a building dispute. It was argued in the County Court that the six years for breach of contract under the Limitation of Actions Act 1958 also applied to building disputes.

The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal had maintained that a building action could be brought within a 10 year limitation period. The decision in the Brierek Industries v. McKenzie Group Consulting now clarifies this position in Victoria.

Tenders open for new major projects in VictoriaEngineering and planning tenders for the Melbourne Rail Link and the Western section of the East West Link projects are now open, with construction expected to commence by the end of 2015 for East West and 2016 for the rail link.

These projects form part of the Victorian Government’s $24 billion investment in our road and rail network, responding to calls by Master Builders to provide a pipeline of infrastructure projects that will create thousands of jobs in the industry and support our rapidly growing population.

The successful bidders will undertake technical investigations and provide advice on environment and urban design. The Minister for Public Transport and Roads, Terry Mulder announced that the engineering, planning, legal and financial contracts are likely to be issued in October, ahead of the State Election on November 29.

For further information about these and other major transport projects, visit the Moving Victoria website: http://movingvictoria.vic.gov.au/projects/



The State Government’s proposed Building Legislation Amendment Bill foreshadows a number of changes for the building industry in Victoria including changes to Domestic Building Insurance (DBI) which have now been postponed in part.

The bill proposes that from 1 July 2014, DBI would experience major changes including:• The inclusion of three new triggers

covering the following events:• Failure by a builder to comply with

a rectification order issued by the Victorian Building Authority (VBA);

• Where a builder has had their registration suspended, either temporarily or permanently; and/or,

• Where the builder is incapacitated and unable to complete the works.

• The minimum requirement for Home Warranty cover will increase from $12,000 to $16,000.

• The maximum amount payable under the policy will increase from $200,000 to $300,000.

In addition, the government proposed to establish a new consumer protection fund from 1 July 2015 to replace the current Domestic Building Insurance scheme offered through QBE and underwritten by the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority (VMIA). The VMIA will continue to operate under the current authority including the management of the new fund, with the VBA expected to take full control of the fund from 1 July 2016.

Following recent discussions between Master Builders and the State Government where significant concerns of Master Builders members where tabled around the structure of the scheme, the government confirmed

Proposed changes to Domestic Building Insuranceit will engage in further industry consultation on the matters detailed in their legislation.

Master Builders will be part of the consultation process and will be acting in the interests’ of members to improve the overall operation of the building industry.

Approved changes from the 1 July 2014On 29 May, a new Ministerial Order was published stating that effective from the 1 July 2014 there would be a change to the minimum contract value requiring DBI cover increasing from $12,000 to $16,000 and that the maximum payable under the DBI policy will increase from $200,000 to $300,000.

We are yet to receive confirmation of the formal introduction of the three additional triggers and are seeking government feedback as to when these changes will be formalised.

With the minimum contract value requiring DBI increasing from $12,000 to $16,000, Master Builders has been

notified that no policies from $12,001 to $15,999 will be issued by QBE as agents for the VMIA from 1 July 2014.

Domestic Building Insurance policy pricingProposed changes, as well as changes that have been implemented from the 1 July 2014 will most likely see an increase in the cost of purchasing the DBI, however at this stage Master Builders hasn’t been advised of any proposed change to the cost of the policy.

Master Builders is working to minimise the cost and will notify members once further information comes to hand. It would be pragmatic for you to review your future pipeline of work and consider if current contract margins will be able to withhold any increase.

For more information, call Master Builders on (03) 9411 4555.



Mandatory drug and alcohol testing to come in to effect

Victorian Attorney General, Robert Clark, has confirmed the introduction of mandatory random and ‘for cause’ drug and alcohol testing for the construction industry. Having lobbied on this issue, Master Builders is very supportive of this move.

Head contractors that are intending to tender for State Government funded projects, where the value of the project is $10 million or more, will be required to include details of their Drug and Alcohol testing policies in the Workplace Relations Management Plan (WRMP) that they submit to the Construction Code Compliance Unit (CCCU). This took effect for tender applications submitted from 1 July 2014.

The need to submit a WRMP is part of the Implementation Guidelines to the Victorian Code of Practice for the Building and Construction Industry.

Head contractors’ policies will need to provide for random, and for cause, drug and alcohol testing.

A sliding scale will apply to the number of tests that the head contractor will need to ensure are conducted, based on the number of workers engaged at the site.

Contractors will need to ensure that they conduct regular periodic testing of the workforce (at least once per month) of both construction workers and site office workers on the following scale: • Where there are less than 30 workers

onsite – 10 per cent of the workforce.• Where there are 30 to 100 workers

onsite – a minimum of five tests per month.

• Where there are greater than 100 workers onsite – a minimum of 10 tests per month.

For more information contact the OHS unit on (03) 9411 4569.

WORKCOVER PREMIUM CUTS ANNOUNCEDThe Victorian Government has announced a 2 per cent cut in employers’ WorkCover premiums.

The average WorkCover premium for Victorian Employers was cut from 1.292 per cent now to 1.272 per cent on 1 July 2014.

For the first time, employers were also able to obtain an additional premium discount of 5 per cent if they paid their annual premium by 1 August 2014.

The announcement comes on the back of the VWA announcing its half yearly results, which have been achieved on the back of a record low injury rate.

WorkSafe rebranded as Victorian WorkCover Authority (VWA)If you encounter a health and safety inspector on your site you will need to be aware that the inspectors will most likely introduce themselves as a ‘VWA Inspector’ rather than as a WorkSafe Inspector.

The Victorian Government has rebrand WorkSafe Victoria to their new name of “Victorian WorkCover Authority” or VWA. The name “Victorian WorkCover Authority” is actually the name that is provided to the regulator under the Accident Compensation Act 1985.

Call the OHS Unit on (03) 9411 4569 should you encounter a VWA Inspector and need assistance.



Construction of three Melbourne skyscrapers to provide 5800 construction jobs

Plans to build three new skyscrapers in Melbourne’s CBD will generate 5800 construction jobs.

The $830 million investment will see the construction of 2022 apartments and Australia’s first 100 storey building, Australia 108.

The news follows the recent announcement of a surge in home building approvals in April.

Planning Minister Matthew Guy said the new buildings at Elizabeth Street, Queensbridge Street and Southbank Boulevard, would provide homes for 4000 people.

“Importantly, central Melbourne is the right place for high density, high rise living,” Mr Guy said.

“Melbourne is the most liveable city and these buildings will cater for those choosing to live in our exciting, vibrant CBD area, which is fast on track to being the first truly 24 hour city centre in Australia.”

The newly approved buildings will consist of a combination of residential,

New workers compensation Act comes into effectThe Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013 (the WIRC Act) is now operational (as of 1 July 2014).The WIRC Act applies to workers compensation claims lodged after 1 July 2014.

Claims lodged prior to 1 July 2014 will continue to be covered under the Accident Compensation Act 1985.

The WIRC Act has incorporated the Accident Compensation Act 1985 and the Accident Compensation (WorkCover Insurance) Act 1993 into a single Act. The new Act is simpler and easier to use. The WIRC Act can be found on here: www.legislation.vic.gov.au.

The WIRC Act does not change the benefits available, nor does it change the way that premium is calculated. For more information, please see the following online:

Information about the Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013.

A guide to the Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013.

Master Builders’ OHS Unit has more than 25 years experience in the area of workers compensation and played a role in providing advice to the VWA about the structure of the new Act to ensure that the Act will be easier to use and understand.

For more information contact the OHS Unit on (03) 9411 4569.

retail and hospitality space. The most striking of the three, Australia 108, will be 319 metres above ground and include 1105 apartments.

Mr Guy said the approval of the new buildings was further evidence of the Victorian Government’s commitment to the state’s building industry.

“Victoria has the strongest construction sector in Australian, and our planning system is geared towards maintaining this economic advantage,” Mr Guy said.

Master Builders Association of Victoria CEO, Radley de Silva, welcomed the approvals as a win for the industry.

“Any building project that generates jobs in construction is positive move for our industry,” Mr de Silva said.

“It is good to see approval of a range of housing options for Victorians, providing choice for those wanting to live in the CBD, he said.

“Our members are ready to get on with the job of building and will be heartened to see the speed with which these projects have been approved.”

Sky limits: The construction of three Melbourne Skyscrapers has been approved for the CBD.



The State Government has allocated $8 million over two years to develop the Richmond to Footscray rail corridor.

This project is expected to create thousands of jobs for builders and tradespeople.

The development will feature four major projects:• E-Gate; a 20 hectare industrial zone

that offers potential residential space to create a new suburb with 5000 dwellings, 10,000 residents over the next 15 to 20 years;

• Federation Square East - to be transformed into a new, commercial, residential and civic precinct that will link the CBD, Yarra River and Melbourne Park together;

• Flinders Street Station redevelopment;

• Richmond Station redevelopment - improvements will drastically improve Melbourne’s landscape and supply many potential jobs for builders.

Richmond to Footscray rail corridor development to create thousands of building jobs

“Together this suite of projects represents opportunities for billions of dollars of development and thousands of jobs, creating a pipeline of potential projects stretching out for decades,” Deputy Premier Peter Ryan said.

In good news for the non-residential construction sector, the government says it will go to market this year to advance plans for both E-Gate and Federation Square East. You can see more in the below video.

“You get one chance to develop these prime sites on the doorstep of the CBD, and in each of these projects, the Coalition Government is taking a considered approach to planning and is looking to deliver outstanding outcomes for Victorian taxpayers,” said David Hodgett, Victoria’s Major Projects Minister.

“We are committed to encouraging sensible redevelopment, new housing

and employment opportunities by putting government owned land to better use.”

Master Builders Association of Victoria CEO Radley de Silva welcomed the announcement.

“Any major development that creates jobs for our industry is a win-win for investment in construction and the wider community,” Mr de Silva said.

“We look forward to seeing the details of the project as work comes online.”

Rail works: New Richmond to Footscray rail will help connect the city.



OHS Regulations amendedThe Victorian Government has passed 35 amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2007. The amendments take effect from 1 July 2014.

The majority of the changes to the regulations have been aimed at reducing red tape by reducing administrative requirements. For example, the employer duty to ensure that Material Safety Data Sheets are updated no less than every five years has been removed from the regulations.

A significant change to the construction chapter of the regulations is that OHS Coordination Plans will be required for any projects with a permit value greater than $350,000 (previously $250,000).

A further amendment to the construction chapter is that employers will no longer be required to maintain a record of workers construction induction training details. It still remains an offence for an employer to allow a person to perform construction work unless the person has been put through construction induction training, or at least registered. Master Builders strongly recommends that members should continue to verify workers’ red/white card details prior to allowing them to commence work on site.

Details of all of the amendments can be found here: http://www.vwa.vic.gov.au/laws-and-regulations/occupational-health-and-safety/ohs-amendment-regulations-2014

For more information, contact the OHS Department on (03) 9411 4569.

Well done Hudd Constructions

Industry EBA non-compliant with new Building Code

Hudd Constructions has been doing some great work in customer relations along the Mornington Peninsula. John and Brenda James of Mcrae were so happy with the initial work and follow up that Dean and Colin Mcrae from Hudd did on a set of units that they wrote a letter to Master Builders, advising us.

In the letter, John and Brenda highlight the follow up maintenance which has been “excellent” including replacing down lights and resolving problems relating to an air conditioner and gas heater.

“We cannot speak highly enough of the efforts of Dean and Colin McCrae of Hudd Constructions,” they explain.

“Nothing is too much trouble for them!”

Well done on excellent work and customer service Dean and Colin, something we all should strive for.

Master Builders has received written advice from the Department of Employment confirming our view that Industry EBA 2011-2015 is not compliant with the Building and Construction Industry (Fair and Lawful Building Sites) Code 2014 (the Code), where that agreement is made after 24 April 2014.

On 17 April 2014, the Australian Government published an advance release of the Code which will apply to building contractors wishing to be eligible for federally funded work. On 12 May, an Explanatory Statement was released by the Department of Employment. The Code forms part of the Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity) Bill 2014 (the Bill) and will come into effect when the Bill commences as an Act.

Once in effect, the new requirements will impact contractors wishing to be eligible to work on federally funded projects, and will also apply to their privately funded jobs. Code covered entities (including any related entities) considering entering into EBAs after 24 April 2014 need to ensure that the Agreement is compliant with the Code’s requirements.

Based on the advice received from the Department of Employment, a company (including any related entity) signing onto Industry EBA 2011-2015 after 24 April 2014 will be ineligible to work on federally funded projects once the new requirements take effect.

For more information, contact the IR Department on (03) 9411 4560.



Build & Renovating Expo

The 2014 Build & Renovating Expo provided 174 companies the opportunity to meet with 13,424 visitors over the three days of the event. Attendees saw a diverse range of products and services.

Popular features this year included the Speed-Date-an-Expert and the Modern Home stands.

Topics covered in the Speed-Date stand were:• Planning and preparing to build.• Building design.• How to select the best builder for

your project.• Creating comfortable, efficient

homes.• Perfect kitchen.• Interior design.• Creating a beautiful outdoor space.

This year’s ALink Building Activity Zone was bigger and better than ever with a range of fun and educational activities for children and prospective apprentices. The toolbox project was a great success allowing kids to construct, paint and take home their own project.

The Excellence in Housing Awards stand was another major feature providing visitors with a valuable insight into the companies and designs that were deemed the very best in their categories.

This year saw an increase in both the level of design and the presentation from the individual construction companies involved who included:• Botanic Homes;• Calm Living Homes;• Englehart Homes;• Moobi;• MVH Constructions;• Sherridon Homes; and,• Sienna Building Group.

Next year’s Build and Renovating Expo will be held from 10 to 12 July at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre. For more information, visit www.buildexpo.com.au.

Young builders: Kids get their hands dirty in the ALink Building Activity Zone.

Modern Home: Visitors inspect the Modern Home feature.

Speed dating: Visitors get some advice from experts in the Speed-Date-an-Expert stand.


Have you heard about Building Victoria? Visit www.mbavnews.com.au for up

to the minute news and info from the building and construction industry, 24/7

New residential zones and schedulesChanges to residential zones in planning schemes have introduced new siting requirements across Victoria.

A series of new and revised residential zones – the General Residential, Residential Growth and Neighbourhood Residential Zones – were introduced into the Victorian planning system on 1 July 2013. The Mixed Use and Township Zones were also amended at that time to update their siting requirements, consistent with the new residential zones.

Councils were given a year to amend their planning schemes to apply the new residential zones. If a council has been unable to do this, from 1 July 2014 all land in the municipality previously zoned Residential 1, 2 or 3 has now been transitioned to the General Residential Zone. The Residential 1, 2 and 3 zones have been removed from the Victoria Planning Provisions and all planning schemes.

For more information, visit www.dtpli.vic.gov.au.

Eleanor wins gold in Glasgow

Congratulations to Eleanor Patterson, daughter of member Mark from T.S. Constructions, who won gold in the women’s high-jump at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

Eleanor, 18, is the first Australian woman to win gold in the high-jump at the Commonwealth Games in 20 years. The

Gold medallist: Eleanor Patterson is the daughter of member Mark from T.S. Constructions and a gold medallist. (Getty Images: Cameron Spencer)

humble Leongatha schoolgirl didn’t even realise she had won until her coach told her.

“The even goes so fast I didn’t realise I had it and then my coach is telling me I’ve won and I was like, ‘What?! No!’ So it still doesn’t feel real that’s for sure,” Eleanor was quoted in The Age as saying.

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20 Master Builder Victoria

FROM CEO RADLEY DE SILVA

ON THE STATE ELECTION CAMPAIGN TRAIL FOR YOU

Yet another State Election is upon us with Victorians due to go to the polls on 29 November.

Part of our role as a membership association is to meet with all sides of politics to ensure we get the best deal for you, our members. Having met with a number of key stakeholders already, our prospects are looking quite positive no matter who takes power after 29 November.

We will be following on from the success of the 2010 State Election campaign ‘Is Anybody Listening?’ where we focused on housing affordability and we will be continuing to lobby for improvements in that area. Housing affordability will form the heart of our campaign.

There are several subsequent issues that tie into housing affordability and we have been consistently chipping away at each of these to achieve results for you that we hope will resonate.

RED TAPE CUTS TO BENEFIT YOU AND YOUR CLIENTSMaster Builders has managed to gain some headway over the past two years in the area of red tape reductions, but there is still more that can be achieved. Tackling this issue is paramount to ensuring that you can get on with the job of building, rather than being stymied by time consuming paperwork and dealing with bureaucratic nightmares.

Cutting red tape also benefits your customers and will encourage them to build and renovate more rather than being put off by the added costs and time constraints associated with this issue.

We look forward to seeing the elected government’s response to this issue.

CREATING A FAIRER INDUSTRYTargeting owner builder activity is high on our list of priorities in making the industry fairer for all builders, tradespeople and consumers.

We have also been encouraging all sides of politics to consider how to pressure

Master Builder Victoria 21FROM CEO RADLEY DE SILVA

local councils to be more accountable for the planning delays. We recognise the importance of this issue and how local councils’ failure to deal with planning and building matters in a timely and sensible manner is a source of frustration.

Trade registration is another way that we see the government being able to bring more rigour and efficiencies to the building and construction industry. By enforcing trade registration, similar to the way in which states such as New South Wales and Queensland have, we are creating more efficient tradespeople. This will have flow on effects to the speed and cost of projects in Victoria.

BROAD SCALE REVIEW OF HOUSING AFFORDABILITYIt’s time for an in depth investigation in to the factors that contribute to the cost of building a home in Victoria. We have called upon all sides of politics to prioritise a broad scale review of housing affordability as part of the Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission (VCEC) productivity review.

Our hope is that VCEC will be able to provide independent advice to the government about how better government policies can reduce the cost impost on the work you do and the resultant benefits that flow on to home owners.

This review is key to obtaining positive results for our industry.

So as the election campaigning ramps up, expect to see more of a Master Builders presence in the media and online as we continue to campaign for what’s important to you.

What we are working towards achieving will help all members whether you are a large scale developer or a ‘mum and dad’ business working on small renovations.

Our ultimate aim is to encourage all sides of politics to prioritise the building and construction industry and issues that affect your productivity. What is good for you is good for the state as a whole.

features22 Master Builder Victoria

BLSC

3 reasons to use the BLSC other than for trainingTHE BUILDING LEADERSHIP SIMULATION CENTRE (BLSC) HAS A REPUTATION FOR DELIVERING WORLD

CLASS SIMULATION TRAINING, BUT ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE OTHER SERVICES ON OFFER?

1. Venue hireThe BLSC is available for hire for both training purposes and corporate events, including product launches, conferences, functions, business workshops, planning days and exhibitions.

Located on the fringe of the Melbourne CBD, the BLSC is a welcoming space with dedicated onsite parking, reception and onsite support staff, high speed internet and complimentary Wi-Fi.

We offer a brand new venue with an ergonomic environment filled with natural light and climate controlled rooms. Two training rooms, the simulation centre and our manual handling warehouse, are all available for hire at highly competitive rates. Master Builders membership discounts apply.

With an unparalleled combination of available training spaces, allow us to take care of every last detail for you so you can enjoy a stress free event.

2. Next level recruitmentThe BLSC is proud to offer the first of its kind, bespoke building and construction assessment centre in the world. With this simulated style of assessment, decision makers in the hiring process have the opportunity to view a candidate’s personality, interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence in a real life work environment.

Whether you wish to validate your assumptions or differentiate between candidates, the BLSC assessment centre offers a dramatic improvement in first time hire rates and saves you on cost and man hours from having to go through the recruitment process again.

3. Tomorrow’s Leaders on LinkedIn.If you plan on forging a successful career in the building industry, the Master Builders Tomorrow’s Leaders group is for you. This group provides an excellent platform for young construction professionals to connect, network and learn.

Tomorrow’s Leaders functions are held quarterly, usually at an inner-city venue. They feature highly regarded and topical guest speakers that are selected by the Tomorrow’s Leaders Committee and are relevant to current industry issues. Following the presentations, guests network and socialise with industry peers in an informal atmosphere over a drink or two.

Join the Master Builders Tomorrow’s Leaders LinkedIn group now to find out more.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE BLSC AND WHAT IT CAN OFFER YOU, VISIT WWW.BLSC.COM.AU OR CALL (03) 9411 8000.

Conference room: The Conference Room at the BLSC.

Next level: BLSC Coordinator Amanda Pedis helps with the bespoke building and construction assessment centre.

Events space: The BLSC has a range of versatile function spaces to hire.

Amanda PedisBLSC Coordinator

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Building a Better Workforce - Assessing the impact of the BLSC

In order to build a more efficient and effective workforce in Australia, the emphasis has increasingly focused on training and development. This is no different for the building and construction sector, and while we tend to think of the industry in terms of the local market, Australia’s building and construction industry competes in a global market and there is a pressing need to improve its comparative advantage.

Construction is expensive in Australia. According to McKinsey and Co, commercial buildings cost 25 percent more to build in Australia than in the United States and United Kingdom. This cost problem starts with high input costs, but labour productivity will be at the heart of helping construction become a positive for Australian competitiveness.

A key element therefore is developing a world class workforce that has the skills and ability to deal with issues in an efficient and effective way. This is where the Master Builders of Victoria have taken the bold step of investing in a state-of-the-art training simulator.

The Building Leadership Simulation Centre (BLSC) is one of only three in the world dedicated to this sector. I recently led a team of researchers to investigate the impact of a training course on a group of early career supervisors.

The results of the study are in, and having followed the groups from the first day of the course and the variety of real-life situations they were faced with through to three months after the course, all the data sets indicate a positive impact. Feedback after the course included:

“The responsibility was put back on me and made me feel I needed to lift my game.”

“I’ll focus – if there is a problem on breaking it down more, making sure everyone understands.”

‘I haven't been in a position like this before, so it is good to experiment and try new things out. Having said that, when the bloke came storming in yesterday everything went out the door.’

“The simulation was quite effective – it makes you aware of how you could bein a situation, react and apply what’s been taught.”

“The practical side – getting reviewed and getting feedback on how to improve, then getting three or four goes to use the feedback.”

The key indicators, three months after the course were a transfer of training of knowledge, skills and confidence from the course to the workplace, with strong support from participants’ supervisors a key factor in their use of their newly- acquired skills.

Importantly, this is the first time such a study has been undertaken on this type of training and development in the building and construction sector and the indicators are that those who choose to use the BLSC are likely to see immediate and long-term benefits.

Peter HollandAssociate Professor, Department of Management Monash University

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FLINDERS STREET STATION

Flinders Street Station: The making of a Melbourne icon

When Flinders Street Station was officially opened by Lieutenant

Governor Chas Hotham in September 1854, it consisted of only one, 30 meter long platform.

The station was built by the Hobson Bay Railway Co who are credited with many firsts, including the opening of the first major suburban railway line and station. They also built the first steam train line in Australia and by default, the first locally built steam train in the southern hemisphere.

The original line to service Flinders Street was the Sandridge Line, which started at the present Flinders Street site and finished at the present site of Port Melbourne. This route took about an hour and a half to reach its destination and a ticket cost about 1 shilling which was considered expensive by the day’s standards.

In 1884 many private railways existed and to regulate the private railways, the Railways Construction Act was established. With this new act in place, and many country and some suburban lines finishing at the newly constructed Spencer Street Station, it was decided by the Victorian Rail Institute (VRI) to increase the size of Spencer Street and to build a more permanent station at the site of the Melbourne Fish Market.

In 1878 the government purchased the railway workings of the United Company and a street line was constructed between Spencer and Flinders Street, subsequently Princess Station was included in the Governments plan to improve rail services.

The stock market crash of 1891 lead to one of the first economic crashes in Victoria, and put an end to railway

Kelly AmbroseMember Relations Consultant

Keeping time: The famous Flinders Street Clock. (Supplied: State Library of Victoria).

construction for ten years. This also halted the plans for the expansion of Spencer Street Station.

A design competition was held in 1899, to further expand or design a major railway station similar to the major European stations. Seventeen entries were received.

Joint winners, HPC Ashworth and James Fawcett, received £500 for their design, which was heavily influenced by the French Renaissance style, seen in Europe and the Americas at the time. There was some controversy with awarding the winners, as they were employees of the VRI.

The French Renaissance and Baroque designs were probably the most noticeable themes of the original 1899 competition design. Fawcett and Ashworth themselves described their design as French Renaissance. While these influences were substantially scaled back in the building as constructed, it is interesting to note their expression in the original design.

Expression to tender for the building was released on 6 June 1905 with most contractors asking for a deduction in tender price if the government supplied the bricks. On 23 September 1905, it was announced that Ballarat Builder Peter Rodgers would be awarded the contract at a cost of £93,000.

In The Bendigo Advertiser of 23 September 1905, Mr Rodgers is quoted as saying that “between 50 and 60 first class Masons would be used” to whom he was prepared to pay “the highest wages.”

He “would not want many unskilled hands approximately 100 at the start of the build and possibly 200 towards the completion” and he felt “quite sure” that he would complete the project on time.

By 30 December 1905 it was reported that 125 men were working on the project, 92 of which were stone cutters, and about 800 feet of bluestone had been dressed and laid.

The granite was to come from Harcourt and Footscray with the Harcourt granite supplied by Messr’s Blight and Co, they were contracted to supply 17,000 cubic feet in blocks, weighing up to five tonnes each.

The weight of the blocks and poor soil for foundations called for changes to the original plans, which called for stone arches. Steel Girders were used instead of stone for the arches of the building. The span of each was 45 feet long and the height, 17 feet, the bottom beams were formed by two 24 inch by 7 ½ inch by 100 lb per foot girders. The webs were made of two inch plates and 3 ½ inch angle iron, the girders were the largest steel joists rolled at the time and were 47 feet and 6 inches long and weighed 10 tonnes each.

Most of the steel was rolled at Messrs Dorman Long and Co’s works in England and shipped to their South Melbourne works in lengths from 20 to 40 feet. Here they were cut, shaped and riveted as desired, and lifted into place using a pulley system and manual handling.

Most of the floors of the building were supported on 10 inch by six inch by 62

features Master Builder Victoria 27FLINDERS STREET STATION

Olden days: The original Elizabeth Street entrance. (Supplied: State Library of Victoria).

Original designs: The Fawcett and Ashworth designs illustrating the iconic façade of the station. (Supplied: State Library of Victoria).

Glory days: Flinders Street Station in all of its glory in the years just after it opened.

pounds per foot steel joists, 32 feet long and tied together with one inch rods and carrying concrete arches, which in some cases carried a wood floor and in other areas rendered with cement.

Along the whole inside of the building an 800 foot long corridor was built over the main floor girders, as the first floor projected some 7 foot over the platform, this saved valuable space in the main building.

Over 800 tones of steel were used in the floor and arches, the joists for the floor weighing slightly more than 750 tonnes and the five arches, a combined 50 tonnes. The roof is carried by steel roof trusses in one span. The eastern end of the station at Swanston Street was changed to provide for general waiting rooms extending over several platforms and lines, and these are also supported on large girders and columns. Most of the ceilings were pressed zinc and cement.

A façade of clocks at the Swantson Street entrance was added and these were manually operated by railway workers. The original indicator clocks were removed in 1983 to be replaced by airport style clocks. Public opinion vetoed this move and computer operated clocks were installed with the refurbishment of the station.

Eventually, due to issues with the build, Peter Rogers resigned from the project with the government taking over and completing in 1910.

By completion, Flinders Street station held the record for the longest platform, Platform One which was 2097 feet long.

There is a myth surrounding the design of Flinders Street Station suggesting that the Patents Office in England they received two designs in the one week. One for the Bombay Railway Station and one for Flinders Street Station. The myth

goes that an over zealous employee mixed up the drawings with the one for Bombay coming to Melbourne and the Flinders Street design heading to India, explaining the somewhat exotic look of the Melbourne icon. I guess we’ll never know if this is fact or fiction but one thing is certain, the station is a feat of architectural and construction genius which has been synonymous with Melbourne for more than a century.


EXCELLENCE IN CONSTRUCTION AWARDS

Competent Kate named first female young builder of the year, while L.U. Simon takes home top gongA 29-year-old Seaford woman has been named the first ever female Young Builder of the Year (Commercial) at the 21st Master Builders Excellence in Construction Awards.

Kane Constructions Contracts Manager, Kate Dawson, received the honour for her ‘reliable and positive attitude’ and experience on projects ranging in scale from $1 million to $75 million. She has worked with Kane Constructions since November 2006.

“(Kate) takes the lead in procurement, administration procedures and cost management systems [and] quickly develops strong relationships with her clients, consultant team and subcontractors,” her CV states.

Master Builders CEO Radley de Silva said that Kate epitomises the future of the Victorian commercial construction industry.

“Kate meets the challenge of working in a male dominated environment with aplomb and has the right attitude and skills to take her far in this industry,” Mr de Silva said.

“This is a well deserved win by Kate who is an asset not only to Kane Constructions but to the construction industry as a whole.”

L.U. Simon’s work on an Abbotsford apartment complex won it the title of Master Builder of the Year 2014 (Commercial). The company also took home the award for Excellence in High-Rise Apartment Buildings.

Stage one of the Yarra Riverside apartments, Eden in Victoria Street, is the first of three stages of this stunning mixed-use development. Consisting of 205 high-end apartments and eight commercial tenancies, the project also features a cinema, spas, indoor and outdoor shared cooking facilities and a boardroom.

Mr de Silva said the L.U. Simon project was an outstanding example of the quality of work coming from the thriving Victorian construction industry.

“This project featured a number of complex design and project management challenges that were all brilliantly overcome by L.U. Simon,” he said.

“The ‘wedding cake’ design of the structure, void of floor plate repetition, meant that this project presented a higher than standard degree of difficulty.

“L.U. Simon managed to complete a quality first stage, exceeding client expectations and setting the development up for future stages.”

Nicholson Construction was named Regional Master Builder of the Year (Commercial) for its work on the Ballarat Federation College and Manufacturing and Engineering Skills Centre as part of Federation University. ADCO Constructions took home the award for Best Sustainable Energy Project for its work on the Melton Library and Learning Hub. Melbourne Facades was named Best Specialist Contractor for a Monash University project.

All of the winners were revealed during the gala Excellence in Construction Awards at Crown Palladium on 8 August with more than 580 guests present. L.U. Simon will now go on to compete at the Master Builders Association National Excellence in Building and Construction Awards in Canberra on 21 November.

A special performance by The Chloe Maggs Band was a feature on the night with guests finishing up on the dance floor. Actor Stephen Curry hosted the event.

Major sponsor on the night, MC Labour, provided one lucky company (Kane Constructions) with tickets to the 2014 AFL Grand Final. The award was presented by none other than Carlton and Sydney Swans AFL legend, David Rhys-Jones.

The awards were attended by Premier Denis Napthine who presented the three major awards, Young Builder of the Year, Regional Builder of the Year and Master Builder of the Year, along with special guests: Master Builders Australia, CEO, Wilhem Harnisch; Incolink, CEO, John Glasson; Independent Chairman, Incolink, Tommy Watson; and CEO, Cbus, David Atkin.

features Master Builder Victoria 29EXCELLENCE IN CONSTRUCTION AWARDS

Master Builder of the Year: L.U. Simon Builders for the Eden (Stage 1), Abbotsford

This project is the first of three stages for this mixed-used development consisting of 205 high end apartments (including six customised apartments), eight commercial tenancies and common amenities that include a porte-cochere, concierge, residents’ gardens and roof amenities including a cinema, spas, indoor and outdoor cooking facilities and a boardroom. The external façade consists of glazed aluminium windows, including laminate, tinted and also low E glass, rendered precast and cement sheet features, Colorbond interlocking panels, and spotted gum ship lapped panels. The overall architecture and landscaping provides a unifying link between the frenetic energy of Victoria Street and the tranquil environment of the Yarra River.

JUDGESVery special thanks are extended to this year’s judges, who once again were faced with an extremely difficult task. This year’s judges were:

Regional Commercial Builder of the Year: Nicholson Construction for Federation College and Manufacturing and Engineering Skills Centre, Federation, University, Grant Street, Ballarat

The new state-of-the-art Federation College and Manufacturing and Engineering Skills Centre is one of the most impressive structures in Ballarat. The striking external façade consists of multiple finishes with the west elevation inspired by the purpose of the facility, representing the cell structure of steel under a microscope. The contemporary internal finishes are robust and functional to cope with the harsh environment of manufacturing education. A unique graphic in the Manufacturing and Engineering Skills Centre reflects the history of Henry Sutton, a leading local inventor from Ballarat whose revolutionary ideas about mechanics in the 1950s continue to provide links with the education of students today at the Federation University Australia.

Young Builder of the Year: Kate Dawson, Kane Constructions Pty Ltd

Kate Dawson has been responsible for project contract administration and coordination, site supervision and works programming. Kate also contributes to completing high quality projects efficiently and profitably. As a capable member of the Kane team, Kate liaises with clients, consultants and subcontractors and has been involved with the Company since 2006. During that period she has been responsible for projects up to $80,000,000 in value. Judges were very impressed with Kate’s enthusiasm, motivation, grasp and management of a wide range of technical and complex issues of a project. Kate has also exhibited strong and very effective management and leadership skills. She is very keen to continue her management role with Kane, and is looking forward to being further promoted within the company to increase her responsibilities as she progresses.

Master Builders congratulates and thanks all entrants in this year’s 2014 Excellence in Construction Awards and looks forward to your continued support of this program.

(chief judge) Mort Mitchell, Dr Phil Alviano, Russell Bates, David Blanche, David Bower, Peter Carmody, Robert Conti, Stephen Curnow, John Darcy, Sylvia Hadjiantoniou,

Peter Helfer, Reg Hobbs, Wayne Judson, Efy Karagiannis, Daryl McIlvena, David McMath, Gerry Noonan, Kelvin Oldridge, Frank Pavan, and Laurel Sengstock.

SPONSORSEvents such as this are not possible without the continued, generous support of our sponsors. Thank you to: MC Labour (major sponsor), Triple M,Cbus,Crown,DG Global, Flawless Constructions, Incolink, Kone Elevators, and MBA Insurance Services.



Master Builder of the Year 2014L.U. SIMON BUILDERS PTY LTDProject: Eden (Stage 1), Abbotsford

Regional Builder of the YearNICHOLSON CONSTRUCTIONProject: Nicholson ConstructionFederation College and Manufacturing and Engineering Skills Centre, FederationUniversity, Grant Street, Ballarat

Young Builder of the YearKATE DAWSON, KANE CONSTRUCTIONS PTY LTD

Excellence in Health and SafetyBUILT Project: The William, Melbourne

Excellence in Fit-outSTAG SHOPFITTING PTY LTDProject: Chanel Flagship Fitout, Melbourne

Excellence in Construction of Industrial BuildingsMONACO HICKEY PTY LTDProject: CSL Behring Privigen Facility, Broadmeadows

Excellence in Civil ConstructionLLOYD GROUP PTY LTDProject: Melbourne Zoo - Lemur Island

Excellence in High-rise Apartment BuildingsL.U. SIMON BUILDERS PTY LTDProject: Eden (Stage 1), Abbotsford.

Best Specialist ContractorMELBOURNE FACADESProject: Monash University New Horizons, Building 82, Clayton

Specialist Contractor’s Collaboration AwardBUXTON CONSTRUCTIONS (VIC) PTY LTD

Best Sustainable Energy ProjectADCO CONSTRUCTIONS (VIC) PTY LTDProject: Melton Library and Learning Hub

Excellence in Construction of Commercial Buildings under $3MFOURSQUARE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT PTY LTDProject: D'Fine Creative Warehouse Redevelopment, South Melbourne

Excellence in Construction of Commercial Buildings $3M - $5MVAUGHAN CONSTRUCTIONSProject: VCHQ2, Port Melbourne

Excellence in Construction of Commercial Buildings $5M - $10MKANE CONSTRUCTIONS PTY LTDProject: University of Melbourne Sports Pavilion, Sports Precinct, Parkville Campus

Excellence in Construction of Commercial Buildings $10M - $15MAPM GROUP (AUST) PTY LTDProject: Chanel, Melbourne

Excellence in Construction of Commercial Buildings $15M - $20MADCO CONSTRUCTIONS (VIC) PTY LTDProject: Melton Library and Learning Hub

Excellence in Construction of Commercial Buildings $20M - $30MCOCKRAM CONSTRUCTION LTDProject: Wesley College - New Moubray Street Precinct, Melbourne

Excellence in Construction of Commercial Buildings $30M - $80MCOCKRAM CONSTRUCTION LTDProject: Box Hill Institute Building 7 Integrated Technology Hub

Excellence in Construction of Commercial Buildings over $80MLEIGHTON CONTRACTORS PTY LTDProject: Olivia Newton-John Cancer & Wellness Centre, Heidelberg

(Special Commendation)

Excellence in Construction of Commercial Buildings $30M - $80MKANE CONSTRUCTIONS PTY LTDProject: Simonds Stadium Southern Stand RedevelopmentKardinia Park, Geelong

Melbourne Facades and Frank Madgic, MC Labour Commercial Manager

Stag Shopfitting Pty Ltd and Tommy Watson, Independent Chairman Incolink


WINNERS

features Master Builder Victoria 31EXCELLENCE IN CONSTRUCTION AWARDS

Patrick Hickey (Director) Monaco Hickey and Wilhelm Harnisch (CEO) MBA.

Dustin Lloyd (Director) Lloyd Group, Wilhelm Harnisch (CEO) MBA and Andrew Sale, Lloyd Group.

Andrew Briggs (Director) Buxton Constructions (Vic) Pty Ltd and Peter Picking, Master Builders Specialist Committee Chairman.

David Rix from ADCO Constructions (Vic) Pty Ltd and John Morris (Account Manager/Marketing Manager) MC Labour.

Tommy Watson (Independent Chairman) Incolink and Lee Schiller (Victorian OHS Manager) Built.

John Chambers (Director) Kane Constructions Pty Ltd and Cbus CEO, David Atkin.

Andrew Noble, Vaughan Constructions (Director/General Manager) and David Atkin, Cbus CEO.

Richard Grounds (National Technical Services Manager) MBAIS and Paul Howard (Managing Director) APM Group.

Ash Nesbitt (Director) Foursquare Construction Management and Cbus CEO David Atkin.

Richard Grounds (National Technical Services Manager) MBAIS and David Rix from ADCO Constructions (Vic) Pty Ltd.

Kirra Tickell (Project Manager) Cockram Construction Ltd representative with John Glasson (CEO) Incolink and Michael Clemenger (Manager Victoria - Associate Director) Cockram Construction Ltd.

Michael Heath (Commercial Manager) Leighton Contractors and Mark Hassell (Co Director) MC Labour.

Peter Devitt (Managing Director) L.U. Simon Builders and Premier Denis Napthine.

Richard Nicholson from Nicholson Construction and Premier Denis Napthine MP.

Kate Dawson from Kane Constructions Pty Ltd and Premier Denis Napthine MP.



2014 Excellence in Construction Awards - Sponsors

TRIPLE M

Triple M (part of Southern Cross Austereo) is Australia’s legend of all radio stations. With over 30 years of rock heritage, Triple M has been serving up only the best rock music from home and abroad since 1980. The Hot Breakfast with Eddie McGuire, Mick Molloy and Luke Darcy, weekdays from 6 -9am, is Melbourne’s #1 Breakfast show and over the weekend Triple M is home to the best footy call in the business!

DG

DG Global is an international live experience agency with offices in Melbourne, Perth and Singapore. Their team of event producers are experts in transforming ordinary events and presentations into engaging experiences. They produce a wide range of special events from parties, gala awards, building launches to opening ceremonies and major corporate conferences. DG global have a full service, in-house graphic and film division that creates cutting edge multimedia and engaging corporate films. With DG global, every project is like a journey of discovery. They work in close collaboration with you every step of the way to ensure they understand your objectives, identify your audience, explore ideas with you and create an experience that encapsulates your organisation’s culture and values. Driven by creativity and a passion to create something new every time, they have been instrumental in transforming Master Builders award dinners into much anticipated annual events. Visit www.dgglobal.com.au or call (03) 9686 1955 to find out more.

MC LABOUR SERVICES

MC Labour has been a market leader in providing labour and personnel solutions for 20 years. To Support industry into the future, MC has continued its focus on the up skilling and cross skilling of its workforce, to allow us to move with innovation and shifts in the market. MC Labour can provide immediate access to a database of more than 20,000 trained, qualified and experienced personnel. MC Labour is committed to understanding the unique needs of each individual project and client. This ensures that our clients receive efficient, cost effective and quality labour hire solutions, tailored specifically to suit the exact job requirements.

MC Labour is a specialist provider across a broad range of industries:• Construction• Rail• Civil• Security• Traffic• Industrial

In addition MC Labour Services can supply IR, HR and Safety specialists as well as Site and Project Managers. MC has developed strategic alliances with a number of premium business partners. Supported by our AS4801 accreditation, MC can provide more personnel solutions than ever before.

For more information please visit www.mclabour.com.au or call our 24/7 National Customer Service Centre on 1300 10 12 14.

INCOLINK

Incolink, providing a valuable safety net for workers in the building and construction industry for over 25 years.

MBA INSURANCE

MBA Insurance Services (MBAIS) is a general insurance brokerage owned by your Master Builders Associations around Australia. Being a construction specialist, MBAIS seeks to offer broad cover at competitive prices while partnering with commercial builders to deliver unique solutions designed to protect and grow their business. Most importantly, all profits earned by MBAIS are returned to the building and construction industry, through local MBA initiatives such as training programs and apprenticeship schemes.

• Concrete House Slab Specialists

• Multi Unit Site Development

• Factory Floors and Carparks

• Bored Pier Holes and Screw Piles

• Bondeck and Suspended Slabs

Phone: (03) 9770 8224 Mobile: 0418 138 820Fax: (03) 9770 8225Email: [email protected]: www.harbourconcrete.com.au

DB-L36395Harbour Concreting Services

6 Keppler Circuit PO Box 686Seaford VIC 3198 Patterson Lakes VIC 3197

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OPAL combined with MastaTape Universal creates the UltraHome System and provides Level + Technology to deliver a superior finish.

Call 1300 724 505Visit knaufplasterboard.com.au/opal Download the free Knauf Australia iphone app


North East – Ian Lee and Angelo Inguanti

South East – Bill Miller and Chris Morey

South West – Brian MacSweeney and Peter Vleugel

North West – Peter Helfer and David McMath

South West Commercial Builder of the Year, Nicholson Construction, was named Regional Master Builder of the Year (Commercial) at the Excellence in Construction Awards on 8 August. Each of the major residential winners per region has gone on to compete for the state title of 2014 Regional Builder of the Year Excellence in Housing Awards.

In addition, Master Builders would like to express its appreciation of the judges and sponsors for their valued contribution. Without their continued support programs such as this would not be possible.

REGIONAL BUILDING AWARDS

Staged over four separate presentation evenings, Albury (North East), Geelong (South West), Bendigo, (North West) and Traralgon (South East), the awards acknowledged and celebrated the outstanding achievements of Victoria’s regional Master Builders, providing an opportunity to showcase their work in both the residential and commercial sectors of the industry.

Entrants have once again demonstrated their ongoing commitment to delivering projects of the highest standards in quality of construction, quality of design, and choice and use of materials, as well as providing outstanding levels of customer service to their clients.

Master Builders congratulates all entrants in this year’s 2014 Regional Building Awards and looks forward to your continued support of this program.


The overall winners were:Regional Residential Builder of the Year• North East – Scott James Builders – Project: Albury• South West – Stuart Allen Building – Project: Lake Wendouree• North West – G J Gardner Homes Mildura – Project: Buronga• South East – Garry Neilson Builders – Project: Paynesville

Regional Commercial Builder of the Year• North East – Joss Construction - Project: Huon Hill Quest & Hotel Wodonga• South West – Nicholson Constructions - Project: Federation College and

Manufacturing and Engineering Skills Centre, Federation University, Ballarat • North West – Fairbrother Pty Ltd Project: Girton Grammar Science

Building, Bendigo• South East – TS Constructions Pty Ltd - Project: Latrobe Regional Hospital -

Allied Health, Traralgon

Judges Sponsors

During June and July this year, regionally-based members were acknowledged for their commitment to building excellence through

the annual Master Builders Regional Building Awards.

A&L Windows

Aim Hire

Belmont Timber

Cbus

Federation Training

Hardings Hardware

Incolink

Origin

PremiumOz

Resifix

Traralgon Automotive Group

WinTV

features Master Builder Victoria 35REGIONAL BUILDING AWARDS

REGIONAL COMMERCIAL BUILDER OF THE YEAR

Joss ConstructionProject: Huon Hill Quest & Hotel Wodonga

A disused railway site on the fringe of the Wodonga CBD was the location for the construction of the Quest Serviced Apartments complex and Huon Hill Hotel. Civil works include two public road entries and parking for 227 cars. Landscaped areas surround the buildings and the In-ground pool. Finishes within the Quest Serviced Apartments building are to a 4.5 Star standard and the 80 rooms are bright and modern to meet the expectations of business travellers. The hotel boasts many finishes including stone fireplaces, sandblast exposed precast concrete columns and lintels beams, and a combination of engineered timber and carpet flooring with bluestone borders.

NORTH EASTREGIONAL RESIDENTIAL BUILDER OF THE YEAR

Scott James BuilderProject: Albury

This extraordinary, four-bedroom home is built as two wings over three levels. The external walls are rendered masonry and areas that feature of solid local stone. Beautiful raked ceilings highlight the banding of vertical silver top ash timber. Polished concrete floors are throughout all areas of the home except the bedrooms, which are carpeted. The kitchen bench tops are yellow stringy-bark and reconstituted stone. In the pool house the kitchenette and bar is an entertainer’s delight with stainless steel surrounding the outdoor fireplace. The owners sought to upgrade from a traditional brick home and this new design will provide all the function and comfort required by the family for many years

SOUTH WESTREGIONAL RESIDENTIAL BUILDER OF THE YEAR

Stuart Allen BuildingProject: Lake Wendouree

This residence is situated near Lake Wendouree among the historically significant homes built in the Ballarat region in the 1920s and 1930s. The character and quality of the street is protected by a number of controls including a heritage overlay. Drawing from a classic California bungalow design the new home’s street elevation is a dominant gable with bracketed purlins, wide eaves and timbered upper gable. A cross-gable runs to the west boundary and gables to the east provide views and morning sun to the attic bedrooms. A large projecting bow window serves to integrate the front garden space with the formal living area, with a low curved garden wall typical of the era.


Nicholson ConstructionProject: Federation College and Manufacturing and Engineering Skills Centre, Federation University, Ballarat

The new state-of-the-art Federation College and Manufacturing and Engineering Skills Centre is one of the most impressive structures in Ballarat. The striking external façade consists of multiple finishes with the inspired west elevation referring to the purpose of the facility by representing the cell structure of steel under a microscope. The contemporary internal finishes are robust and functional to cope with the harsh environment of manufacturing education. A unique graphic in the Manufacturing and Engineering Skills Centre reflects the history of Henry Sutton, a leading local inventor from Ballarat whose revolutionary ideas about mechanics in the 1950s continue to provide links with the education of students today at the Federation University Australia.



Fairbrother Pty LtdProject: Girton Grammar Science Building, Bendigo

This project required considerable attention to detail when planning the construction of the Science Building. Structural steel setout was laid at various angles and had a number of cantilevered components at each level. Internally, the laboratory walls are lined with chemical resistant boards while the floors and emergency shower are commercial grade vinyl throughout. LED light fittings make a significant positive contribution to saving energy and running costs. Strategically positioned sunhoods provide shade during the peak of summer, and large glass curtain walls allow natural sunlight to enter from all the sides of the building, reaching the central core. The large atrium space also allows in natural light and creates a very open and cheerful interior ambience.

NORTH WESTBEST CUSTOM HOME OVER $700,000

G J Gardner Homes MilduraProject: Buronga

Amazing river views were given careful consideration in the planning and design of this luxury two-level home, to create the luxury of effortless grandeur of indoor/outdoor living. On both levels panoramic river views can be enjoyed including from the huge activity room, games room and bar, the elegant dining room and spacious family room all enjoy. The custom designed kitchen boasts Smeg appliances, mirrored splash backs and Caesarstone bench tops that continue through to a scullery. On the second level, a spacious master bedroom with private retreat leads onto an expansive balcony framed with a glass balustrade, delivering uninterrupted views.

SOUTH EASTREGIONAL RESIDENTIAL BUILDER OF THE YEAR

Garry Neilson Building Pty Ltd Project: Paynesville

This three-bedroom home is situated near the Gippsland lakes on a large 2500 square metre block in the centre of town. The design is split level to limit cutting into the sloping site. The home’s interior spaces flow from the entry into a centrally located formal living area, dining room and kitchen. Informal spaces provide access to an entertainment area equally suitable for private relaxation with a heated indoor pool and huge timber decks with glass balustrading and feature

lighting. The easy living home has been completed to the highest standards.


TS Constructions Pty LtdProject: Latrobe Regional Hospital - Allied Health, Traralgon

The Latrobe Regional Hospital project involved renovating and altering 898 square metres of an existing building, and expanding the area by 470 square metres into an existing courtyard. The works were staged to allow for the ongoing operation of a substantial component of the hospital. The completed facility includes a suite of consultation rooms, waiting rooms, medical rooms, and physiotherapy gym including outdoor facilities and associated meeting rooms and offices. As a health facility a clinical level of finishes is mandatory and TS Constructions has delivered a very high standard in all aspects of this superbly constructed facility.


features Master Builder Victoria 37

North East

REGIONAL RESIDENTIAL BUILDER OF THE YEAR



Joss ConstructionProject: Huon Hill Quest & Hotel Wodonga

BEST RENOVATION/ADDITION UNDER $200,000

MBM DesignsProject: Merrigum

BEST DISPLAY HOME $200,000 - $300,000

B & H Homes Pty LtdProject: Killara, Albury


Afonso Building SolutionsProject: Thorpe 271, Killara

BEST DISPLAY HOME OVER $400,000

Davis Sanders HomesProject: The Allegra, Killara

BEST VOLUME BUILDER DISPLAY HOME

$200,000-$300,000

MetriconProject: Kalarney 24 Vogue, Killara


$300,000-$400,000

MetriconProject: Hamilton 33 Plantation, Killara


OVER $400,000

Simonds HomesProject: Omeo 3618 - Kyoto Façade, Wodonga


BEST CUSTOM HOME UNDER $200,000

Sapphire Sky HomesProject: Leneva

BEST CUSTOM HOME $200,000 - $300,000

Hedger ConstructionsProject: Marysville

BEST CUSTOM HOME $300,000 - $400,000

Lekeal Pty LtdProject: Yarrawonga

BEST CUSTOM HOME $400,000 - $500,000

Scott James BuilderProject: Yackandandah

BEST CUSTOM HOME $500,000 - $700,000

Barzen BuildersProject: Kialla

BEST CUSTOM HOME OVER $700,000


BEST MULTI UNIT DEVELOPMENT 4 TO 12 UNITS

Sapphire Sky HomesProject: Lavington

BEST SUSTAINABLE ENERGY HOME

Ovens and King BuildersProject: Stanley

COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS UNDER $1M

Connelly Construction ServicesProject: Victory Lutheran College - Music Centre, Wodonga

COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS $1M - $3M

Connelly Construction ServicesProject: Daintree Medical Centre, Wodonga


Browns WangarattaProject: Department of Justice, Wangaratta

COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS OVER $6M

Joss ConstructionProject: Huon Hill Quest & Hotel, Wodonga

South West






C J Henderson BuildersProject: South Geelong

BEST DISPLAY HOME UNDER $200,000

Hamlan HomesProject: First 130, Norlane


New Select HomesProject: Victoria 225, Lucas

WINNERS

2014 REGIONAL BUILDING AWARDS




Davis Sanders HomesProject: The Tempo, Armstrong Creek

BEST DISPLAY HOME OVER $400,000

Bryan + Petersen Pty LtdProject: Monet, Alfredton


$200,000 - $300,000

Simonds HomesProject: Leon 2514 Nouveau, Armstrong Creek


$300,000 - $400,000

MetriconProject: Lincoln 29 Californian, Warrnambool


OVER $400,000

MetriconProject: Duxton 39 Kingston, Lucas

BEST CUSTOM HOME $200,000 - $300,000

Homes with IntegrityProject: Belmont

BEST CUSTOM HOME $300,000 - $400,000

Q Designer HomesProject: Leopold

BEST CUSTOM HOME $400,000 - $500,000

Larkin and Drought BuildersProject: Teesdale

BEST CUSTOM HOME $500,000 - $700,000

Pivot HomesProject: Inverleigh



BEST MULTI UNIT DEVELOPMENT UP TO 3 UNITS

Wayne McNaughton ConstructionsProject: Warrnambool


Homes with IntegrityProject: Belmont

BEST SUSTAINABLE PROJECT

Laney Constructions Pty LtdProject: Anglesea Fire Station Development, Anglesea

EXCELLENCE IN CONSTRUCTION OF


Laney Constructions Pty LtdProject: Diversitat Office Refurbishment Geelong



Laney Constructions Pty LtdProject: Anglesea Fire Station Development, Anglesea



Rendine Constructions P/LProject: Belmont CRC Reynolds Road, Belmont




North West









New Select Homes - BendigoProject: The Hunter, Junortoun


$300,000 - $400,000

Simonds HomesProject: Turin 2212 Kew, Jackass Flat


VR BuildersProject: Chewton



VR BuildersProject: Maldon Community Bank, Maldon

BEST RENOVATION/ADDITION

$300,000 - $500,000

VR BuildersProject: Castlemaine

BEST MUTLI-UNIT DEVELOPMENT UP TO 3 UNITS

Ricky K Jenkyn Master BuildersProject: Bendigo

SPECIAL COMMENDATION


$300,000 - $500,000

Jason Wescott Builder P/LProject: Bendigo


$200,000 - $300,000

Jason Wescott Builder P/LProject: Bendigo



BEST CUSTOM HOME $200,000 - $300,000

G J Gardner Homes MilduraProject: Mildura

BEST CUSTOM HOME $300,000 - $400,000

Reuben Beazley BuilderProject: Strathfieldsaye

BEST CUSTOM HOME $400,000 - $500,000

Reuben Beazley BuilderProject: Maiden Gully


South East






Latrobe Valley Building ServicesProject: Traralgon

BEST RENOVATION/ADDITION OVER $500,000

Virtue HomesProject: Traralgon


Colmac HomesProject: Nicholson 250, Bairnsdale


$200,000 - $300,000

Simonds HomesProject: Palisade 2312 Kew, Bairnsdale


$300,000 - $400,000

Simonds HomesProject: Cambridge 2914 Nouveau, Warragul


OVER $400,000

Simonds HomesProject: Omeo Kyoto, Bairnsdale

BEST CUSTOM HOME $200,000 - $300,000

J&RD ConstructionProject: Traralgon

BEST CUSTOM HOME $300,000 - $400,000

Roseleigh HomesProject: Warragul

BEST CUSTOM HOME $400,000 - $500,000

TS Constructions Pty LtdProject: Grantville

BEST CUSTOM HOME $500,000 - $700,000


BEST MULTI-UNIT DEVELOPMENT UP TO 3 UNITS

Virtue HomesProject: Traralgon


TS Constructions Pty LtdProject: Grantville



TS Constructions Pty LtdProject: Cowes Ambulance Station, Cowes



CM & HM Banks Pty LtdProject: GEGAC - Dala Yooro Childcare, Bairnsdale






TS Constructions Pty LtdProject: Leongatha Secondary College, Leongatha



A&L WindowsA&L have been manufacturing quality windows, doors and screens for over 30 years. Their diverse range of products extends to both aluminium and timber; and effective solutions for superior energy efficiency. However, what sets them apart is their commitment to being more than just a supplier; A&L are your business partner for all things windows and doors.

Aim Site HireFrom our experience supplying portables is all about providing quality, value and reliable service – and that is exactly what we have been doing for over 40 years. With over 5000 portable toilets, several hundred kilometres of temporary fencing and many hundred site offices, together with footpath crossovers, cages, shipping containers and tarps, you can depend on us to get your building site ready for construction.

Belmont TimberLocated at 160 Barwon Heads Rd, Belmont, with easy drive through access for pick up’s or fast & efficient delivery service.Established in 1959 by the late Alex Popescu; provides quality service, Timber & Hardware Products throughout Geelong region, Bellarine Peninsula, Surf Coast & Western District of Melbourne.

Cbus – 30 years on and going strongCbus was established in 1984 to provide superannuation services for members of the building, construction and allied industries, their families and employers. We are proud of our strong history and long relationship with the Masters Builders Association, one of our key employer sponsoring organisations. Thirty years on, Cbus is one of Australia’s largest industry super funds, with

SPONSORS


more than 700,000 members, 85,000 participating employers and assets over A$25 billion. As your industry super fund, Cbus is run only to benefit members, has low fees and does not pay commissions to financial advisers. The Fund is focused on delivering strong long term performance to members. Our development company, Cbus Property, invests in the building and construction industry and has created over 56,700 direct jobs and 75,600 indirect jobs for building, construction and allied workers. Cbus’ Trustee: United Super Pty Ltd ABN 46 006 261 623 AFSL 233792 Cbus ABN 75 493 363 262. Read the relevant Cbus Product Disclosure Statement to decide whether Cbus is right for you. Contact 1300 361 784 or visit www.cbussuper.com.au for a copy.

Federation TrainingFederation Training was established on May 1, 2014 as a result of a merge between Advance TAFE and GippsTAFE. With 14 campuses from Chadstone in Melbourne’s outer East across the state to Lakes Entrance, Federation Training aims to create one united education model for Gippsland, with unprecedented opportunities for students. Federation Training offer a diverse range of programs and specially designed learning environments, providing students with the opportunity to get hands on and develop real skills and experience in the industry of their choice. For further information, please visit www.federationtraining.edu.au.

Hardings HardwareHardings Hardware was founded in 1958 in West Preston and now consists of three Victorian and three interstate stores. The firm is a specialist supplier to the new home and renovating industries and the Victorian branches daily service an area bounded by Warrnambool, Ballarat, Bendigo and Sale.


Traralgon Automotive GroupWith over 40 years in the motor vehicle industry, Traralgon Automotive Group are committed to helping you make the right choice when purchasing your next vehicle stocking Toyota, Nissan, Hyundai and Pre Owned. Our team can help you with expert advice on finance and insurance for your vehicle helping to make things stress free. At Traralgon Automotive Group we pride ourselves on back up service, stocking quality parts to keep your vehicle running like new. We are dedicated to our local community through sponsorship and support to local clubs and non for profit organisations. We look forward to welcoming you to our dealership located on Princes Highway, Traralgon West or visit us online at traralgonautomotivegroup.com.au.

WinTVThe WIN Network is the world's largest privately owned regional television network, reaching over 5 million viewers across six Australian states and the nation's capital. WIN Television is unparalleled in its commitment to the Regional Victorian community through its flagship news program - WIN News. Every weeknight at 7pm and midnight, WIN News takes a closer look at the people, the colour, the issues and the news that matters to you, in your town and region.WIN Television is not only Australia's largest commercial television network, it is also a proud and passionate supporter of the local community.

IncolinkIncolink, providing a valuable safety net for workers in the building and construction industry for over 25 years.

Origin EnergyOrigin has released a web portal (Connect Assist) for the building industry to submit and monitor connection requests. Connect Assist saves you time with less paperwork and phone calls to allow you to get on with what you do best – construct dwellings. For more information [email protected] or visit www.connectassist.com.au.

PremiumOzPremium Showers and Robes is an Australian owned company, our products are designed and manufactured to the highest standards. Premium is your market leading customized specialist for all Robes, Joinery (Kitchens), Shower screens, Mirrors and splashbacks. We offer design and packages to suit your budged in all facets of the building industry, including commercial projects and DIY renovations. We are proud to support the 2014 Master Builders Regional Building Awards. For further information visit www.premiumoz.com.au or call 1300 664 150.



TRAINING

Build up your career: 4 training tips to help you get registered

If you are looking to get registered, chances are you are working towards becoming a successful business owner.

The Victorian Building Authority (VBA) applies rigorous standards for the registration of building practitioners so it can help to have a few tips up your sleeves to help you through.

When applying for registration many builders have great site experience but need to brush up on the theory of building. At registration, questions will be asked about your knowledge of all aspects of the building process, from estimating a job, through to bracing the walls and running your business successfully.

The main gaps in knowledge for registration applicants that we get asked about are the areas of: • Estimating principles;• Structural principles;• Sustainability principles;• Legal obligations; and,• Small business financial management.

1. Keep a record of all of your site experienceYou can have all of the experience in the world, but unless you can document it, the VBA has no way of knowing what you’ve done. You need proof. Photos, references and progress reports. Keep this kind of information in a folder so that when you are ready to go for your registration, it is all ready to go.

2. Know you’re building principlesKnowing your estimating principles and how to work out the materials, quantities and costing for a job is something that will be expected of you when applying for your registration.

Likewise, you will need to understand structural principles such as bracing and what is appropriate to use, when and why?

Sustainability principles are also becoming more and more important to understand and form a part of the assessment criteria. You will need to understand how to site and design a house to maximise energy efficiency and how to minimise waste on site. Both these attributes will give you a competitive edge in your business when quoting for work.

3. Know your legal obligations and understand small business financial managementIt’s important to understand the legislative requirements applicable to the building industry. You can be the best technician in the world, but unless you get the financial side of things worked out you won’t be in business for long.

4. Do the Certificate IV in Building and Construction with Master BuildersThe VBA suggests that you undertake some study and have plenty of work experience in the industry. A Certificate IV in Building and Construction (Building) is a great way to help you gain the knowledge and skills to be able to successfully navigate the VBA’s testing and interview processes.

We also offer short courses in each of the areas listed above to help bring you up to speed in these topics, or to refresh your understanding. Be aware that information may have changed since you did your apprenticeship.

If you choose to undertake your training with Master Builders, as a member, you have access to a range of subsidies and discounts that can make it more economical for you. The introduction of the Victorian Training Guarantee (VTG) funding now means that the training required to get you registered is now more accessible. The new Master Builders training application and enrolment process, including eligibility screening for the VTG means that individuals will benefit from the ongoing support of a dedicated training mentor.

So if your thinking of getting registered, Master Builders can provide you with the training and support from industry professionals to get you across the line. Why not get on board and build up your career now?

Katie Tunnah, Training Operations Administrator &

Corrie Williams, Assistant Training Manager-Operations

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The CFMEU’s misuse of Health and Safety Representation (HSR) for industrial purposes has

been a highlight of the Trade Union Royal Commission.

On 22 May, CFMEU officials Mick Powell and Peter Clark, entered a construction site in Ringwood purporting that they were attending the site in response to a request for assistance from the Health and Safety Representative (HSR).

Powell suggested that he was called to assist the HSR in relation to ground conditions and plant movement at the site and Clark suggested that he was called to assist with issues related to bolts on the handrails.

The two officials were refused entry to the site because of their refusal to produce their Federal Entry Permits when requested.

A Victorian WorkSafe Authority (VWA) Inspector attending the site issued an Entry Report citing that the two union officials were suitably qualified to provide support to the HSR. The VWA Inspector did not cite the builder’s legitimate reasons for refusing entry in his report.

Under Section 70 of the OHS Act 2004, where an employer does not allow a person assisting a HSR access to the workplace, the HSR is able to apply to the Magistrates Court for an order directing the employer to allow access.

The provisions under Section 70 of the OHS Act 2004 are mirrored in Section 32 of Victoria’s previous OHS Act 1985.

After Powell and Clark were refused entry (and arrested for trespass) the CFMEU initiated action in the Magistrates Court in an attempt to gain entry to the site. It was the first time in nearly 30 years that a HSR, via their union, had initiated legal action under these provisions. The

OHS

John DarcyOHS Manager

CFMEU farcical misuse of HSRsCFMEU was adamant that its officials were not exercising a ‘State or Territory OHS Right’ under the Fair Work Act when entering the workplace to support a HSR and as such were not obligated to show their Federal Entry Permits.

The matter was listed to be heard in the Magistrates Court in mid June 2014. If the safety matters that the CFMEU purported were serious enough to warrant assistance they could have applied to the court for an order to gain entry immediately after entry was refused.

The CFMEU waited for the court hearing and then withdrew its application only days before the hearing. Their actions only served to underscore the lengths that the CFMEU is prepared to go to misuse the OHS Act for its own industrial purposes and repeatedly make a mockery of safety.

In 2009, CFMEU official Adrian ‘Skinner’ McLaughlin had his Federal Entry Permit suspended for two months after he repeatedly claimed that he was entering various construction sites to support HSRs. In this 2007 case, the Australian Industrial Relations Commission confirmed that union officials are still required to display their entry permits even when entering a workplace to support a HSR.

The CFMEU has a history of repeatedly misusing the power of HSRs to ‘seek assistance from persons whenever necessary’ as a means of bypassing right-of-entry under both the OHS Act 2004 and the Fair Work Act 2009. Recent events at the Ringwood Aquatic Centre were yet another example of the CFMEU ignoring the precedent cases. It knows what the rules are and deliberately choose to ignore them.

The recent events coincided with the hearings at the Royal Commission into Trade Unions (TURC) which featured evidence related to CFMEU involvement in the Pentridge Village construction project. After a fatality at the site, which

occurred in October 2009, the CFMEU demanded that the principal contractor, West Homes, should sack its OHS consultant and OHS representative and threatened that the project would not proceed unless West Homes employed a CFMEU nominated HSR. The TURC heard evidence that the CFMEU appointed HSR, John Setka’s cousin, subsequently sat in the site sheds, did no physical work and was present at the site for no more than two days per week while still receiving a $70,000 per year salary.

The CFMEU’s interest in having a HSR on the project had absolutely nothing to do with safety on the site. It was shamefully about having a CFMEU Shop Steward on the project so as to ensure that all subcontractors had EBAs with the CFMEU.

The vast majority of HSRs in the construction industry take their roles, and representation of workers’ health and safety interests, very seriously. There are many HSR’s in the industry that are hard to distinguish between employer and worker representatives. Unfortunately the CFMEU, who repeatedly profess to be serious about workers safety, have misused HSRs for industrial purposes so often that its actions have actually served to undermine confidence in health and safety representation.

For more information please contact the OHS Unit on (03) 9411 4555.

features Master Builder Victoria 45INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

Let’s not waste this opportunity for reformThe current Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption has been labelled

a ‘political’ show trial by the union movement – including what some might consider its political beneficiaries, the Australian Labor Party and Australian Greens. Others, including some media commentators, have labelled it a ‘disappointment’, seemingly on the basis that the public already knows all about the CFMEU’s apparent modus operandi of unlawful behaviour, thuggery, intimidation, and misuse of safety to further its industrial interests. Still others have laid the blame at employers – naively accusing them of either being a willing party to a clandestine ‘cartel’ conspiracy with the CFMEU; or alternatively, too weak-kneed to stand up to a schoolyard bully.

What had been missed by most outside the industry was the continued endemic failure of regulators and the legal system to hold the CFMEU to account for its unlawful actions. That was until Boral CEO, Mike Kane’s testimony before the Royal Commission. During his time on the witness stand, Mr Kane stripped away the CFMEU’s PR veneer to reveal an organisation that is solely concerned with furthering its own power and control over the industry. Mr Kane’s testimony also showcased why the industry remains frustrated in its attempts to establish the rule of law in the construction industry. Despite Boral pursuing all available legal avenues, including court injunctions and full cooperation with various regulators, $8 million and 18 months later, Mr Kane informed the Royal Commission that the CFMEU’s illegal bans still remain in place. Bans allegedly put in place because Boral had the audacity to continue to supply its client Grocon against the wishes of the CFMEU.

Daniel HodgesIndustrial Relations Manager

The construction industry owes a debt of gratitude to Grocon and Boral for taking a strong stand against the CFMEU. The unpalatable reality is that the vast majority of businesses operating in the building and construction industry are small businesses that lack the necessary financial resources to stand up to the CFMEU. Without proper enforcement regimes that support the rule of law, industry participants have been forced to adapt accordingly, often taking the line of least resistance in order to survive. The CFMEU business model succeeds in large part due to a passive regulatory framework and a justice system that moves with all the speed of a glacier.

While Master Builders applauds the efforts to shine a bright light on the construction industry, it is naive to think that the current state of the industry is the result of unions, employees and employers acting in a vacuum. Real reform will only be brought about by ensuring there are adequate laws, actively enforced. While the focus has already begun to turn to regulators such as the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, Fair Work Building and Construction, state and federal police – it has yet to reach the safety regulator. This is surprising given the role safety has played in a number of the matters brought before the Royal Commission in relation to the CFMEU.

It is an open secret that the CFMEU (ab)uses safety as a means of forwarding its industrial interests and legitimising its unlawful actions. All too often, so-called ‘safety issues’ disappear when employers bend to the industrial demands of the CFMEU. Exploiting safety has been good for union business. Considerable focus must be placed on ending this practice, which serves only to undermine legitimate safety concerns. For too long, safety regulators in various Australian

jurisdictions have been asleep at the wheel – seemingly happy to facilitate the agenda of militant unions, and allowing their role to be usurped onsite. While they are a key stakeholder, as a representative of its members working in the industry, safety must be the safety regulator’s business – not the CFMEU’s.

Ultimately, a major outcome of this Royal Commission must be that regulators and law enforcement agencies no longer tolerate attempts by unions to hold themselves above the law. Key to this objective is the reinstatement of the ABCC as a strong cop on the beat for the construction industry. A well resourced and pro-active ABCC, with closer operational links to other law enforcement bodies is an important first step - as is ensuring that these law enforcement bodies are compelled to be pro-active in enforcing the rule of law. Any failure to do so will result in this Royal Commission, and the courageous stance taken by the likes of Boral and Grocon, being another wasted opportunity for necessary reform.


GREEN LIVING

Sustainable building revolution continues at 2014 Excellence in Construction AwardsPhillip Alviano

Sustainability Adviser

The quality and range of Victoria’s new sustainable commercial buildings has grown exponentially since the Best Sustainable Project category was launched in 2008 at the Master Builders Excellence in Construction Awards (EICA). The field has become more competitive as builders embraced the sustainable building revolution. The category builds innovation in the industry

and provides a platform for these builders to showcase how they’ve had a go at doing something a bit differently.

During the judging of this category we look for how builders have reduced water and energy use, the sorts of materials they use and how they have reduced the environmental impact overall. Sustainable building has come a long

way over the past decade. There was a time when it was difficult to find an example of a local building with a Green Star rating, now it is commonplace.

This year’s EICA saw four builders in the running for the coveted Best Sustainable Project award, with each one having their own interesting story to tell.

WINNERMELTON LIBRARY AND LEARNING HUB, ADCO CONSTRUCTIONS

The Melton Library and Learning Hub achieved a 5 Star (as built) GreenStar rating. This community focused facility is a great example of sustainable construction done well. During the construction process Adco concentrated on making the building as air tight as possible to reduce the amount of heating and cooling required to keep the users comfortable. High efficiency boilers and

chillers, lots of natural daylight, sensors on the lights, together with a night time purge, to help cool the building, further reduced energy use.

With 14Kw of solar panels on the roof and a combination of timber and concrete construction, the learning hub pushed the boundaries in construction techniques and materials. Timber is good to use in construction because it has low embodied energy and provides carbon capture and storage.

A form of geo polymer based concrete named e-Crete was also used. This uses

less energy to manufacture but is quite complicated to work with during the construction process and involved a number of challenges for the builder.

Other features included the use of local plants in the gardens, formaldehyde testing once the building was completed, best practice PVC and recyclable carpets. The result is a striking architectural feature that ticks all sorts of sustainable building boxes and provides a facility that the community can be proud of.

Winning project: The Melton Library and Learning Hub is a sustainable building asset for the Melton community.

features Master Builder Victoria 47GREEN LIVING

ROYAL WOLF, SUNSHINE BY DUCON CONSTRUCTION

When constructing the Royal Wolf facility in Sunshine, Ducon employed a number of sustainable building innovations, notably the use of recycled materials. They managed to retrofit old shipping containers as office suites without skimping on comfort and aesthetic.

It’s a great example of innovative material reuse and waste reduction. Cork flooring and locally grown Silver Top Ash decking provide environmentally friendly options and double glazed windows create a comfortable working environment for Royal Wolf staff.

The project illustrates a really interesting use of space for a very functional result.

YARRA VALLEY WATER OFFICE REFIT, MITCHAM BY BUILT

The biggest challenge for Built when undertaking the Yarra Valley Water office refit in Mitcham was having to work around staff who were still using the building. By working in stages, they were able to not only get around this challenge but completed a modern, sustainably built office space that will be an asset to the water authority.

Tri generation is used to generate electricity on site from gas providing major efficiency benefits and the waste heat is also used to heat the building, hot water and provide energy for air conditioning. The construction process was also entirely carbon neutral.

This is an example of the re-use and recycling of an existing building that increased its energy and water efficiency and provided a much better environment for the people working in it. This has the added benefit of increasing employee productivity.

CABRINI LINEN WASHING FACILITY, DANDENONG SOUTH BY VAUGHAN

When constructing the Cabrini linen washing facility in Dandenong South, reducing potable water use prioritised. The project also had a positive benefit for the local community as one of the requirements was for Vaughan to tap into the South East Water Purification Plant and in doing so, allowed for the provision of a recycled water pipeline to neighbouring housing estates. The project also has the capacity to collect stormwater from the roof which is used for irrigation and to flush toilets.

Extra insulation and thermal panels help to keep the temperature inside at comfortable levels. Skylights and a light management system helps to further reduce energy use.

Royal Wolf: A great example of reusing and recycling materials.

Water world: The Yarra Valley Water office refit by Built has provided a comfortable, green workspace for occupants.

Fresh linen: The Cabrini Linen washing facility has provided ‘flow on’ benefits for the local community (pun intended).

RUNNER UP

RUNNER UP

RUNNER UP


LEGAL

Protection works: The process and the benefits

Builders often get caught in the trap of believing that they are responsible for protection works on a construction project. This is incorrect as Part 7 of the Building Act 1993 (the Act) does not even mention the builder and instead only refers to the owner, the relevant building surveyor (the RBS) and the adjoining owner. Consequently, this confusion often leads builders to take responsibility for the process and the costs, delays and stress that can flow from protection works.

These factors can have a tremendous impact on the project including substantial delay and even termination of the building contract, especially in instances where an adjoining owner is opposed to the works or looking for additional compensation. On the other hand, if the law and process are understood and handled efficiently and effectively, it can allow works to seamlessly progress and or legislatively compel the adjoining owner to comply.

That said, from a practical point of view, it is often the builder who is best placed to undertake this process as

agent for the owner. While this is an understandable consequence of being a builder, it is nevertheless vital that the builder understands and appreciates that (unless otherwise agreed) the process still remains the owner’s responsibility. This should be clearly noted in written correspondence with the owner and continuously updated as the protection works process is undertaken.

Assessing the need for protection worksIt is the responsibility of the RBS to assess and determine whether the new works will impact adjoining properties, buildings and the general public. The RBS’s assessment may result in the need to prevent any damage and maintain the stability of adjoining properties, usually in the form of underground and or overhead protection.

Some examples of building works often requiring protection works include, but are not limited to:• Demolition works• The provision of vertical support• Bulk excavation works

• Variation in earth pressures• Structures proposed to be built right

up the boundary• Underpinning or footing works that

may jeopardise or affect the stability of any part of the adjoining properties

• The provision of ground anchors• Proposed works which include an

existing common party wall• Lateral support• Retaining walls near property

boundaries• Proposed structures that will have

the affect of being higher than the existing adjoining structures.

Pre-contractual protection works checksWhen approached by a prospective client (the owner) it is essential to check that they have had, at an early stage of building design, an RBS assess the need for any protection works. This will hopefully avoid any unnecessary delays. It is also advisable that your building contract contain a provision which specifically reiterates that any costs and or delays resulting from a requirement for protection works are the owner’s responsibility and liability.

Marvin WardSolicitor

features Master Builder Victoria 49LEGAL

The process and notices: Form 3 and Form 4The protection works process is set out in the Act beginning at section 84 and is essentially as follows; where the RBS has deemed that protection works are necessary, the owner or their agent is required to serve notice of the proposed building works on an affected adjoining owner and the RBS, this is undertaken by serving the Form 3 notice. The Form 3 Protection Work Notice sets out the nature, location, time and duration of the proposed protection works and when served on the adjoining owner should included with it three copies of a blank Form 4 notice.

Upon receipt of the Form 3 notice the adjoining owner is required to serve a response notice under the Form 4 notice within 14 calendar days. The Form 4 notice allows the adjoining owner to respond in one of the following three ways:1. Agree to the proposed protection

works.2. Disagree to the proposed protection

works.3. Request more information on the

protection works.

These notices are set out in Schedule 2 of the Building Regulations 2006 for protection of adjoining property.

As previously stated the adjoining owner’s completed Form 4 must be returned to the owner and the RBS within 14 calendar days. Should an adjoining owner fail to do so by this time they are deemed to have agreed to the protection works pursuant to section 85(2) of the Act. Once deemed to have agreed it is difficult for the adjoining owner to object to or cause further delays or seek undue consideration or compensation for the undertaking of the protection works. Accordingly, it is vital that the Form 3 notice is served correctly on the adjoining owner, to the address and in a manner which can effectively establish the adjoining owners receipt and a reference date for counting down the required 14 days. Consequently, it is recommended that

the Form 3 notice is sent by registered mail and delivered in-person or by fax or by email with read receipt.

In the event that the adjoining owner correctly responds under the Form 4 notice and agreement between the parties can simply not be reached in respect of the protection works, the RBS will need to examine the documentation and notices and make a determination. Should the owner or adjoining owner disagree with the RBS’s determination they have 14 calendar days to appeal to the Building Appeals Board (soon to be VBA) and provide reasons why the RBS’s determination should be overturned.

Dilapidation report and insuranceAs part of the protection works process the owner is required to obtain insurance on the protection works before commencing. Owners or their agent should check with their insurance provider that their policy covers protection works and notes the adjoining properties. The owner must also undertake and obtain a signed dilapidation report recording the condition of the adjoining property, including any defects. The Act permits the owner to access the adjoining property for the purposes of the dilapidation report provide access is requested with not less than 24 hours prior notice and is between the hours of 8am and 6pm, or as otherwise agreed.

Once the protection works process has been correctly undertaken the Adjoining owner must not refuse to admit or obstruct or hinder the owner or their agents from undertaking the protection works or the dilapidation inspection.

Steps for serving Form 3Again it is the owner or their agent’s responsibility to ensure that Form 3 is correctly completed and served. That said, the following factors and steps should be considered when doing so:1. Complete The Form 3 listing all the

relevant documents.2. Prepare a cover letter, including:

2.1. Owners, and if applicable, agents details;

2.2. Identify the properties; 2.3. Refer to Notice 3 and 4

attached; 2.4. Describe the nature, location,

time and duration of the proposed protection works including the protection measures and the approximate commencement and duration details;

2.5. Describe the work methods to be adopted;

2.6. Specifically note that a dilapidation report will be carried out;

2.7. Specifically note that the builder holds the adequate insurance; and,

2.8. Include and refer to all relevant attachments to enable the proposals to be assessed, including but not limited to, the completed Form 3, the three copies of a blank Form 4, plans, drawings and specs, structural details, computations and soil reports.

3. After checking and confirming the details of the adjoining owner, send all adjoining owners and the RBS all documents. It is suggested that you do this by registered post and in-person or by fax or by email with a read receipt.

In conclusion, by understanding the protection works process and following the steps for issuing the Form 3 notice as set out above, the Builder can make an informed decision to either simply not get involved or as agent for the owner correctly undertake the process understanding that they are not responsible (unless otherwise agreed) for any consequences or costs out of their control as agent.

advertorial50 Master Builder Victoria

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Having acted for developers, builders, subcontractors and other building and related industry clients for over 15 years, the TressCox Building and Construction team has the experience to understand the key legal issues facing the building industry. The team also has strong working relationships with expert witnesses, referees, arbitrators and barristers who have specialised skills in building and construction related matters and disputes. In making TressCox Lawyers part of your Team, you gain years of experience and access to a wide ranging network of contacts and experts.

The team provides advice and prepares contracts for multi-million dollar commercial projects, while also assisting medium and smaller builders in setting up projects for domestic and residential housing developments.

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Act and their associated Regulations, the Personal Property Securities Act requirements, Occupational Health and Safety concerns and ensure progress payment and dispute resolution clauses are fair to the builder.

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VICTORIA’S PREMIER

BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION

LAW TEAM

features Master Builder Victoria 51MASTER BUILDERS FOUNDATION

Troy leading the way

Troy Gudgeon was one of the first nine apprentices to receive a Masters Builders Foundation Scholarship in November 2010.

Nearly four years later, Troy’s career continues to be on a steady climb. Master Builders Careers Coordinator Jarrod Flanigan spoke to Troy about how he’s used his scholarship and other opportunities to progress his building career.

Since receiving the Scholarship how has your career progressed?Firstly I would like to thank the Master Builders Foundation for the scholarship; it helped me immensely at the time. I was a mature aged apprentice with a new wife, so using the scholarship to pay for school fees helped in a huge way. Also, the saving on buying tools was a big win as well.

As for my career, I was a third year apprentice when I received my scholarship. I completed my

apprenticeship and stayed with my employer for two years working as a foreman. The best thing was being introduced to the staff at Master Builders via the Foundation. Staying in touch with people like Membership Manager Dom Butera and Jarrod Flanigan has helped when I have had questions in regards to registration and career enquiries.

Now I am a junior foreman with The Hacer Group and relishing the experience.

Do you see the benefits of a scholarship?Definitely. $1200 worth of training and tools at that time was just fantastic. Although I have heard the scholarship is now $2200 worth of tools and training. (I should have waited a little longer).

Even if you don’t use your training part of the scholarship for your TAFE fees, you can use it for other courses like a Certificate IV in Building. One of the other recipients did that and he is now a registered Builder, and another one I

know of did a plan reading course. Also having staff at Master Builders to help you choose the right course is really handy.

Plus the tools, they are still going and saving money on those was great. They are quality as well, better than buying the cheap ones I normally would have.

Any advice to apprentices out there?Go for it! Apply for the scholarship. It has helped me. What apprentice would not appreciate new tools and having a course paid for? And also it links you into the Master Builders which is good as well; they can help you with your career. It worked for me.

Visit www.mbav.com.au or call (03) 9411 4555 to find out more about Master Builders Foundation scholarships.

Career man: Troy Gudgeon has used his scholarship and other opportunities to help build his career.

regulars52 Master Builder Victoria

CASE STUDY CONSTRUCTION

Chris realises knowledge is powerChris from Case Study Construction had a worried look on his face the second that the two union officials walked through the gate.

Chris approached the two officials and was informed, very matter of factly, “we are here to do a safety walk of your site.”

The officials presented themselves as if they had a legal authority to enter Chris’ site. Chris then watched on as the two officials walked onto the site and almost immediately started telling the concreters, who were getting ready for a pour, to stop what they were doing and to make their way to the site sheds for a meeting.

One of the officials then walked through the lower level of the project pulling workers’ extension leads out from the switchboard whilst barking the same order to the carpenters to stop working.

“No one is going to do any work here until we get a union health and safety rep on this job,” one of the officials shouted.

Chris knew straight away that something was wrong. He was straight on the phone to Simone Scott from the Master Builders Industrial Relations Department.

“Did you ask the union officials to show you their federal and state entry permits and did they produce the document titled ‘Notice of Suspected Contravention’ for you?” Simone asked.

“It is a WorkSafe branded document that they are required to complete that specifies suspected safety breaches,” she advised.

“No, they have not produced those items,” Chris responded.

“The union officials have no power whatsoever to call for a cessation of work,” Simone continued.

“Their actions are unlawful as they are purporting to exercise the powers of an Authorised Representative of a Registered Employee Organisation (ARREO). You should call the Fair Work Building and Construction (FWBC) to report the official’s unlawful industrial activities.”

“And what about this suggestion that I am supposed to have a union health and safety representative on my site?” Chris asked.

“It is a matter for your employees to call for, and elect, an OHS representative. An OHS rep cannot be appointed by you or by the union and you cannot be forced to have one on your site,” Simone advised.

“Then why are the union officials telling me that I am supposed to have one of their OHS reps on my project; are they lying to me?” queried Chris.

“The union officials are misusing the OHS Act to deceive you into believing that what they are telling you is factual. To them knowledge, or lack thereof, is power,” responded Simone.

Simone recommended that Chris should call the Victorian WorkCover Authority (VWA) immediately to ask for the assistance of an inspector to deal with the safety issues and to ask them to investigate the breach of the ARREO provisions of the OHS Act 2004. She also instructed Chris to ask the officials to show their entry permits and the Notice of Suspected Contravention and if they refused to produce those items

Chris should instruct them to leave the site immediately. Simone suggested that if the officials still refused to leave the site the police should be called to have the officials removed as they were trespassing on the site.

Simone also advised Chris to inform the workers that the union officials’ actions constituted an unlawful cessation of work and, as there was no immediate risk to safety, they were to return to work immediately.

Simone referred Chris to the Master Builders OHS Unit for a free site audit to make sure that his site was safe.

Chris knew what he had to do. The workers returned to work and the union officials scurried off site. A VWA Inspector arrived a short while later and found nothing wrong with Chris’ site, as Chris expected. Chris also asked both the VWA and FWBC to investigate the official’s unlawful actions.

Chris was better for the experience. He was now confident in the knowledge that union officials could not freely enter his sites for safety reasons and that if he had any problems he could call Master Builders for assistance.

The Master Builders Industrial Relations Department can be contacted on (03) 9411 4555 if you need advice or assistance.

Chris from Case Study Construction

Victoria

Call (03) 9775 0096 or email [email protected] for a quote on your next job

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FINANCIAL SERVICES

Interest rates plummet as competitions soars

Harry PontikisDirector Financial Services

Competition in the home loan market has intensified with three major banks slashing their five-year fixed mortgage rates to less than 5%. One or two year fixed rates have been dropping to historically low rates but it’s the first time banks have been willing to offer cheap longer term rates.

Greater competition, lower funding costs on global bond markets and a strategy to ‘lock in’ their customers from future competition may be driving the cheaper interest rates.

Something to note is while the 4.99%, five-years fixed rates are below the three banks' variable rates, this is not a reflection of the ‘true rate’ or the actual interest rate once you include annual, monthly or other fees. The fees will often increase the headline rate of 4.99% by another 0.5% or more.

Fixing your home loan may not suit everyone, especially if your income is not consistent and you may have the ability to pay off large chunks of your mortgage at a time or you have a tendency to change banks every two or three years. There may also be ‘interest rate shock’ if interest rates have gone up during the fixed period and you have not amended your budget to accommodate the higher costs once the fixed rate expires.

Competition is not only limited to consumer lending; loans to the business sectors, especially the building industry have skyrocketed. Banks are offering rock bottom rates, waived fees and have eased their lending policies to levels not seen since before the Global Financial Crisis in 2008.

‘MEMBERS SHOULD TAKE THIS WINDOW

OF OPPORTUNITY TO RESTRUCTURE THEIR PERSONAL AND BUSINESS

LOANS NOW THAT IT’S RELATIVELY

EASY, BEFORE THE NEXT ROUND OF TIGHTENING OF

CREDIT OCCURS.’The self-employed have access to loans which allow them to consolidate business debt into residential interest rates, borrow

on low doc terms, finance developments and projects without pre sales and even at near residential interest rates. Non-bank lenders are also trying to retain and obtain market share as the banks are pushing more into their traditional domains. They have done this by dropping their interest rates and making their lending policies more lenient.

The problem most people face is knowing at which stage of the lending cycle banks and lenders are at, and therefore knowing the best time to borrow or restructure their affairs. The answer is very simple; consult with your advisers and ask your broker who should be qualified, knowledgeable, experienced and well connected within your industry. Never go directly to the bank, never use a broker who does not specialise in your industry and always have your advisers separate, not referred from each other.

For more information please contact Master Builders Financial Services on (03) 9411 4555.

Disclaimer: This information is general in nature and not to be considered as specific advice.

Chocolate Money t/a Master Builders Financial Services / Australian Credit License 387277

The Victorian Bushfire Information Line (VBIL) is a toll free service

that Victorian residents can call for information about fire safety.

During the bushfire season, it is an important source of information

about what to do before, during and after a bushfire. However, fire

safety is important all year round, with more than 3,500 preventable

home fires occurring in Victoria in 2013. Of these fires:

Nearly 700 were caused by unattended cooking

• 43 by faulty dishwashers

• 66 by poorly maintained washers and dryers

• Over 40 by unsupervised children

• 159 fires were caused by poorly maintained chimneys

• Personal computers started 11 fires

• Inappropriately used heaters caused 340 fires

• 188 fires were associated with smoking

• 64 fires were associated with candles and oil burners

• 61 fires were caused by unattended appliances

Source: CFA and MFB statistics January to December 2013

The Victorian Bushfire Information Line can assist with fire safety-related

queries about land use planning, compressed mineral insulation, sub-division

requirements, fire equipment maintenance as well as home fire safety and house

fire prevention.

Key the VBIL number into your phone and be prepared. To order a free VBIL

wallet card, VBIL fridge magnet or other fire safety publications, please contact

VBIL on 1800 240 667 or visit the CFA website www.cfa.vic.gov.au.

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REGIONAL ROUND UP

BENDIGO

Andrew Cockerell from the City of Greater Bendigo spoke at the recent Bendigo Section Meeting, discussing the council’s residential strategy for the future. By 2031 the population is expected to soar to more than 145,000 (as at the last Census in 2011 population was 100,617). This growth, of course, ensures the future of the building industry in the Bendigo region, pumping millions of dollars into the community for some time to come.

Although new dwellings were down 100 in the 2012/13 year compared to the 2011/12 financial year it is expected the 2013/14 year will have returned another increase on previous years. Two key areas of the residential strategy are to promote existing residential zones and develop inner city living.

The next section meeting will be held on at 7pm on 17 September at The Bridge Bar and Restaurant, 49 Bridge Street, Bendigo. Come along and bring a friend. The evening is relaxed and discusses relevant topics. For more information, contact the Bendigo Office on (03) 5410 2100.

Fun fact: Residents and visitors often ask: “How did Jackass Flat get that name?” Well, a few decades ago the laughing jackass (kookaburra) lived out there; simple really.

GEELONG

The Geelong Section Annual General Meeting will be held on 23 September at the Grovedale Hotel. All members are welcomed to attend with the opportunity to become part of the Section Committee. Look out for your invitation on your email.

A $500 voucher offered by MBA Building Services Geelong is still up for grabs, so come along to the next meeting to have your chance to win.

It is likely that the next Section Meeting will be held in November as a breakfast meeting to help accommodate members who are unavailable to attend evening meetings. Look out for details of this event in your inbox.

Membership Manager Dom Butera attended the July Section Meeting where he provided an update on the Building Legislation Amendment Bill 2014 and how it could impact the Building Industry. We are awaiting further information as the bill is yet to be debated in parliament.

The Geelong Office will be providing all members two free Building Specifications with any new Building Permit Application lodged for a new dwelling in October.

For more information, contact the Geelong Office on (03) 5278 4255.

GIPPSLANDDue to concerns raised by many Gippsland members regarding the significant reforms proposed by the Victoria Building Authority (VBA), the office staff decided to arrange a special information session in Gippsland on 2 July in Traralgon.

Policy and Communications Manager Tim Salathiel and Membership Manager Dom Butera presented the most up-to-date information available regarding these significant changes to a packed house.

Tim’s presentation was then relayed to Orbost, Lakes Entrance and Bairnsdale in East Gippsland in order to ensure that some of the more remote members got access to this valuable information.

BALLARAT

Kylie Campbell started as a Building Services Coordinator in the Ballarat Office on Monday, 7 July. We encourage you to come in and visit the office and introduce yourself to our newest staff member.

A range of current issues were discussed at the Ballarat Section Meeting on 25 June where Building Surveyor Wayne Cooper advised of the changes to the masonry and bricklaying requirements.

The City of Ballarat is currently undertaking checks on Hotels, Motels and Boarding Housing for compliance issues.

regulars Master Builder Victoria 57

WIMMERAOn Friday, July 18 the Wimmera Wanderers had their annual study trip to Melbourne.

The two sites members were lucky enough to visit were Westkon Precast’s Sunshine yard & Grocon/PCL’s Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC) Project. Both were very informative tours. Thanks to Andrew Spear from Westkon and Paul Dal Pra from Grocon.

Westkon Precast supplies innovative precast concrete structures and products across Victoria and adjacent states. Westkon provides a full range of services from design and buildability solutions, skilled drafting services, maximum production rates (via two high output precast yards), quality assurance procedures and erection crews to fast track projects.

The (VCCC) Project includes the development of a purpose-built facility in Parkville to support and enable integrated delivery of patient treatment and care, cancer research and education. The new facility will house the relocated Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. It will also provide cancer research and clinical care facilities for Melbourne Health and The University of Melbourne.

Once the site visits were completed some of the members enjoyed a rare Carlton Blues victory at Etihad Stadium. The next day a few got together to enjoy a day at Flemington Races.

Wimmera Wanderers: Members of the Wimmera region visit the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre work site.

WARRNAMBOOL

Building Surveyor Ian Welch and Building Inspector Graeme Schultz have been very busy carrying out building inspections and issuing building permits over the past few months. The team are available for all building services and stock stationery in the office at 110 Kepler Street, Warrnambool. Drop in or contact them on (03) 5822 4980.

SHEPPARTON

Congratulations to Building Inspector David Green on three years with Master Builders Shepparton. David started when the office first opened and has contributed greatly to the dramatic increase and popularity of members utilising Master Builders services.

The Shepparton Members’ Night was held on Wednesday, 16 July at the Sherbourne Terrace. Thanks to everyone that made the night fantastic for local members.

Familiar face: Shepparton Building Inspector David Green has been with Master Builders for three years.

REGIONAL ROUND UP

NORTH EAST & WEST

Congratulations to the winners of the North West Awards GJ Gardner Mildura Domestic Builder of the Year and Fairbrother Pty Ltd Commercial Builder of the Year.

The Murray Division Breakfast meeting held on 8 August was a great success with guest speakers; local member Bill Tilley MP, Master Builders OHS Manager John Darcy, Construction Code Compliance Unit (CCCU) Director Cathy Cato, and CCCU Assistant Director Jason Richardson. There was an excellent turnout of about 60 people which included members, guests and sponsors.

Upcoming events

North East • Tool and Trade Show: 2 September

at the Commercial Club in Albury. Features guest speakers and sponsors donating prizes for members on the night.

• Green Living Course: 16 to 17 October at Master Builders Wodonga Office (35 Hovell Street, Wodonga)

• Murray Division Golf Day: 19 September at Albury Commercial Club. Register your team early with a very imaginative name. Lots of prizes to win as well as the Golf Cup.

North West• North West Section Meeting & AGM:

16 September at the Hotel Mildura.

The Wodonga Office can do your Building Permits in both Victoria and New South Wales, Home Warranty Insurance and we also have stationery for both states.

To register for events or for more information in the North East and West, contact the Wodonga Office on (02) 6058 2000.

advertorial58 Master Builder Victoria

ADVERTORIAL

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Hickory knows bathrooms. As one of Australia’s largest multi-unit builders, we’ve built thousands of them, and know that the smallest room in the apartment often poses the largest risk to the construction process.

Our solution is Sync Building Systems, a technology to manufacture high quality, project specific, factory finished bathroom pods offsite that are simply installed and connected on arrival to site.

Sync Building Systems landed Hickory on the BRW Top 50 Most Innovative Companies List. Find out more about our innovative construction practices at hickory.com.au & syncbuildingsystems.com.au

Specialists from 12 trades. In Sync. Creating your bathrooms.

WHY GO PREFAB? On a multi-unit project the bathroom is the most critical area for both builder and developer, with up to a dozen trades all working on the smallest room of the building. The bathroom construction process can be clumsy, inefficient, and pose a high risk of exposure to quality inconsistencies, trade coordination issues, over expenditure, defects and delays. It is also the most waste intensive facet of the building process, impacting the ability of the construction to be environmentally sustainable.

A BETTER WAY TO BUILDHickory has developed the Sync Building System system as a flexible, high quality solution to optimise the design and construction process for bathrooms. Made by builders, for builders, Sync

offers rationalised design, improved project buildability, streamlined procurement and trade coordination and superior, consistent quality.

Commencing with a detailed collaborative design phase, 3D modeling enables greater visualization and rationalization of bathroom typologies, simplifying the process for client, architect, builder and manufacturer. In this phase services and wall details are finalized and a bill of materials is produced from the model that feeds into procurement – enabling accurate ordering of materials upfront.

HIGH-RISE CONSTRUCTION ADVANTAGES Hickory know first hand the benefit of using offsite construction to fast-track

apartment projects. They’re using Sync on 568 Collins Street, vastly improving safety and trade coordination across the 245 metre tower project.

NOT JUST APARTMENTS Hickory has also supplied Brookfield Multiplex with 245 Sync pods for the new 307 bed St John of God Midland Hospital in Western Australia. Featuring several different design typologies, the Midland Hospital pods met the project requirements of a consistent product that is also fit for purpose, and the Sync system allowed bathrooms to be customised for specific areas such as assisted living, aged care and mental health, where both patients and staff have particular needs.

regulars Master Builder Victoria 59MEET THE STAFF

How long have you been with Master Builders? Six weeks (at time of writing).

What does your job entail? Customer service, administration and processing building applications.

What’s one thing members may not know about your department? We have technical resources available in our office to assist members and each of our building services specialists are registered practitioners.

How do you help Master Builders members? By providing friendly, prompt, timely and efficient service and information to the best of my ability.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job? Building working relationships with the members, and assisting them on a daily basis.

What’s the most challenging part of your job? Being only in the role for 6 weeks there are many challenging parts. I’m still learning so much about Master Builders, the business and my role which I am slowly conquering.

What do you enjoy most about working for Master Builders? The friendly bunch of people I work with, we have a small team of five here in the Ballarat office. Since I started with Master Builders everyone has been extremely helpful and friendly.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time? Spending time with family and friends.

Tell us one interesting or surprising fact about yourself? My partner races rally cars, and I’m about to compete in my first and last rally at the end of the month. I hopefully won’t damage the car too much!

How long have you been with Master Builders?Two years.

What does your job entail? I work in Master Builders Assist which is the first point of contact for members. We provide solutions to our customers needs, or direct them to the appropriate expert. We build relationships with our members, using the knowledge gained about the many products and services that our organisation offers. We can assist with workshop, events and training bookings.

What’s one thing members may not know about your department? Master Builders Assist in on the ground floor of the East Melbourne office and we are able to assist 80 per cent of members without transferring them to a different department.

How do you help Master Builders members? Other than taking calls and helping with enquiries, I organise customised signs and merchandise that can be purchased by members at our shop. We can also organise site wraps, banners and customised signage for your car, so please contact me if you would like to stand out from the pack!

What’s the most rewarding part of your job? Providing a high level of customer service to our members

What’s the most challenging part of your job? The fact that many members are not aware that we are not a ordinary call centre, we can assist on a variety of enquiries and if we are unable to assist we are trained to know who is the right person in the correct department.

What do you enjoy most about working for Master Builders? Working with a fantastic group of people. I also like organising events for staff that raise much needed funds for charity. An event we are currently organising is the Warrior Challenge which raises funds for Camp Quality.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time? Training for my next adventure. Recently I have been trapezing, white water rafting, high ropes course, wind surfing and have become obsessed with obstacle races.

Tell us one interesting or surprising fact about yourself? Last year I travelled to Bali for a week-long boot camp! It was tough, but very rewarding and I met some very amazing people I now consider great friends.

Name: Victoria Giddens

Position:Customer Services Officer

Location:East Melbourne

Name: Kylie Campbell

Position: Building Services Co-ordinator

Location: Ballarat


If you have any photos you’d like to submit for the Social Pages, please email them to [email protected] naming who is in the photo and where it was taken. Likewise, please contact us on (03) 9411 4555 or visit www.mbav.com.au if you’d like to know what events are happening in your area.

social pages

MASTER BUILDERS STAFF AND MEMBERS HAVE BEEN BUSY NETWORKING, LEARNING AND ENJOYING THEMSELVES AT A RANGE OF EVENTS INCLUDING THE REGIONAL BUILDING AWARDS AND EXCELLENCE IN CONSTRUCTION AWARDS. HERE ARE SOME PICTURES FROM THOSE EVENTS.

Bottoms up: Guests catching up at the

Excellence in Construction Awards.

Congratulations all: The winners of the South West Regional Building Awards.

All smiles: Sharing a drink at the South West Regional Building Awards.

Top builders: Congratulations to the winners

of the South East Regional Building Awards.

South Westers: Guests enjoying the South West Regional Building Awards.

Glamour couple: Rod and

Paulette Ware on the blue

carpet at the 2014 Excellence

in Construction Awards.

Sponsors table: The team at MC Labour at the Excellence in Construction Awards.

Happy host: Actor Stephen Curry hosting

the Excellence in Construction Awards.

Brilliant entertainment: Scott and Amanda

Solimo entertain guests at the North East

Regional Building Awards.Shining bright: Tom and Jodie Basel at the 2014 Excellence in Construction Awards.

Hosting mic: Comedian Dave O’Neil hosting the Regional Building Awards.

Party time: The

Chloe Maggs Band

at the Excellence in

Construction Awards.

Lotsa laughs: Tony Bugeja, Tony Biffaro

and Marc Lyons enjoy the show.

Grinning winners: The North West Regional Building Awards winners.

Dancefloor style: Fun times on the Palladium dancefloor. Awards.

Winners group: Celebrating their wins at the North East Regional Building Awards.

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METROPOLITAN MEMBER PROFILE

Lylex Constructions• Specialists in the installation of external façades and louvers• Based in North Melbourne• Member since 2010

Lylex Constructions is a Melbourne based company boasting more than 50 employees who are professionals in the field of curtain wall installation, façade and cladding installation projects in the construction industry.Lylex Constructions is capable of installing various façade systems including:

• Curtain wall systems;• Architectural cladding and composite

panels;• Alucobond;• Aluminium windows and doors;• Louvres and privacy screens;• Frameless glass assemblies; • Glass balustrades; and,• Atrium glass.

Lylex has developed strategic alliances with a number of business partners, utilising an expert team of estimators, contract administrators, engineers, project managers and a qualified workforce, to price, tender and oversee any project schedule.

Supported by AS/NZS 4801, ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 accreditations, Lylex Constructions ensures all trades under its control work to a standard acceptable under Australian Standards and Legislation.

Lylex Constructions has been a member since 2010 and values the continued support of Master Builders, who have been a constant support to the business over the years. Master Builders’ personal approach and dedicated team, gives Lylex daily advice and confidence in business operations.

Fantastic façade: Some of Lylex Constructions’ work at ‘50 Albert’ in South Melbourne.

Beautiful building: The Deakin University project is another example of quality Lylex work.

membership Master Builder Victoria 63

Graphic art: Some of the internal artwork in the new home.

New home: The Cheney’s new home.

Fire coming: The fire coming over the ranges.

REGIONAL MEMBER PROFILE

Cheney Building Services• Member for 10 years.• Housing member.• Based in Gippsland.

As part of The Black Saturday fires, the 36,000-hectare Churchill fire destroyed 156 homes on February 7, 2009. The material heart of Callignee (near Traralgon South) was reduced to rubble and twisted rooftops. The small township of 500 people lost 80 per cent of its houses during the fire, leaving valleys darkened and hills scorched.

One of the burnt homes in the neighbouring hamlet of Koornalla, belonged to Master Builders members Shayne and Megan Cheney.

Megan and Shayne have been members for 10 years and have worked very hard establishing Cheney Building Services as a high quality Gippsland building firm.

The Black Saturday Fires had a devastating impacted on many people. Shayne and Megan were lucky to survive that terrible day and only just escaped the flames by minutes, but they did lose their dream home. As shown in the photos the only thing left on their property was the lovely little cubbyhouse.

They recalled hearing horrible screeching noises on Saturday as people fled Callignee in cars, as the rubber tyres on some vehicles had melted. Shayne said the road from Callignee late on Saturday as the fire-front closed in was “as busy as Bourke Street.”

Life can throw many obstacles that can test the strongest of us.

Five years on from that dark day Shayne and Megan have shown true grit and determination and have rebuilt a wonderful new home at the site in Koornalla.

The home is thermally efficient, utilising as many fire retardant products as suitable. With geothermal heating and capturing ample solar energy in winter it

holds constant warmth throughout, while utilising natural cross-ventilated cooling in Summer. With a high quality unique fit out of varied textured materials, Shayne and Megan have created a well deserved, comfortable home to relax with their three daughters.

It is a testament to the spirit of country people that live in and for their community.

We wish Megan, Shayne and their children all the best as they settle into their new home. They are proud Master Builders members and we are proud to have them as part of our association.

Smiling now: Megan and Shane Cheney with their children.

The Melbourne Cup is not the only important event happening in early November. Over the Melbourne Cup long weekend, Incolink will be changing over to a new

contributions processing and account management system that will mean most of Incolink’s business transactions with employers will occur online.

What will the new system mean to employers?

• Upgraded online return processing will allow employers to process their returns online, 24/7.

• Automatic calculation of payment liability based on data entered.

• The ability to register and terminate workers online.

• Employers can get electronic reminders when payments are about to become overdue.

• No more sending paperwork to Incolink, meaning monthly returns will be processed more efficiently.

• New employers will be able to apply for registration online.

• Improved electronic access for workers including the introduction of online claims processing.

• Improved two way communications through the use of electronic communication methods.

• Removal of the option to pay by EFT with BPay being the preferred method.

Incolink will be holding information sessions for employers closer to the time and providing employers with online demonstrations and assistance in adapting to the new processes.

www.incolink.org.au

RYLOCK ENERGY EFFICIENT WINDOWS: FRAME CONDUCTIVITY

Frame conductivity determines how quickly heat

energy flows from ‘where it’s hot to where it’s not’.

Consequently, lower frame conductivity means that the

inside of the building is better insulated from the outside.

This is measured in the window industry with a U-value,

where a lower figure indicates superior performance.

Rylock product series’ use different techniques to

produce low U-values. The AA Series of double glazed

aluminium products shield part of the frame with an

inline hardwood reveal. This reduces the projected frame

dimension, which determines how much conductive

material is exposed to heat energy. TB Series products

are thermally broken, featuring a polyamide insulator

between inner and outer faces for the lowest aluminium

window conductivity.

Master Builders can now save 3.5¢ p/ltr off unleaded fuel and 4¢ p/ltr

off diesel fuel with their Caltex StarCard.

EVEN BIGGER BANG FOR BUCK

WITH YOUR CALTEX STARCARD

Apply today, call (03) 9411 4555 or visit www.mbav.com.au

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GET AN ONGOING DISCOUNT ON CORPORATE HEALTH COVER.Medibank has partnered with Master Builders Association of Victoria to offer you great value on your health cover.At Medibank, our range of Corporate health covers give you the option of selecting from packages designed to suit your needs.

Plus, you benefit from an ongoing 8.3% corporate discount, which is like getting 1 month of cover free each year.*

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Your MBAV preferred travel agent:

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*Travel agent’ service fees and credit card fees may apply. Conditions apply. Prices are per person on twin share (and include savings). Prices and information are correct at time of issue and subject to availability and change at time of booking. Prices may fluctuate due to changes in charges, taxes and currency. Prices do not include taxes or charges collected directly by third parties. Conditions appl. See in store for details.

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• Share call and data allowances across your account

• Two month ‘port-in’ credit for switching providers

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membership Master Builder Victoria 69MEMBER MILESTONES

10 YEAR CERTIFICATEAdept Building & Construction Pty LtdAutomatic GatesB G McNamaraB K Blake Construction Pty LtdB SprouleBaran Carpentry & ConstructionBosco Jonson Connect Pty LtdBrenadine Pty LtdByde Constructions Pty LtdChatelaine OriginalsCheney Building Services Pty LtdCJS ConstructionsComplete Pool ServiceDick Reynolds Building Pty LtdFadi ConstructionGenjusho Building - DesignGeorge Reid Pty LtdGlobal Development ConsortiumKemellie’s Pty LtdKensue Investments Pty LtdNational Gallery of VictoriaOtter Fencing Pty LtdPaul Connell Building ServicesR J B DevelopmentsRESWRXRobert Mann Pty LtdS & B ShopfittingsSeaview Constructions & DesignSmarter BathroomsT.M. Developments Pty LtdTrevor Homes (Vic) Pty LtdUrban-Care (Aust) Pty LtdThe Sovereign Hill Museums AssociationU Need A Fence Pty LtdWorkplace Access & Safety Pty Ltd

15 YEAR CERTIFICATEB & B RobertsBruno Engineering Pty LtdBrunton Engineering & Construction Pty LtdC & K Developments Pty LtdCasello Pty LtdCornel SaboD.N. HanilyM & S Carpentry & Constructions Pty LtdMark HowardT & L BraggionVinmar Homes

20 YEAR CERTIFICATEArtak IndustriesByrne Construction Systems Pty LtdGravina ConstructionsHenley PropertiesIsis Group Australia Pty LtdJaycan Developments Pty LtdKrueger Shopfitters Pty LtdMaster MendersNascon Investments P/LSlattery & Acquroff Staircases

25 YEAR CERTIFICATEC & M AlessiDavid Greig Constructions Pty LtdEnglehart HomesJ N & T R GoeganPerry ConstructionPeter W McLennanRavcon Pty LtdRyandale Constructions Pty Ltd

30 YEAR PLAQUEAyjay ConstructionsC D C Display HomesI & J DarlingJandev Constructions Pty LtdLes & Nev Hutchings Pty LtdOverend Constructions Pty Ltd

40 YEAR PLAQUEEdmanson ConstructionsP R Jarvis Pty LtdTotal Consulting & Development Pty LtdVibro-Pile (Aust) Pty Ltd

50 YEAR PLAQUEKoorool Constructions Pty Ltd

70 YEAR PLAQUES J Weir (Ballarat) Pty LtdWeir Constructions Pty Limited

MEMBER MILESTONESMASTER BUILDERS VALUES LOYALTY TO OUR ASSOCIATION AND AWARDS

CERTIFICATES TO MEMBERS AT MILESTONES OF 10, 15, 20 AND 25 YEARS, AND PLAQUES AT 30, 40 AND 50 YEARS OF CONTINUOUS MEMBERSHIP.

We would now like to recognise and thank the following members who have achieved these milestones between 5 June and 1 August 2014.

We appreciate that many members have continuous years of service that fall between these milestones and hope that you understand that we award certificates and plaques only for the milestones mentioned. If you are a long term member we thank you for your commitment and look forward to recognising your loyalty when you receive your next milestone certificate or plaque.


NEW MEMBERS

WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST MEMBERSMASTER BUILDERS IS PLEASED TO WELCOME THE FOLLOWING NEW MEMBERS WHO

JOINED THE ASSOCIATION IN JUNE & JULY 2014.

CONGRATULATIONS FOR JOINING THE MASTER BUILDERS ASSOCIATION OF VICTORIA.

ASSOCIATEDial Before You Dig Vic/Tas Inc

GENERAL CONTRACTORBuiltec Builders Pty LtdFNG Group Pty LtdH Daniel ConstructionsKingdom Constructions Group Pty LtdMRC ConstructionsVictorian Extension Design Pty LtdZerella Developments Pty Ltd

GENERAL CONTRACTOR PROVISIONALJocar Group Pty LtdMark De FazioTy-Con Group Pty Ltd

HOUSINGB P & A MooreBrock Prime BuildersC B Watt DevelopmentsCassilis Constructions Pty LtdCoastline Construction and DesignDavis Sanders Homes Pty LtdDeluxe CarpentryG J Gardner Homes - AlburyGreen Ridge HomesIMelbourne BuildersM & V IgnjaticMagnus Construction Pty LtdOregon Bay ConstructionPYP Constructions Pty LtdRamsay Builders Pty LtdReece WhitakerSafe Homes ConstructionsSouthern Alps Constructions Pty LtdThe Art of BathroomsTridan Construction Pty LtdVonier Rowan Constructions Pty LtdW R Halbish Builders Pty Ltd

HOUSING PROVISIONAL4 Brothers Construction (Aust)Abdul MohammadAdam HooperAdrian Bota

Alastair HamerAlastair SideyAlex BarnettAll Seasons Property Maintenance VicAndrew GuglielminoAnthony JohnsonAquilatexAragon Property ServicesAtkinson Electrical ServicesB KleinigBDC LandscapingBede TuohyBianca LucantonioBraetex Electrical Contractors Pty LtdBrenton HoffmanBrilliant Building ConceptsButtigieg Carpentry SolutionsC & T RenderingCalcon Building Solutions Pty LtdChris WrattenChrystal HiliCrescive Group Pty LtdDarmos Building ServicesDavid SearsDavid StoneDeayaz ConstructionsDue North Building & Construction Pty LtdEastmont Building ServicesGary WaliaGemyma Six Pty LtdGeocom Connections (Vic) Pty LtdGiuliano LeopoldoGlen James StevensonGuy Cooper-MeallHamish FlettHenry CecchinHenry LinHong Din KohImage Creation Builders Pty LtdJacob HinkleyJamie GrenfellJanusz PoltoranosJess SmithJing HanJJ Lapin Building & ConstructionJohn Jones CarpentryJohn RiggJohn ZaiaJosh ChalmersJTScott HomesKieren GrayLamassu Consulting

Lin Tiger Plastering Pty LtdLive Urban HomesLogic Building Services Pty LtdM.G.K Design and Constructions Pty LtdMatt CoyneMatthew CoomansMatthew IversMichael DomajnkoMichael ScanlanMilos BukvaMohammad MashalNeil Jnr MerolaNiche Building Concepts Pty LtdNicholas GarvanNick RogersPatrick WardPedram AssadianPerfect World ConstructionsPhillip HendriksenPlaster BrothersPowis Enterprises Pty LtdPro-Active PlumbingProliv DevelopmentsPT CarpentryRedwan Investments Pty LtdRipe DevelopmentsRoBuild ConstructionsRuchira WithanaRyan VelliosSajmir BellaScott BarkleyScott LawryShannon AndersonSimon EllisonSnijders Group Pty LtdSnow White Painting & DecoratingStephen GowSteve TaboneTan NguyenThomas FlackThomas PrinceThomas VleugelTim GardenTKC Construction Pty LtdTrade Meister Pty LtdVictoria Engineering & Constructions Pty LtdWelland Hawthorn East Pty Ltd

HOUSING SUB-CONTRACTORAbrams Projects Pty LtdAD & CE McCormack Builder

membership Master Builder Victoria 71NEW MEMBERS

Anderson’s Building Maintenance Pty LtdBigL Pty LtdBlue Hills LandscapeBRS LandscapeC.I.N Commercial Excavations Pty LtdCameron BeattieChecka ElectricsChenhall Building ServicesCocoon InsulationDale Necks GenerationDarren RogersDibera ConstructionsDMT ConstructionsGarden Planner’s Landscaping Pty LtdGR8 Walls of MelbourneIluka Landscape Developments Pty LtdInside Out Reno’sJims Fencing (Deer Park)Jims Fencing Cheltenham NorthJohn WajdaJones LandscapesLeprechaun LandscapesLivdesignsLucas House & GardenManaged to Perfection Construction & MaintenanceMark Gabell & AssociatesMelbourne Landscape CoMelbourne Property Rescue Pty Ltd

Monsoon Landscapes Pty LtdNature’s Best Landscapes Pty LtdPave ‘N’ Scape Pty LtdRoss U DesignRussell TilleySteven Weber LandscapesSupreme Green Pty LtdTAR BathroomsThomas HeppUrban LandartWhite Houses and Carpentry

MASTER TRADESMANBrett TayCoolabah Landscapes Pty Ltd

MATERIALS, MANUFACTURE & SUPPLYAgnews Pty LtdSchneider Electric (Aust) Pty Ltd

SPECIALIST CONTRACTORAnza Carpentry Pty LtdAuscon Constructions Pty LtdBA Construction Industries Pty Ltd

Brian CainCarnell Group Pty LtdCMM Group Pty LtdFu ChenGuest Building GroupJP Melbourne Tiling Group Pty LtdLuckman AssociatesMcCormack Construction ServicesMitchell GarveyNabil BotrosPei Zhen ZhengPresto Plumbing & Gasfitting Pty LtdPWT Demolitions Pty LtdRAN Interiors Pty Ltd

STUDENTBrendan CookJohn GouldJordan StepanoskiLewis WrightMatthew RoperMitchell CoyRiley BaxterTim Lockhart

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general features Master Builder Victoria 73TIMBER

add to your living spaceDuring summer, many take the opportunity to work outside and David Hayward, ATFA Technical Manager, will provide us with some useful tips regarding the construction of timber decks. He also refers to a new

publication soon to be released by ATFA that will be available to ATFA members and will provide the latest comprehensive guide on constructing domestic timber decks.

general features74 Master Builder Victoria

TIMBER

In most places throughout Australia, many have seen the benefits of adding a timber deck to enhance their living experience and to add value to their property. Decks may be used for verandah flooring, to connect outdoor living areas with internal or to provide an area to relax on a hot summer’s day by the pool. But in order to get the most from your deck there are few aspects to note that can really benefit the performance. It is these aspects that will be discussed.

The success of a timber deck relies on knowing the characteristics of the products you are using, assessing the installation environment and then constructing the deck accordingly.

So firstly we need to have an understanding of timber durability because unless the timbers we use are durable they will be prone to premature decay or attack by termites. Beneath the bark of a tree is the ‘growing’ timber called the sapwood and beneath this is the heartwood. The heartwood of many hardwoods (broad leaf trees) is durable for use outside and with some species the heartwood may be used in-ground. However, all sapwood, whether it’s hardwoods or softwoods (pine trees), is not durable for use outside. All sapwood, regardless of the species, needs to be treated with preservatives so it is suitable for use outside. What is important to understand is that the right timber species and the right treatment level creates timber that can last in excess of 50 years, when used in weather exposed decks.

A common question that is asked relates to the stability of timber decking boards. Stability refers to timbers resistance

to shrinkage, swelling, twist, surface splits and cupping. Not all timbers are equal when it comes to this and some timbers will be more stable than others. But it is also fair to say that no timber species has what would be regarded as perfect properties. Kwila or Merbau is regarded as being a very stable decking timber but is also high in tannins that will bleed from the timber with rain wetting for a period after installation. There are also many Australian species that make fantastic decking, Coastal Ironbark and Spotted Gum to name a few. These tend to have fewer bleeding problems than the imported tropical hardwoods. But when considering any decking, stability can also be enhanced by ensuring that the decking is manufactured to the correct moisture content range (10 per cent to 15 per cent is recommended) and also that correctly sized board fixings are used. So it is important to also consider these aspects and discuss them with suppliers.

Just as important as the timber used are the fixings and this brings us on to the second step on assessing the installation environment. The external environment in Australia can only be described as very harsh with many localities experiencing hot, dry summers and wet, cold winters. It must also be considered that coastal environments and salt chlorinated pools will add to these harsh conditions. It is for this reason that fixings for decking and a deck framing are hot dipped galvanised as a minimum and often stainless steel or fixings with specialised coatings are required. The treatment used in timber is also corrosive and this is another reason for the need to have highly durable fixing. Some decks use secret

general features Master Builder Victoria 75

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fixing systems and with these a combination of plastic, hot dipped galvanised and stainless steel is available. Mechanically galvanised fixings are simply not suitable for any external deck.

One area where problems are more frequent is with decks that are close to the ground. With such decks, good drainage beneath and provision for ventilation are a must. Framing timbers needs to be of higher durability than elevated decks and the use of wide decking boards increases the risk of performance issues. Wide decking boards can reduce the available ventilation through the deck and with conditions often moister beneath the deck, these boards are also prone to greater cupping. As such we would recommend that with these decks, board width should be restricted to 90mm and more stable decking timbers used.

This brings us on to the third step contributing to a successful deck and that is the general construction, which needs to be based on choosing the correct materials for the type of deck and the environment where the deck will be built. With construction, there are many aspects that need to be considered from building approval, footings, framing timber sizes, termite protection, the need to consider handrails, coatings and the list goes on. It is with

these aspects that the soon to be released ATFA guidelines for timber decks will provide invaluable assistance. The guidelines are comprehensive, explaining in detail the areas touched on above, as well as providing practical assistance in choosing the right timber sizes and fixings for a successful installation. So with this guide you have the opportunity to provide decks that will perform over the long term and information to assists owners to keep their decks in good condition.

It is important to realise that if things are done right they become an asset and that there is often little difference in cost and time in doing a job correctly. It is disappointing to see decks that experience ongoing problems simply because the basics were not adhered to and corners were cut. So what you need to take away from this is a simple three step process of knowing the characteristics of the products you are using, assessing the installation environment and then constructing the deck accordingly. If you are interested in knowing more about decks, then keep an eye out for ATFA’s most recent publication on timber decks, soon to be released.

ATFA can be contacted via their website www.atfa.com.au, by phone 1300 36 1693, or email [email protected]


CLIMATE CONTROL

One of the few times the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refriguration (HVAC&R) industry has the opportunity to represent itself to the general public is during residential installations.

Sure, commercial HVAC&R is everywhere but how often have you told someone what you do for a living, only for them to greet you with a quizzical look – as if they’ve never given a moment’s thought as to how or why they remain comfortable at work even when it’s 40°C in the shade outside.

So when invited into residential homes to install an air conditioning or heating system, you should be telling your story – the industry’s story.

But, in many instances, it’s an opportunity that goes begging.

Of course, residential installation jobs provide the opportunity for you to explain why a set point range

of 21°C–24°C will provide for ideal comfort conditions, or why ugly return ducts can’t be located out of sight. But most importantly perhaps, they provide the opportunity to set the end-user’s expectations of the service and the performance of the equipment installed. Failing to accurately set these expectations will only lead to problems down the track.

“As HVAC&R designers and installers, we should tell our story better,” says Obrart, who, despite being a consulting engineer now, has in the past spent 30 years running an air conditioning contracting business.

“We should explain what we provide, what we don’t provide, and under what conditions and limitations this performance can be expected – for example, shades down, windows closed, and controls operated correctly.”

To help those in the residential air conditioning sector tell their story better,

and in so doing avoid many of the pitfalls that come from residential installations, Obrart shares his “dirty dozen” common residential offences.

And if you take just one thing away from Obrart’s shared wisdom, it’s that there can never be too much communication between yourself and the customer.

The dirty dozen common residential offences:1. The supermarket theoryThe problem “Why can’t it be 16°C like the supermarket freezer aisle?”The fix Set realistic expectations for your customer and refer them to the industry comfort standards. AIRAH’s DA-9 manual recommends comfort all year round at between 21°C and 24°C.

2. Control the locationThe problem “I’d like the temperature sensor placed up at the back of the cupboard.”

SETTING REASONABLE CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS – OR RATHER NOT SETTING THEM – APPEARS TO BE BEHIND MANY OF THE COMMON

PROBLEMS IN RESIDENTIAL AIR CONDITIONING. ALAN OBRART, M.AIRAH, DIRECTOR OF OBRART & CO. SHARES HIS “DIRTY DOZEN”

MISTAKES WITH HVAC&R NATION’S SEAN MCGOWAN.

Alan Obrart

general features Master Builder Victoria 77CLIMATE CONTROL

The Fix Locate the temperature sensor as recommended by the manufacturer (approximately 1600mm above floor level) in the zone or room in which you want to control the temperature, with free air movement available over the sensor.

Where a suitable wall location is not available, return-air sensors may be located in a high ceiling location, provided set point adjustment is made to account for the warmer air in this region compared to the zone air.

3. GrillesThe problem “Those grilles are too big/ugly/the wrong colour, and there’s too many.”The fix Take the initiative and show the customer a range of grille designs and colours. Explain their purpose and how they spread the conditioned air evenly without creating draughts or too much noise.

Then explain that where multiple grilles are required, they can’t always be placed where the customer wishes due to roof or floor trusses and structures.

4. Too much interior noiseThe problem “You said it would be whisper quiet – like the ad!”The fix Good equipment that is well installed shouldn’t cause a noise nuisance to living standards. But the customer needs to know that there will be some noise – there has to be, unless they are paying for a recording studio or concert hall installation!

You can quote dBA figures but they probably won’t understand. So, if required, invite the customer to another installation to hear the system operating. And for technical reference, see AS/NZS 2107 for recommended sound levels for residential interiors.

5. Too much exterior noiseThe problem “If it’s the best equipment available, why are the neighbours complaining?”The fix Find out and know what the local council noise criteria are. It may be that they are lower than the noise generated by your equipment, and that acoustic treatment is required.

Alternatively, clearly indicate to the customer that you have not guaranteed compliance with the council’s noise criteria and if there is a problem with the neighbours, the customer should call in the expertise of an acoustic engineer. To this end, it is prudent to provide space around your installation for silencers and baffles, which facilitate the manufacturer’s condenser air quality and sufficient maintenance space.

6. Who is responsible for council compliance?The problem “You installed it, so it’s your responsibility.”The fix This is a national issue, with varying requirements for each council in each state and territory. Unless you work in the

same council area all the time, it’s unlikely you will know the specific requirements of each. So don’t avoid this conversation with the customer, or architect/builder.

For renovations, make it clear that unless you see the council documentation relevant to the site, you may not know that the council doesn’t allow equipment in the location you have in mind (or what other conditions may apply to the installation).

If it’s a new build, then the whole project needs to be approved by the council. Because many air-cooled condensers exceed the boundary noise level, early intervention of proposed installation sites or positions will avoid problems down the track.

Once again, consult a qualified acoustic engineer.

7. Rattle and humThe problem “When I turn it on, it sounds like the house is about to fall down.”The fix Saddle and clip pipes and conduits firmly to non-vibrating, solid structures using quality AV restraints – not to lightweight structures or walls, which rattle and drum.

For exterior installations, ensure you use UV covers for external refrigeration insulation and non-corroding materials, and that equipment covers are screwed, clipped, or bolted in position as the manufacturer intended.

Not doing it properly may result in that warranty meaning nothing in a few years time.

8. Bouncing condensersThe problem “Why has the condenser moved?”The fix Look at what the condenser is standing on and how it is restrained. Have anti-vibration rubbers been fitted to its feet? Are the casing and pipes properly fixed?

Despite the inherent noise of the condenser, anti-vibration rubbers fitted to the condenser’s feet helps avoid


rattles and the unit rusting out. Keep the unit clear of the ground, leaving 50–100mm clear to stop rubbish and leaves from building up.

9. You call this cooling?The problem “My air conditioning isn’t working. What are you going to do?”The fix This may be unpopular, but in my experience it pays in the long run – both for ensuring customer satisfaction and to control your risk – to pay the money and have the manufacturer’s service department visit the site to check the unit upon installation.

Their report and sign-off ensures that in the event of complaint during a long warranty period, you are covered. The alternative, of course, is to seek expensive parts under warranty, only for the manufacturer to claim the unit wasn’t properly installed. This is particularly pertinent for expensive VRV and VRF installations.

10. Mind the gapThe problem “We can’t access the bloody thing!”The fix Make sure any service technician, and particularly those from the manufacturer, can reach the gear. Read their service requirements and follow it to the letter – otherwise they may not respond to warranty service calls, claiming OH&S access issues. This particularly applies to crawl space and high-level platforms.

11. Twilight zoningThe problem “It’s not cool enough/warm enough.”The fix When measuring the cooling/heat load of a home, consider whether you are implementing a zoned system to either condition just the living area or the bedrooms – or both.

Say you need 14kW cooling capacity – don’t just halve it for a zoned system. Unless the bedroom doors are all kept closed, the cooling capacity will be significantly greater due to the central return-air grille picking up heat from other non-air conditioned zones.

Open-plan home designs only exacerbate this problem further. Don’t undersize it.

12. Complicated controlsThe problem “How did you wire in these controls?”The fix Controls are becoming increasingly sophisticated, even for residential installations, and must be wired to specification. Read the manufacturer’s requirements, and follow them to the letter, or you might face an expensive rewiring exercise when those costly controls don’t perform as they should.

This article was published in HVAC&R Nation, May 2014. Reprinted by permission. Copyright remains with AIRAH, and the article may not be reproduced without the express permission of AIRAH.

Visit www.airah.org.au.

CLIMATE CONTROL

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BUILDING SOFTWARE

The Australian construction industry is a competitive one - costs are high, margins are often low, and winning work is not always a simple task. For these reasons, it is important for Australian construction companies to remain competitive, and one such tool to aid this road to success is the effective use of a CRM – Customer Relationship Management strategy and software.

The value and benefit of CRM as a strategy is to improve your overall customer service and to increase your business revenue through customer satisfaction and the ability to effectively mange your customer acquisition and retention.

The reasons your construction company should look at implementing a CRM include:• To generate more repeat business• To win more contracts• To increase the value of your company• To reduce the impact of key people

leaving your business

As a system, Customer Relationship Management software should empower your business to understand, manage and organise your customer data and allow for the effective and systematic recording of contact information and contact interactions.

In the case of a construction company, an effective CRM will usually be built in to your existing ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software system. The beauty of an integrated CRM solution is that the information stored against the contact can become part of a project or job specification and be directly incorporated into your financial software as a single solution without any duplication.

For example, say you have tendered for a project; every written correspondence with that company, including notes of verbal conversations, should be stored against the company record, in addition to a schedule of actions and follow-up dates that either party has committed to throughout the life of the project and after project completion. Associated documents should be easily and conveniently attached to the record cards forming a “document history” and finally, when further work opportunities become available, you will have all the activity and project history, company contacts, supplier history and financial detail available at your fingertips.

The BENEFITS of using CRM for construction companies

What is a CRMCRM enables a business to learn more about customers’ needs and behaviours to develop stronger relationships and understand what it takes for your company to meet those needs consistently, and with integrity.

CRM benefits both the customer and the business via improved sales, higher

customer confidence and satisfaction and

a more effective work environment.

general features Master Builder Victoria 81

Generate more repeat businessIf you ask almost any successful construction company why they do so well, they will tell you it is because of the relationships they have built within the industry. Having strong relationships with customers, head contractors, suppliers and investors can see businesses maintain a steady stream of work through downtimes, win contracts without having to tender, reduce the cost of sales, reduce the likelihood of disputes and much more.

CRM assists companies in building stronger relationships as the system will support the knowledge gap commonly associated with the pressures of high workload, staff churn and even set reminder dates to renew subscriptions, licences and wish your customers happy birthday! It is important that the business as a whole is engaged with CRM and remembers that the key to a successful system is data integrity – your system is only as good as the quality of data your feed it!

By gaining insight into the behaviour of customers and indeed the VALUE of those customers (over a lifetime) – the business will maximise revenue by supporting you in advertising the right product to the right people, first time, every time.

Win more contractsCRM assists in the contract-winning process in three ways. Firstly, timely and effective communications with the right people will always assist in winning contracts. A CRM will allow you to document the outcomes of projects generating a history that enables you to have more effective communications in the future. Secondly, by tracking all correspondence with those awarding future contracts, you can better recollect and understand their individual business needs and project requirements; and based on past deliverables and newfound knowledge, take that critical information forward to your

next project. Thirdly, by managing relationships successfully and becoming the partner or supplier of choice to your customers, you are more likely to receive referral business.

With the combination of human input (hence the data integrity issue!) and technology, an effective CRM strategy can aid a business to increase revenue by:• Providing services and products that

are exactly what customer want• Offer better customer service –

improving business relationships• Cross selling products and services

more effectively• Help staff to close sales deals in a

more timely, cost effective manner where their customers need are anticipated and met

• Retaining existing customers and discovering new ones based on the lessons of the sales outcomes

Increase the value of your companyIn the sale of a business, financial figures, goodwill and future earning potential are paramount. The effective use of a CRM system will allow you to demonstrate a sales pipe line with clarity on indicative sales and visibility on the customer worth (sales won and ongoing cost to the business). Your CRM is a database of information on all of your important contacts (customers, suppliers, other stakeholders, sub-contractors etc). New owners and employees value a CRM system, as it provides the backbone for continued management of key relationships without having to start from scratch. This adds value to your business.

A CRM also puts an organised system around your contacts. This valuable information is filed in a paperless manner, which allows for the finding of valuable trends, easy safeguard and back-up, and more simple export into other software systems if needed. CRM makes the take-over of a business simpler, thus reducing the cost of doing so and therefore increasing the value of the business itself.

Reduce the impact of key people leaving your businessWith all project and company correspondence recorded, follow-up dates noted and project information in the system, the intellectual property of your business remains with your company when an employee is temporarily incapacitated or indeed moves on. Having the CRM in place will support any employee to more easily pick up the pace where their predecessor left off and more quickly gain your contacts’ trust. This is particularly important for business development, sales, supplier management and CEO/owner roles.

CRM and constructionCRM has not typically been associated with construction. Until recent years, relationship management in typical Australian construction companies has relied on business owners and senior staff to hold all information related to key contacts in their heads. CRM began as a tool used by sales departments and marketing organisations. The value of an effective CRM is now quickly being realised by construction companies.

For more information about CRM use in construction and how it could benefit your company, call LEVESYS on (07) 3004 6100 or email [email protected]


OUTDOOR LIVING

In urban catchments, road surfaces can account for up to 20-25 per cent of impermeable surfaces. For example, roads are a major generator of runoff. In Australia, the control of this runoff is the prime objective in Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD). One way to achieve this is to use Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavements (PICP). PICP was first developed in Europe more than two decades ago and has been used in Australia since 1997. Because water infiltration is actively encouraged, a wide range of environmental and cost benefits can be achieved.

Concepts of Permeable PavingPermeable Interlocking Concrete Pavements (PICP) cover a wide range of applications ranging through landscaping, domestic paving and driveways, public spaces, residential roads and streets and heavy duty industrial pavements including container areas. They both carry traffic and act as a drainage facility which can reduce or eliminate runoff, trap pollutants, and harvest water for future reuse. They combine these multiple roles with a reduction in overall project cost by eliminating much of the drainage infrastructure, such as gulleys, sub-surface drains, and sumps, that is needed in conventional pavements.

Permeable pavements reduce runoff by infiltrating rainfall, provided infiltration is fast enough that runoff can be minimised or eliminated. To keep infiltration high, the entire system must be designed to have high permeability. This is of particular importance in Australia, where rainfall is often more intense than in those countries where permeable paving was originally pioneered. Early research in Australia therefore examined whether PICP could adequately accept heavy Australia rainfall. This work has shown that rainfall intensities up to about 200 mm/hr can be accepted even after the pavements have been in service for many years.

Once water has entered the pavement sub-structure, it can be drained to the subgrade. Where this is a highly permeable granular material such as gravelly soil, the rainfall from a typical storm can be directed to the water table. Where the subgrade is a relatively impermeable soil such as clay, this is not possible. The function of the pavement is then, temporarily, to store the water and to allow it to flow to the storm water sewers at a rate that will not overload them. Here the only sub-surface drainage infrastructure required is an outlet connecting to the storm sewer. In this case the pavement also acts as a retention basin.

A summary of permeable interlocking concrete pavements, their benefits, and where and where not to use them.

Master Builder Victoria 83

Permeable Paving ComponentsThe essential components of a permeable pavement are shown in Figure 1. The elements of the pavement comprise:• A surfacing of permeable pavers designed to permit the

rapid infiltration of rainfall. Typically, the pavers will range in thickness between 60 and 80 mm.

• The joints between the pavers must not be left empty but should be completely filled with a uniform aggregate. Sand must not be used instead of aggregate as it slows water ingress.

• Depending on the degree of infiltration that can be achieved for a particular design storm, it may be necessary to provide drainage at the perimeter of the paving to manage overflows. This can be achieved by using conventional gulley inlets to existing storm sewers or by constructing swales or bioretention areas adjacent to the pavement.

• The permeable pavers are laid on a 20-40 mm bedding course of uniform aggregate typically 2-5 mm in size. Sand is not suitable as a bedding course and should not be used in permeable pavements because it does not allow water to infiltrate rapidly enough to cope with Australian rainfall.

• Beneath the bedding layer a permeable geotextile may be installed. This is optional and is only used when it is desired to mobilise biological controls of hydrocarbons etc.

• A permeable basecourse normally consisting of compacted unbound granular materials provides the main load-bearing layer. The thickness of this layer must be sufficient both to resist traffic loads and to provide adequate water storage.

• On cohesive subgrades, a filter fabric must be provided under the basecourse to prevent clay migrating into

the pavement. This is not needed where the subgrade is granular ie a sandy or gravelly material.

• Where the subgrade is contaminated, saline or expansive, an impermeable membrane must be provided under the basecourse to prevent water entering or leaving the pavement. This membrane will normally be run up the sides of the pavements as shown in Figure 1.

• For some pavements, a drainage pipe is installed to remove water from the pavement.

• The in-situ soil at the pavement site is known as the subgrade. The type of subgrade determines what type of permeable pavement cross-section is feasible and how thick the pavement will need to be to resist traffic and to control stormwater. The subgrade must always be compacted to a depth of at least 100 mm.

Benefits Of Permeable PavingThe benefits of permeable paving include:• Reducing the amount of rainfall runoff from

pavement surfaces and, thereby, eliminating or minimising the extent of the stormwater drainage system needed. This can lead to substantial savings in the overall project costs.

• Reducing the size or need for rainwater retention facilities in roadworks by using the pavement itself for retention. This improves land use.

• Reducing or avoiding downstream flooding.• Recharging and maintaining aquifers and the

natural groundwater.• Trapping and treating pollutants that would otherwise

contaminate groundwater or drainage systems.• Assisting in the biological decomposition of

hydrocarbon contaminants.

By infiltrating water, permeable pavements reduce or avoid surface runoff and standing water and puddles on the surface are virtually eliminated. Importantly, PICPs reduce the peak flows directed to storm sewers. This means that new developments, for example, due to urban consolidation, rather than requiring new and expensive storm drainage to be installed, can usually utilise the existing drainage infrastructure without overloading it. A further benefit of infiltrating water is that surface gradients can often be minimised or eliminated for example pavements can be laid level where this improves the amenity of the surface, such as in car parks or for container stacking in port areas.

Permeable pavements also provide interception storage whereby water is absorbed into the pavement and thereafter evaporates only once the rain has stopped. The consequence of this is that, under Australian conditions, runoff during a storm does not occur until after the first 5 mm of rainfall.

An important function of permeable pavements is that they improve water quality by removing and treating the pollutants that are commonly found on road surfaces or which get washed on to roads from the roofs of adjoining properties. These pollutants are either trapped by the pavement, acting as a filter or by sedimentation within the pavement. Pollutants are also broken down by biological and chemical action. This means that PICP treat pollution “at source,” an important concept in water sensitive urban design. By contrast, conventional pavements rapidly direct polluted rainfall into watercourses where it is difficult and expensive to remediate.

Permeable pavements can harvest water for later re-use an important function in the Australian context, where water is often scarce and expensive. The harvested water is filtered largely free of debris and sediments and can be used for watering parks and gardens and similar non-potable purposes.

Because permeable pavements combine the functions of managing runoff, water quality, and water harvesting within a single construction unit, they make very efficient use of land because they do not require additional land to be dedicated for detention or retention ponds or for water treatment. This means that land take for new developments can be minimised.

Circumstances for Choosing or Rejecting PICPPermeable paving is of particular benefit when:• There is a need to maintain existing or green site runoff

conditions when developing a site. In many cases runoff can be totally eliminated using PICP but, where this is not possible, it is usually feasible to control the volume of runoff to be similar to that flowing from a green-field (unimproved) site.

• The stormwater sewer system is at or near capacity. This situation will often be the case in older well-established urban areas. Urban consolidation generally increases the extent of impermeable areas and runoff will increase. This will then overload the existing storm sewers. PICP provides a cost effective means to circumvent this problem.

• There are limitations on the extent of Impermeable Cover that councils will allow for new developments. Based on the maximum capacity of local storm drainage and to avoid

flooding, councils may regulate runoff by restricting the amount of impervious cover.

• There is insufficient land for both pavements and detention ponds. The use of PICP minimises the extent of land needed for pavements and drainage works.

• Where municipalities wish to control the pollution of local streams, wetlands and water supplies. The amount of impervious cover influences the amount of pollutants washed off a site. PICPs both reduce the impervious cover and also remove or remediate pollutants.

• Where there is a need to conserve and reuse water. Permeable pavements provide a cost and space efficient way to harvest and store filtered water for later non-potable reuse.

• There is a need or requirement to recharge local aquifers. Depletion of aquifers is a widespread problem that needs to be addressed.

PICP should not be used when:• The site or paving requires slopes steeper than about 5

per cent.• The water table is closer to the surface than about 0.5 m.• The stormwater sewer is less than about

1 m below the surface.• There is shallow bedrock.• There is a risk of spillage of fuel, oil, detergents, pesticides

or other hazardous liquids.• There is the likelihood of a high sediment input for

example being washed onto the paving and thereby causing clogging.

• The pavement is subject to tidal influence.

For more information please refer to CMAA Technical Manual PE01 Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavements - Design and Construction Guide.

Visit www.cmaa.com.au.

directory Master Builder Victoria 85

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what’s new Master Builder Victoria 87WHAT’S NEW

FANMASTER’S NEWTECH COOLERS BY OUBER WILL KEEP YOU COOL AT A FRACTION OF THE COST

Fanmaster has been synonymous with their Heating, Cooling and Ventilation ranges for many years in the Industrial and commercial sectors.

Without doubt, one of the more exciting additions to the business has been the introduction of the Ouber range of coolers.

Known mainly for its range of portable solutions, Fanmaster is now looking to move into to fixed solutions, offering builders and installers the opportunity to use an affordable alternative to the usual suspects in the evaporative cooling market.

The Fanmaster NewTech Coolers by Ouber are designed to get the most out of the available air. The coolers use natural evaporative cooling to reduce temperatures at a fraction of the cost of conventional air conditioning.

Fanmaster is also looking for distributors of their range of coolers that can be applied to domestic, commercial or industrial applications.

To become a distributor or for more information contact:Phone: 1300 900 345Website: www.fanmaster.com.au

*Must have permission from your supplier/installer business owner to enter. See full terms and conditions for details on whom each prize is awarded. In some cases, a prize may be awarded to a person other than that specified on the registration form due to a supplier/installer business’s internal policy.Registrations end 11.59pm AEST 1/5/15. Trade entry open to Aust. residents 18+ who are an employee, owner or contractor of a business that supply and/or install genuine COLORBOND® steel products in Australia, excl. businesses which are owned by the Promoter other than businesses that are a franchisee of the Promoter. Remind consumers to whom you sell COLORBOND® steel products from 1/1/14-1/5/15 to retain their purchase receipt for verification purposes. Limitations: Max 1 entry form submission per person. Draws - Draws at 11am, B6, 41-43 Bourke Rd, Alexandria, NSW 2015. Minor Prize Draws: 15/10/14, 29/10/14, 12/11/14, 26/11/14, 10/12/14, 24/12/14, 7/1/15, 21/1/15, 4/2/15, 18/2/15, 4/3/15, 18/3/15, 1/4/15, 15/4/15 & 6/5/15. Survey Prize Draw & Major Prize Draw: 8/5/15. Minor Prizes (per Minor Draw): $2,000 for consumer winner, $2,000 for pre regist. supplier/installer nominated by consumer winner & $2,000 for supplier/installer’s nominated COLORBOND® steel distributor/supplier. Survey Prize: $2,000. Major Prize: $150,000 for consumer winner & $100,000 for pre-regist. supplier/installer nominated by consumer winner. Scratch & Win Prizes (for eligible suppliers/installers only): 430 x $25 Coles Myer Gift Card; 15 x Apple iPad Mini 16MB Wi-Fi ($350ea). Apple Inc. is not a participant or sponsor of this promotion. Minor, Survey and Major prize winners published at http://www.colorbond.com/genuwin & in The Australian within 10 business days of draw. Promoter: BlueScope Steel Ltd (ABN 16 000 011 058), L11/120 Collins St, Melbourne, VIC 3000. Permit No’s: NSW LTPS 14/05439, ACT TP14/02417, VIC 14/4619, SA T14/1247.

If you supply or install genuine COLORBOND® steel products you could WIN more customers as well as $100,000 cash, plus other great prizes. For full details, eligibility criteria, terms and conditions and to register for the COLORBOND® steel GEN-U-WIN promotion, visit COLORBOND.COM/GENUWIN.

HOW TO GEN-U-WIN. If your customer wins you could win – it’s that simple! When your homeowner customer purchases any genuine COLORBOND® steel product valued at $1,500 or more (excluding installation) they could be eligible to enter the promotion and win. If your eligible homeowner customer wins the major prize of $150,000 and has nominated you as their supplier or installer you could win a cash prize of $100,000 as long as you are eligible and have registered.* Similarly, if they win a fortnightly cash prize of $2,000 and have nominated you and you have registered and are eligible, you could also win a cash prize of $2,000.* To claim your prize you must have registered at COLORBOND.COM/GENUWIN prior to the draw.*

Homeowner entry starts on 1 October 2014 with the first of the 15 fortnightly draws on Wednesday, 15 October 2014. The promotion closes on 1 May 2015 with the major prize draw on Friday, 8 May 2015. Trade registrations open 1 September 2014. Homeowner purchases from 1 January 2014 until 1 May 2015 are eligible for entry.

YOU CAN MAKE THE GEN-U-WIN PROMOTION WORK FOR YOU IN 3 EASY STEPS.

1. Register now at COLORBOND.COM/GENUWIN2. Look out for the GEN-U-WIN trade flyer which has further information 3. Hand out the GEN-U-WIN homeowner flyer to all your homeowner customers and encourage

them to enter. If your homeowner customer wins you could win! You can order more flyers online at COLORBOND.COM/GENUWIN.

WIN more customers with genuine COLORBOND® steel.

what’s new88 Master Builder Victoria

WHAT’S NEW

TECH SPOT FOR AUSCOM ENERGY

and with a large surface area the heat is easily channelled away from the Cree LED luminaries into the solid Aluminium extrusion Heat sink. The Auscom Energy LED High Bay is suitable for Australian conditions. Contact Auscom Energy to discuss how the AE180 High bay can best work in your situation.

Auscom have also just released a Voltage Optimisation product that can significantly reduce power bills in HVAC and other motor load applications. The units are simple to install. The unit does not chop the power or invert or manipulate the power such that it may cause other downstream problems. The Auscom Voltage Optimiser drops the Voltage, improves Power Factor, reduces demand KVA and harmonics, reduces Co2 emissions and can help with green star ratings; But above all saves money.

Contact Roger or Steve at Auscom Energy to learn more about the applications for Voltage Optimisation.Phone: 0357216394

Auscom Energy is an Engineering and Consultancy Services company that has recently moved course into the supply of Energy saving Plant and Equipment with the primary focus on reducing Electricity consumption.

Auscom has recently finished development of a truly Australian class of LED High Bay, designed for tough environmental conditions.

The New AE180 LED high bay is built in Australia arguably uses the world’s best technology and latest design thinking for the production of light in High Ambient conditions.

The new High bay not only has a class leading Copper etched circuit board with 10 times the surface area of a conventional COB LED high bay luminary; for superior heat dissipation. The AE180 is also fitted with a 70,000 hour rated AC powered fan. The combination of the fan and the circuit board design allows the light to operate continuously in temperature above 50 degrees with less over all thermal rise, than a high bay with phase change convection cooling. When temperatures get up over 50degrees in roof spaces the life of LED’s will be reduced unless the heat is effectively managed. Even Phase change heat exchanges require the thermal energy generated from the LED to be transmitted to the air through convection cooling. The Copper circuit board has almost twice the energy absorbency of Aluminium

CONSTRUCTION AND MANAGEMENT RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL

Mavaco Pty Ltd is a young bespoke residential and commercial builder, started by Brett Serratore in November 2013.

Together with a small team of highly professional and motivated people, Mavaco is capable of delivering projects up to a value of $5 Million each.

Our focus: Delivering a small number of high quality projects at any time, where Brett will personally manage and oversee each project, and be entirely responsible for delivery and outcome of each of them. This level of personalised and professional service will ensure the successful outcome of each project. Brett will be accessible and available at all times. The team is currently delivering a project at 158 Holden Street Fitzroy North consisting of 5 apartments and office space.

Mavaco is proud to be a member of the Master Builders Association and welcomes the opportunity to work with you on your next building project.

For more information contact:Brett SerratorePhone: 0400 740 704 Email: [email protected]: www.mavaco.com.au

MBA_LargestBuilders_MBAV_FP_v14.indd 1 15/07/2014 11:00 am

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2014 Master Builders Victoria Magazine Sep-Oct

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