SA take up of Home Builder grant the highest in the country, leading to delays

The Home Builder scheme has had its strongest take up in SA – giving tradies more work than they’ve had in a long time.

South Australians have taken up the Federal Government’s home-building subsidy scheme more than any other state, creating more than two years worth of residential construction work.

It has created significant demand for the services of tradesman, such as bricklayers, electricians and carpenters, which in turn has resulted in the delayed start of many projects.

A total of 13,913 grants, each worth $25,000, have been handed out in SA – the highest rate per capita in the country at 7.19 applications per 1000 people.

About 9500 of those grants were for new homes, 1878 were off the plan and 2472 were for significant renovations.

The scheme was announced by the government last year as an economic stimulus measure to boost construction following the coronavirus pandemic.

Master Builders Association SA chief executive Will Frogley said the uptake of the grant was “absolutely fantastic” for South Australia’s economy.

He said supply was currently unable to keep up with demand – both for labourers and material – but that a recent extension of the start time for homes under the scheme from six months to 18 months would east cost pressure.

Treasurer Rob Lucas “absolutely welcomed” SA as the “national centre of a huge tradie-led jobs recovery that will see thousands of hard hats, hi-vis and steel caps on the ground right across the suburbs for months to come”.

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