‘Devastating’: Building watchdog frustrations leave Mareeba man facing $50k of repairs after shoddy build
A devastated new homeowner facing $50,000 in repairs says the building and construction watchdog is failing to protect people from shonky builds and must be held accountable.
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A Mareeba man furious at the shoddy build of his new home feels let down by the Queensland Building and Construction Commission, saying instead of protecting him the watchdog has merely added to his problems.
Mick Tringale said he hated the $225,000 house he had built on Springs Rd, Mareeba – a saga that contributed to his marriage breakdown and lost friendships.
“I don’t want to be in my house,” the 54-year-old truck driver said.
“Every day, I’m reminded of what’s wrong with it – and my stress and frustration levels are through the roof.
“It’s devastating. Why isn’t anyone listening? I’ve hit breaking point and I want this to just end.”
Mr Tringale said his woes “began from day one” of the build in 2019, when he noticed large holes in the slab he feared would undermine the integrity of the foundations.
He took the issue to the QBCC, but said an inspector came months too late.
“By the time one of their inspectors finally came out a few months later, the slab had already been covered and they were building my two-bedroom home on it,” he said.
Mr Tringale said he was told the regulator could not make any decision based on photos, so the build continued with a certifier signing off on the house in late 2020.
The finished home had bowed walls, roofing issues, and tiles that stuck up 30mm above where they should.
A private engineer hired to assess the home recommended $47,000 of repairs – a claim backed by the QBCC who agreed to cover the costs under their Home Warranty Scheme.
But when the new company brought in to fix the property found even more work that ought to be done, their contract variation was disputed by the original builders.
Despite initially agreeing to the variation, the QBCC upheld the original builder’s dispute – prompting the new team to walk off the job and leaving Mr Tringale with no one to complete his much needed repairs.
“The QBCC is supposed to be enforcing Australian building standards, yet I feel like I’m the one being forced to deal with this mess,” he said.
“Why should I have to spend money to fight what should have been done in the first place?”
Mr Tringale estimates he had spent more than $20,000 on legal fees and independent inspections during his three-year battle with his builder and the QBCC.
It is far from the first time criticism has been levelled at the regulator in recent years.
Concerns about transparency, decision-making, culture, and ministerial interference led the minister in question, Mick de Brenni, to order a review into the QBCC which was handed down in June this year.
The damning report made dozens of recommendations, including the establishment of an independent, quarantined Mediation, Resolution and Review Unit to help reduce appeals and “improve the customer experience”.
The review also found perceptions of bias with the Home Warranty Scheme, as the QBCC both collects premiums from the scheme and investigates complaints that could lead to a pay out from the scheme.
The QBCC would not comment on Mr Tringale’s case for privacy reasons, but encouraged any homeowner who suspects defective work at their property to make contact.
“When we receive a complaint, a range of activities are undertaken including contacting all the respective parties to the matter and gathering all required information to make an assessment,” a QBCC spokesperson said.
“Complaints may then be referred for investigation by the QBCC which can include an inspection by an impartial QBCC Building Inspector.”
The watchdog said all of its building inspectors were impartial, acting independently from both the builder and homeowner.
“While the time frame to conduct an inspection will vary depending on the number, location, and availability of inspectoral resources, safety-related matters are prioritised for early inspection.”
Mr Tringale felt abandoned by the systems in place meant to protect him.
“I have contacted ministers, I have written to politicians, no one seems to want to help,” he said.
“I just think that the QBCC is not made accountable. It’s up to the homeowner to fight it, that have paid good money to get their house built.”
“It’s a terrible thing to say, but if a cyclone hit and toppled my house, it would be doing me a big favour”.
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Originally published as ‘Devastating’: Building watchdog frustrations leave Mareeba man facing $50k of repairs after shoddy build
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