Tradesmen left out of pocket

BUNDABERG tradesmen are calling for a local builder to pay them more than $80,000 in unpaid accounts, seven months after they were due.

Local builder Rob McEwan is thousands out of pocket.

BUNDABERG tradesmen are calling for a local builder to pay them more than $80,000 in unpaid accounts, seven months after they were due.

The NewsMail yesterday spoke to six tradesmen who alleged they had not been paid for work done for builder Ray Bobberman on a job that wrapped up last September.

Live Wire Electrical owner Daniel Green said he was still waiting for $31,000 for work done to a Branyan Drive home for the builder last year.

“He claims the person he built the house for hasn’t paid him so he can’t pay us,” Mr Green said.

“If they couldn’t afford to pay, he shouldn’t have let them move in.”

Mr Green said the builder had not been answering his calls.

“I don’t think we will ever get anything,” he said.

All Shape Pools owner Rob McEwan said he was in the same situation.

“He owed me about $18,000 during the job and I told him I wouldn’t do any more unless he paid me at least $15,000. I’m still waiting on $2800,” Mr McEwan said.

“He’s a nice bloke and I think if he had the money he probably would pay us, but that doesn’t help us now.

“This is the first time this has happened to me since I started almost nine years ago. It would be handy to have that money while we are coming out of last year’s recession.”

Bundaberg and District Floor Sanding owner Ian Glass said Mr Bobberman owed him $5000.

“It sits in the back of my mind all the time. I’m just not sure what to do,” he said.

Enterprise Air owner John Meechim said he was owed $11,500 by the builder and said he was not sure if he would ever get paid.

“Maybe he reckons we will forget, but we won’t,” he said.

“We just keep going round in circles.”

Another company owner, who is taking legal action and did not want to be identified, said Mr Bobberman owed him $30,000.

Great Barrier Solutions also confirmed that the builder owed them money but did not disclose the amount.

Mr Bobberman refused to comment yesterday.

Originally published as Tradesmen left out of pocket