Hidden cameras catch banned builder at work

Hidden cameras nabbed a banned contractor continuing to work without a licence after an investigation found it had performed defective works on a renowned surf life saving club.

A glaziers poor workmanship on a Kings Beach balustrade costs unit owner Ian Millard thousands, and left them at risk for almost nine months of their glass giving way on them.

HIDDEN cameras have been used to nab a banned contractor continuing to work without a licence.

Queensland Building and Construction Commission investigators captured covert camera footage of an unlicensed contractor from AGS Queensland Pty Ltd carrying out building work which required a QBCC licence.

AGS Queensland is a related company of Architectural Glass Solutions Pty Ltd, which had its licence cancelled by the commission last September, after an investigation found it had performed defective works on glass balustrades.

A statement from the commission said the related company, AGS Queensland, was caught last December trying to circumvent the commission's ruling by installing balustrading at the Noosa Heads Surf Life Saving Club.

The commission's legal team launched a case for prosecution after a hidden camera investigation.

Late last month AGS Queensland was fined $25,000 in Noosa Magistrates Court, for five breaches of the QBCC Act.

A glaziers poor workmanship on a Kings Beach balustrade costs unit owner Ian Millard thousands, and left them at risk for almost nine months of their glass giving way on them.

The individual contractor was also fined $2200 for performing unlicensed building work.

QBCC commissioner Brett Bassett said the decision was an important one.

"It's a win for the genuine building and construction industry workers who do the right thing," he said.

"Unlicensed contracting is illegal.

"Working unlicensed and undercutting all the hard working licensees who do the right thing will not be tolerated."

Architectural Glass Solutions had been stripped of its licence after glass balustrading it'd installed on the balcony of a 10th floor apartment was classified as tier one defective work, which meant if the building work failed "there is a real chance it could cause death or serious injury".

A glaziers poor workmanship on a Kings Beach balustrade cost unit owner Ian Millard thousands, and left them at risk for almost nine months of their glass giving way on them.

Kings Beach grandfather Ian Millard was one of the affected clients, who told the Daily last year he'd been unable to let his grandchildren out onto the balcony for almost 12 months, fearing they could plunge through the faulty balustrade.

The commission had found the balustrade installed in Mr Millard's unit was too thin, not fixed securely enough, flexed in the wind and was capable of giving way if bumped by a child.

Mr Millard said he was facing a bill of almost $10,000 to replace the faulty balustrade.

The commission confirmed it had not received any complaints of defective building work at the Noosa Heads Surf Life Saving Club, but it had referred allegations of illegal phoenixing to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission for further consideration.

A glaziers poor workmanship on a Kings Beach balustrade cost unit owner Ian Millard thousands, and left them at risk for almost nine months of their glass giving way on them.

Originally published as Hidden cameras catch banned builder at work