Best tradies in Victoria revealed at national awards
Wondering where to find the top tradespeople in the nation? You don't have to search far – the best in the business are right here in Victoria, national awards have revealed.
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Wondering where to find the top tradespeople in the country? You don‘t have to search far – the best in the business are right here in Victoria.
Victorian tradies have shone at the Australian Trades Small Business Champion Awards with many taking the title of the best in Australia.
The competition received thousands of entries and honoured the achievements of 50 category winners from a broad cross-section of trades industries.
Almost 60 tradies represented Victoria and from those 12 were crowned the best at what they do.
Awards founder and managing director Steve Loe said the “trade-focused” awards program was created to recognises all trades services as they were often overlooked.
“We believe tradies deserve a national stage for acknowledgment for tough, mostly manual labour work that they do,” he said.
“Small businesses, and tradies especially, have endured a tough couple of years but they remain as dedicated as ever to service their communities to a high standard and it shows, based on the entries we received from all around the country.”
Businesses were assessed on customer service, quality of products, staff training initiatives, environmental sustainability and contribution to the community, by 30 judges representing a variety of trade industries.
Five individual award recipients from Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland were the big winners on the night, recognised for their outstanding leadership, performance and dedication.
Aydan O’Brien – Lexity Plumbing and Electrical
Knoxfield’s Aydan O’Brien from Lexity Plumbing & Electrical, who took home the Apprentice Champion Award, said he was honoured to be “nominated let alone to win the award”.
“I started my electrical apprenticeship in April 2021 and got work experience in both plumbing and electrical at Lexity,” he said.
“My grandfather, dad, and brother are all plumbers but I ended up falling in love with how much there is to learn and the career options within the electrical industry.”
Jacob Free – Mornington Turfing & Landscaping
Mornington local Jacob Free from Mornington Turfing & Landscaping snatched the award for Young Small Business Champion Trades Entrepreneur on the glittering awards night.
Mr Free, who started his small business in the midst of 2020 said he’d always had an “unnatural obsession with learning”, which set him apart from the rest.
“I‘m always looking for ways to do things better – I taught myself everything I know about landscaping by reading about it or doing it and managed to get myself qualified,” he said.
“It's really nice to be recognised for the hard work that you put in”.
Ali Aydin from Star Aluminium and Steel Welding
Keysborough’s Ali Aydin took the title of Small Business Champion Trades Entrepreneur.
Mr Aydin, who’s been running the family run business for over 21 years, said the award was a “great achievement”.
“I was lost for words and pretty shocked, especially since going through some hard times in the last four years. Winning this means that I’ve done something right in this country and feel I’ve got a purpose in the business with the name out there; it feels great,” he said.
Basements and Above Structures, Essendon VIC
Repping Essendon’s local Basements and Above Structures was named the best concreter of Australia.
With a team of fully-qualified professionals who tackle everything from complex large projects to smaller scale jobs the business is fuelled by a commitment to excellence, as they believe in “going the extra mile”.
General manager Hisham Khartabil told the Herald Sun it was “very humbling” to win the prestigious title of best concreter in the nation.
“Winning the best concreter is a good reward for the hard work we’ve put in over the last few years,” he said.
The business founded in 2007, started off as construction builders and transitioned slowly into concreting in the last decade.
“What makes us different is the customer satisfaction,” Mr Khartabil said.
“The right price, the right quality and the customer satisfaction is always what we aspire to do.”
Total Solar Solutions, Bayswater North VIC
Tucked in Melbourne’s east is Australia’s best solar solutions provider – Total Solar Solutions in Bayswater North.
Established in 2012, the “small to medium sized” family-owned business’ mission is to provide Victorian families with the highest quality products available to Australia, with a strong emphasis on good workmanship and great customer service and support.
General manager Christine Kennedy said the team at Total Solar Solutions was “proud” to be acknowledged for “all of the hard work that we've done for over a decade”.
“The passion and the love for our work is what makes us different. We've been doing what we do for over 10 years and we really value the customer experience,” she said.
“We really strongly support quality and longevity of products in the industry.”
Jet Plus Plumbing, Berwick VIC
Jet Plus Plumbing from Berwick has taken home best small plumber title of Australia.
Providing emergency plumbing no matter the time to hot water problems at work, the best plumbers in the country do it all.
Director Luke Kennedy said winning the title of the best in the country was “shocking”.
“Getting the title is a great win for not only our business but for our supporters … our customers have been calling to say congratulations.. all around it‘s just been a big, big week,” he told the Herald Sun.
Founded in 2016, the business has a “different approach” than its competition in the market, making it stand apart.
“We like to do preventive maintenance, meaning we find plumbing issues before they become serious problems for the homeowners. We try and find the issue before it becomes a costly issue,” Mr Kennedy said.
The small business puts “a big emphasis” on customer service.
“We use a lot of programs that not a lot of larger businesses use – we make short videos for our customers so they can do their own maintenance within the plumbing rules.”
JS Plastering Mildura
A small company, tucked in the state’s northwest that always “shows up” has been named the best plasterer in the nation.
JS Plastering Mildura Director Jon Szabo who finished his apprenticeship back in 2007 before starting the business said the key to success is customer satisfaction.
“We just do our thing and show up to our clients when we say we’re going be there. We treat our staff with respect and our customers,” he said.
“We strive for customer satisfaction. Because if the customer is not happy, we‘re not happy. We always make sure we have the most quality that they get what they’re paying.”
Glass Ontime, Ringwood VIC
A Glass company with a difference and which is more than “just a booking service”, Glass Ontime in Melbourne’s east are glass installation experts.
Owner Sally Clinton told the Herald Sun her team were “still on a high” from winning the best glazier of Australia award.
“We are so stoked – our uniqueness is not just about the products and services we offer but more importantly – it‘s in how we deliver them.” she said.
“We’re solving the age old problem of getting your tradie to turn up on time by simplifying the ordering process for both customers and tradies. And it’s working.”
Kenner Electrics, Box Hill South VIC
Delivering friendly, professional and high-quality residential electrical service and maintenance work throughout the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Kenner Electrics takes the best electrician (medium).
Managing director Jamin Kenner said winning the award was a reflection of “the awesome team” and “amazing customers” they worked with.
“We go above and beyond to ensure that our customer’s homes are electrically safe. We take the time to do a free electrical safety report at all our residential jobs and give the customer clear, easy-to-understand advice,” he said.
“Our aim is to educate our customers on electrical safety and to give them peace of mind that they’re being looked after.
“We also plant a tree for every job we complete each year.”
Watermaster Plumbing and Roofing, Sandringham VIC
Starting in 2007 as just “a one man show”, this business in Melbourne’s south has since grown over the years increasing team size and revenue including a jump in $1m revenue in the last financial year.
Director Sam Minio said his team was “honoured” to receive the best plumber (large) award in the country.
“It’s especially special because it is the first award we have ever been nominated for,” he said.
“We invest in our people, our local community and where we can. We are committed to running an ethical, sustainable, innovative workplace and are committed to customer service and experience.
“Our policy is to fix it first and ask questions later.”
Biddick’s Bakery Warrandyte VIC
A small family owned bakery that services the Warrandyte community and surrounding areas has taken home the title for best new business in Australia, despite being the only nomination from the six finalist that were food based.
Owner Preston Biddick, a baker himself, said the award was “important” for the baking industry.
“Baking is hard work – long hours on your feet, mostly during the night – and we are seeing a real shortage of trade qualified bakers right across the country. So winning this award against other trades like hairdressing and construction is important for the baking industry,” he said.
“Winning it makes all of the hard work worthwhile and we hope we can help to inspire a new generation of bakers and on a more personal note, this award has allowed us to show our two young children that if you have a dream or a passion and you put a clear plan in place, you can achieve great things.”
Clean Lines Painting & Decorating, Croydon Hills VIC
Named the best painter in the nation is Victoria’s Clean Lines Painting & Decorating, owned by head painter David Brickell.
It believes in consistently delivering top-quality painting work, prioritising customer satisfaction, maintaining a safe work environment and respecting deadlines.
Owner David Brickell told the Herald Sun winning the best painter had motivated the team to continue raising the bar and “maintaining” their “high standards” in the industry.
“We are immensely proud and grateful for this recognition; it’s a testament to the hard work, dedication and talent of our team,” he said.
“We are excited about the opportunities this recognition brings and are eager to continue providing exceptional service to our customers.”
SEE THE FULL LIST OF WINNERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY
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