The importance of strong relationships with tradespeople

The persistent tradie shortage: challenges in sourcing skilled workers

The tradie shortage has worsened, making it hard to ‘nail down’ a plumber, electrician or carpenter – which is usually ASAP. And it’s a problem we’ll be battling until the end of 2023, possibly longer, according to the Housing Industry Association (HIA). It’s why relationships are so vital – and at BMA, we have established relationships with a range of qualified, trusted contractors to help keep the buildings we manage well-maintained – whether it’s regular maintenance or repairs.

Building strong relationships: BMA approach to trusted contractors

“There has been a skills shortage for a while, but it’s been exacerbated by the current building and renovation boom combined with pandemic, not to mention recent flood/water damage. Tradies are in hot demand, it’s as simple as that,” says Ben Mees, BMA General Manager. “Our building managers have contacts across plumbing, HVAC, electrical, building, cleaning and more. They know how to select and keep good tradespeople and other contractors, which enables them to secure them quickly and get them on site to start maintenance and repairs rapidly. Our building managers know the value of a tradie who turns up when they say they will, are considerate of residents and consistently deliver high-quality work.”

The Impact of the skills shortage on building maintenance

Securing a good tradie asap when as an unexpected incident occurs not only reduces inconvenience to residents but often stops smaller issues from turning into bigger, most costly ones. “The strata managers and owners corporations of BMA-managed buildings have added peace of mind, as our building managers help reduce the incidence of costly ‘emergency’ repairs and reparations. This is because they ensure regular maintenance by their trusted tradies of their building’s elevators, HVAC system, security systems, and other fixtures and finishes. This is yet another benefit to having a BMA building manager,” adds Mees.

Fast-tracking repairs

BMA building managers can also help fast-track repair work by streamlining the entire process – from sourcing quotes from tradespeople and liaising with the Strata Managers and/or Owners’ Corporations, through to coordinating work schedules and monitoring them while in the building to ensure they are adhering to strata rules and doing a quality job. In addition to alerting residents of upcoming works and reducing disruption to their day, our building managers also ensure the building is protected while work is carried out, which can include ensuring protective floor and elevator wall coverings are used.