The tradie shortage has made it hard to ‘nail down’ a plumber, electrician or carpenter — which is usually needed ASAP.
And it’s a problem the industry has been battling for years, 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’s Approach to Trusted Contractors
“There has been a skills shortage for a while, but it’s been exacerbated by the building and renovation boom combined with the pandemic, not to mention flood and water damage events. 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, is considerate of residents and consistently delivers high-quality work.”
The Impact of the Skills Shortage on Building Maintenance
Securing a good tradie quickly when an unexpected incident occurs not only reduces inconvenience to residents but often stops smaller issues from turning into bigger, more 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 tradespeople 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it so hard to find a tradie for our building?
Demand for skilled trades has outstripped supply for years — driven by a sustained building and renovation boom, pandemic-era disruption, and major flood and storm recovery work all competing for the same workforce. Good tradespeople can pick their jobs, and they prioritise clients they know and trust.
How does a building manager get tradies faster?
Relationships. A building manager who gives contractors steady work, clear access and prompt payment becomes a priority client — so when something breaks, their call gets answered. That standing relationship is worth more in a shortage than any amount of ringing around.
Does the shortage make regular maintenance more important?
Considerably. When emergency call-outs are slow and expensive to secure, the buildings that suffer least are the ones that need them least — because their lifts, HVAC, security systems and fixtures are regularly maintained by trusted trades before they fail. Preventative maintenance has always been cheaper; the shortage makes it faster too.
Who supervises tradespeople while they’re in our building?
The building manager — coordinating schedules, checking work quality, ensuring strata rules are followed, protecting floors and lifts during the work, and keeping residents informed of what’s happening and when. Unsupervised contractors are how buildings end up with damage, disputes and work that has to be done twice.
Never Wait Weeks for a Tradie Again
Building Management Australia is a Sydney building management firm — not a strata agent. Established contractor relationships across plumbing, HVAC, electrical, building and cleaning, fast-tracked repairs, and supervised, resident-considerate work is core building-management work, and we handle it alongside your strata manager.
If your building struggles to get good tradespeople on site, request a proposal at bmaus.com.au or email Andrew directly at andrew@bmaus.com.au.
About the Author
Andrew Veron is the founder of Building Management Australia (BMA), an independent Sydney building management firm established in 1995. BMA is a building management company — not a strata agent — providing on-site and visiting building management, facilities management, concierge, cleaning and valet services to residential, commercial and mixed-use properties. Over the past 30 years, Andrew and the BMA team have managed buildings across the Eastern Suburbs, North Sydney, Inner Sydney, Parramatta and the Sydney CBD, with assets currently valued in excess of $3 billion under management. Because BMA is independent of any strata management firm, committees receive unbiased advice and transparent contractor relationships. Reach Andrew at andrew@bmaus.com.au or bmaus.com.au.
This article is general information only. Labour market conditions change over time; owners corporations should assess current circumstances when planning maintenance and budgets.
