Mental health pressures on Sunshine Coast builders in perfect storm of rain, price hikes and shortages

It would be hard to find a group of workers more keenly watching the weather this week than those in the building and construction industry.

On the Sunshine Coast, the region has failed to live up to its name for nearly a year and that is contributing to lengthy delays. 

Master Builders regional manager Nicola Scott said delays had ranged from a few months to a year.

Now an east coast low has again put projects on the backburner. 

“It hasn’t stopped … it has just been raining consistently since November,” Ms Scott said.

“The flow-on effect means people aren’t getting their homes in time.

“People aren’t moving out of their rental properties, and we’ve got a major rental shortage here.

Tough climate in every sense

The building and construction sector was deemed essential when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

While those in the industry were relieved they could continue their work, it soon became clear the future would be paved with problems.

“Things started to really rear their ugly heads,” Ms Scott said.

“We could see there were major issues with materials, the HomeBuilder grant happening, demand outstripping supply, trade shortages.

Builder Dave Becker has been in the industry for more than 25 years, but he says he has never seen things this tough.

“Trade shortages, and then you’ve got the inclement weather that we’ve been smacked with,” he said.

“It is very difficult. It definitely takes a toll.

Costs up 10 per cent in a year

The most recent CoreLogic Cordell Construction Cost Index found national residential construction costs rose by 10 per cent over the 12 months to June 2022.

CoreLogic’s Tim Lawless said, over the past five years, costs had surged by a staggering 25 per cent.

“[This] has a knock-on effect to builders’ margins, budget blowouts for customers not on fixed-price contracts, and home owners waiting for their projects to finish or even start in many cases,” Mr Lawless said. 

Ms Scott said it was important for builders to keep the “lines of communication” open with clients.

“If builders are seeing major increases in their contract price and it’s a fixed-price contract, the best thing they can do is sit down with their clients [and ask], ‘Can you meet us halfway?'” Ms Scott said.

Don’t suffer in silence

Master Builders Queensland is encouraging builders to reach out for support either through them or the MATES in Construction on 1300 642 111, which provides 24-hour support and early intervention addressing high suicide rates in the industry.

Ms Scott said customers also needed to be aware of the pressures and be realistic.

Mr Becker said he had personally managed to avoid lengthy delays by thinking “outside the box” with alternative building materials and having contingency plans. 

He said those struggling should not be ashamed to ask for help.

“The construction industry has always been male-dominated. A tough industry,” Mr Becker said.

“It’s also about just keeping an eye on your other guys as well, checking in with them, just to alleviate a bit of that sort of pressure cooker that’s going on, and it’s going on for everybody.”

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