A builder coordinates, oversees, and works on various commercial or residential buildings’ construction, renovations, and repairs.
More often than not, builders have to manage complete projects themselves while complying with specific safety regulations. Their tasks include organising and interpreting plans to meet client expectations and rules of the national construction codes.
Builders are also tasked with providing the quote for construction to the clients and submitting these plans to local council bodies. Once construction begins, they must coordinate among contractors like carpenters, local pool builders and plumbers while handling some building work independently.
Long story short, being a builder sounds like a complex job, and you might wonder what qualifications are required to be a builder.
Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered with all the details.
Qualifications For Builders
To become a builder, one must obtain Certificate IV in Building and Construction. It tests competency before deeming which candidates are fit to become licensed builders. Apart from that, there are some additional certificates needed.
Any aspiring builder has to get any one of these -
- A current license for bricklaying and contract work or a Supervisor Certificate
- A diploma in Building and Construction
- A bachelor’s degree in housing from any Australian University.
Alternatively, builders can obtain degrees in civil or structural engineering, housing, architecture, construction, construction economics and management, quantity surveying, and applied sciences in a building.
Some papers need to be submitted to obtain the relevant degrees. These include formal qualifications directly relevant to the license class for which aspiring builders apply. One must submit the usual documents like three references, identity proof, and financial information to prove they meet the standard requirements.
If a builder contracts under trading names, they must submit a copy of the Record of Registration from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). If one is contracting under partnerships, proof of the same has to be shown.
Experience Needed For Builders
To become a builder, you’d need at least two years of experience, which can be gained in the scope of work that ties in with the class of license you wish to apply for.
However, some also prefer to gain it through other work. But, in this case, the license commission must be adequately satisfied that this matches the scope of work relevant to the license class.
To gain two years of experience, those who wish to be builders can perform various tasks. This includes building on a Class 1 or a Class 10 building.
You might even work on buildings ranging from Class 2 to 9. But, in this case, the floor area must not exceed 2,000 square meters, and the construction can’t be Types A or B.
If you perform non-structural work on a building, that also works in your favour. In such cases, the building’s class or total floor area doesn’t matter either. Aspiring builders can also try to create specifications and plans if these are for the licensee’s personal use or will be used by the licensee in the building work they’ll personally carry out.
Conditions of Builder Experience
While getting work experience is simple (since builders are in high demand), specific conditions for the said experience are to be considered valid while applying for a license. Firstly, whether you are a sub-contractor or a team member, the job has to be paid. Any unpaid work isn’t counted as experience and doesn’t help the application process.
An aspirant can gain more than two years of experience in one chunk. They are allowed to have a few months of gap periods. But, from the date of application, the aspiring builders get ten years to complete a full two years of work experience.
Usually, licensed builders provide references that count as work experience. Said individuals must possess either the Qualified Supervisor Certificate or an Individual Contractor Licence in the application process. Again, these must be in the same scope of work as the license class you apply for.
Final Words
It becomes clear that to try and be a builder, you must go through an arduous process. Much work experience is required, and the commission in charge of licenses thoroughly vet the applications. The validity of the experience is tested, and then the qualifications of the candidates are considered.
Since a builder has a lot of responsibility towards society and public safety, it is only fair that the most competent candidates become licensed builders. After all, professional builders are well-respected and bring in a commendable salary annually.
If you follow the simple steps outlined in this brief guide, you can achieve your dream of being a builder, too - with hard work and determination!