Building company - nominee

[benofbrisbane]

Hi all

I am looking at starting a building company. I would only build my own projects and not for others. Would be looking to do 1 to 2 multi unit dwellings per year in brisbane. Around 6 - 15 units or so a project. I am not a builder so would need a nominee to obtain the licence. I am just wondering whether anyone has any experience doing something similar and would like to share their experiences. Also how difficult is it to get a nominee and how much would they need to be paid? Any comments/feedback appreciated. Thanks Ben

 

[boeman]

For what you are trying to achieve, it isn't worth starting a building company if you are not a registered builder that is doing the work themselves.

You will need to pay for use of someone's licence, and then pay again for a Supervisor/Project Manager to actually build it. Then all your materials will be at a premium since your new company doesn't have an existing account nor the volume required to buy materials at a reasonable rate that makes it competitive with an existing builder by the time you factor in your overheads.

I am a registered builder, and it is barely worth my time starting a company to build for myself, since all the top builders get everything so cheap, and also pay cheaper rates to trades.

 

[benofbrisbane]

Thanks Boeman. Food for thought.

 

[Steve R]

Hi Ben,

We offer this service in Victoria and we are going to launch the same thing in Qld later this year. I already have my license in Qld and could possibly do something with you.

Have a look at our DIY Registered Builder page of our website for more information and if you want to chat further about it give me a call or drop me an email.

It?s not as pessimistic as suggested, but that's only my opinion.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[benofbrisbane]

Thanks Steve. I will check out your website.

 

[boeman]

It?s not as pessimistic as suggested, but that's only my opinion.

Steve

Yep I didn't mean to sound pessimistic, just stressing the point of doing your due diligence.

I work at a luxury builder and an estimator is building a house through us, though it isn't high end, at cost plus.

At the end of the day, an owner-builder or project builder could have done it for far less, despite his discount.

Always be aware that project builders work on low margin, high volume, and can offer trades lower rates of pay whilst promising higher volume.

 

[benofbrisbane]

Thanks Boeman. My motivation is not really the money side, more the control that I would have. Though any costs savings would be welcomed!

 

[veseli]

You wont find many crazy people to lend you their builder's licence, its worst then asking someone to lend you their wife, this takes more responsibility and more consequences later on, however there are people with no brains that would do this, these people usually don't understand how legal system works, and what responsibility they have as a builder on a project.

Don't waste your time starting building company if you are not a builder, even when you become a builder go and work for someone for 6-7 years to learn tricks of the trade then start your business.

If you have money then be investor, and learn about investments, approvals, bank loans, valuations and so on, leave dealing with trades and dirty work to us.