What Current Events in Brisbane Mean for Local Contractors and Trades
Most blokes in the Brisbane trades think the 2032 Olympics is a golden ticket, but the reality is that half of us will probably be priced out of our own city before the first brick for the stadium is even laid.
Tough pill. The skyline is looking like a forest of cranes these days. You cannot drive down Gympie Road without hitting roadworks or seeing a new site fenced off. It is mental. Me and the boys were talking about the current status of right now at the pub on Friday, and nobody knows if we should be cheering or packing our kits for the mines.
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That Olympic stadium mess
Total chaos. The state government keeps moving the goalposts on where the main stage is going to be. First it was the Gabba, then it was Victoria Park, and now we are back to some weird middle ground. Blokes who specialise in niche demolition or heavy civil work are just sitting on their hands. It is hard to price a job for 2027 when you do not even know if the project will exist.
Big risk. One day the plan is a multi-billion dollar rebuild. The next day they want to just paint the old seats and call it a day. Strewth! If you are a contractor trying to plan ahead for the future, you are basically throwing darts at a board while blindfolded.
Where the workers went
Vanished lately. Every skilled sparkie and chippie is being headhunted by the massive Tier 1 projects like Cross River Rail. We were looking at the Cross River Rail site… actually, wait, no, it was the Queen’s Wharf project where I saw three of my old apprentices working on the same floor. They are offering rates that small residential builders just cannot match. It makes it nearly impossible to keep a reliable crew together for a standard renovation.
Flat out. We are all working like a lizard drinking just to keep up with the overflow. But the quality is dipping because the experienced guys are chasing the big government coin. ~~The council is really helping us out.~~ (I still reckon the old XXXX Brewery has the best smell in the world when they are mashing, even if the traffic around Milton is a nightmare).
Materials getting more expensive
Price hikes. The cost of timber, concrete, and steel is jumping every single month without fail. You give a quote on Monday and by the time the client signs on Friday, the margins have already been eaten alive. It is a joke. Suppliers are blaming the shipping lanes and the fuel surcharges, but it feels like we are the ones holding the bag every single time.
Pure stress. You have to be a mathematician just to break even on a bathroom reno these days. We have to advance forward with better contracts that allow for price fluctuations. If you do not have a rise and fall clause in your paperwork, you are basically working for free. Good grief, I have seen blokes lose their houses because they were too proud to ask for an extra grand when the price of copper went through the roof.
Building up the Valley
High density. Fortitude Valley and the surrounding suburbs are turning into a concrete jungle of “luxury” apartments. For a local contractor, this means a shift away from the traditional Queenslander renovations we all grew up doing. Now it is all about specialised cladding, fire safety systems, and high-rise logistics. It is a different beast entirely.
Heavy gear. You need different tickets and different insurance to even set foot on these sites. The red tape is getting thicker than the humidity in January. [Note: Check if the QBCC changed the license fees again before posting this.] If you are not staying up to date with the new building codes, you are going to get caught out.
Small business vs big
David and Goliath. The current events in Brisbane are definitely favoring the massive construction firms that have the capital to weather the storm. Small family-run trades are feeling the squeeze in from every direction. We have the highest demand for housing in decades, yet the number of small builders going bust is terrifying. It does not make any sense.
Stay sharp. You have to be more than just a good tradie; you have to be a business whiz. Keep your overheads low and your eyes on the cash flow. The boom is here, but it is a hungry beast that will eat you if you are not careful.
I reckon we will look back on this year as the turning point for the city. Either we adapt to the big-city pace or we get left behind in the dust. It is a lot to take in when you just want to pick up your tools and do a fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay.
