One of the quickest ways people judge a builder—intentionally or not—is by looking at their construction site. Depending on its condition, it can be a builder’s best or worst advertisement.  Site signs display your company name and details for all to see.

It’s a good idea to take the occasional look at what sort of impression you’re making on your current and potential clients. No one expects spotlessness, but an untidy site with rubbish strewn all around suggests that you don’t really care about what you’re doing, that you may be poorly organized and that this may extend to the quality of your finished work.

An untidy site can also create safety issues by providing trip and slip hazards, and can even contravene local and state environmental laws. Most local councils have laws which make it an offence for sand, soil, screenings, litter and paint washout to be discharged from your site. This includes footpaths, laneways and driveways. We may not think of these materials as qualifying as pollution, but the law sees things differently. Fines range from $250-$1000 or more. You may also be charged under the Environment Protection Act which has fines in excess of $5000. Cigarette butts, fast-food waste and empty aluminum cans should be obvious to you, and not be left to blow away in the wind. Better yet, recycle those cans!

While a building site can get untidy from time to time, littering the street and other people’s property is not acceptable. Master Builders occasionally gets feedback from people about poor site management. We take it seriously because we care about how our members and industry are perceived.

Play it safe by keeping what happens on your building site on the site. Conduct regular site cleans, provide bins with lids and make sure people use them. Our Green Living and Sustainable Construction training courses can help you manage your sites better. More information on this topic can also be found here. For questions, please call us on (03) 9411 4555.