Maitland’s housing boom and two major storm events nine months apart have Hunter tradies stretched to the limit and householders with damaged properties struggling to find workers to repair their homes.
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The situation also has insurance companies bracing themselves for a new wave of claims, many still processing claims from last year’s April super storm.
Master Builders’ Association Newcastle Branch regional manager Len Blakeney said the Christmas holiday period compounded the situation, with many trades people still on holidays.
He said the Hunter’s trade industry was booming, with many responding to insurance work from storm victims. Gyprockers, roofers and builders are all in high demand.
Mr Blakeney expected a new wave of work following last week’s big wet and appealed to householders with damaged properties to be patient.
With workers in high demand Mr Blakeney warned people to check the credentials of trades people they commissioned for their work.
“There is a warning there to be wary of bogus trades people and it doesn’t take long to look up details on the MBA or HIA (Housing Industry Association) web sites to find accredited ones,” Mr Blakeney said.
“People should get a couple of quotes, references and licence numbers which they can obtain from the Department of Fair Trading’s website.”
With some insurance companies bringing in their own tradies from outside the region, Mr Blakeney said he was trying to negotiate with insurers to use local people for local jobs.
GIO is urging Maitland customers impacted by last week’s downpour to lodge their claims as soon as possible to get their recovery process under way.
GIO spokesman Damien Butler said staff members were providing immediate help to those affected.
“Customers do not need to wait for floodwaters to recede to begin the claims process, nor do they need access to their home to receive help,” he said.
He said the Hunter and Central Coast were the worst affected regions accounting for half of all claims lodged to date.
“In addition to flooding, the vast majority of claims lodged to date have been from water entry through roofs and storm damage,” Mr Butler said.
So much work we can’t keep up
Maitland plasterer Brad Dilley reckons he could easily work 24/7 if he chose to do storm repairs.
Mr Dilley, of Maitland Plastering, said plasterers across the city were in huge demand, not only with storm repairs, but also with project homes, restorations and extensions.
“Insurance companies are giving us so much work we just can’t keep up with it,” Mr Dilley said.
“The storms certainly haven’t helped our workload and insurance companies have been giving tradies that much work that a lot just can’t keep up with it.”
Mr Dilley said he stopped doing storm work to concentrate on local work, which included renovations and extensions.
“If I wanted to do storm work I could work 24/7 on that alone,” Mr Dilley said.
“Tradies are that busy in Maitland that it’s even hard to get one to come to your house to give a quote.”
Mr Dilley said he and his two employees have bookings taking them into April.
Insurance companies can't keep up
A spokesperson for the Insurance Council of Australia said insurers were still processing claims from the April storm with 93 per cent of the 135,283 Hunter claims finalised.
The value of Hunter insured losses recorded by the insurance council was $949 million.
He said the insurance council was not specifically aware of the number of people who were still awaiting the completion of repairs and said any delays were often related to the availability of qualified trades people and construction materials, as well as the availability of policy holders to oversee work at their premises.
