To the Esteemed Building Regulators of Australia:

-Mr. Andrew Cialini, State Building Surveyor of Victoria, Victorian Building Authority (VBA)
-New South Wales Department of Customer Service - Fair Trading (Building and Construction)
-Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC)
-South Australian Department for Planning, Transport and Infrastructure
-Tasmanian Department of Justice (Consumer, Building and Occupational Services)
-Western Australian Building and Energy
-ACT Planning and Land Authority
-Northern Territory Building Practitioners Board

We, the undersigned, urge you, our dedicated officials, to immediately enact a mandate for professional roof drainage design within the building permit process for all new constructions, across every state and territory in Australia. This decisive action is vital to rectify the widespread issue of inadequate and failing metal roof drainage systems, a problem we face not only in Victoria but across our great nation.

The Current Crisis:
From coast to coast, our country's new buildings are plagued by severe leakages and structural damages, predominantly due to insufficient box gutter systems. These complications are largely born out of poor roof drainage planning, leading to extensive harm to properties and entangling homeowners and Owners Corporations in expensive legal battles.

The Burden on Our Tradespeople:
Presently, plumbers, many without formal training in hydraulic design, find themselves shouldering the complex task of crafting roof drainage systems. This unfair expectation not only sparks conflict within the trade community — including builders, architects, and designers — but also places undue stress under tight financial and contractual constraints.

Our Proposal -
Professional Intervention: Just as we rely on experts for roof trusses and other critical structural components, roof drainage design must be entrusted to skilled hydraulic engineers. By incorporating these expertly crafted plans into the initial building permit stage, we empower our building surveyors to verify both compliance and functionality, safeguarding the project before even the first foundation is laid.

The Tangible Benefits:

• Clarity and Cohesion in Construction: Well-defined, pre-approved plans diminish the scope for disagreements among the different professionals involved, paving the way for smoother project execution.
• Quality and Compliance Assurance: Tackling potential design issues from the outset ensures adherence to standards and elevates the overall build quality.
• Cost Effectiveness: The initial expense of engaging hydraulic engineers will be greatly offset by a decrease in later design errors, property damage, and legal complications.

Suggested Legal Revision:
In alignment with our proposal, we advocate for legal adjustments, especially in Victoria, to clearly define that the role of roof plumbers should be limited to the installation of roof drainage systems, rather than extending to their hydraulic conception.

A United Call for Action: We beseech you, our building authorities, to act promptly. Your decisive steps today can prevent further devastation and discord, cementing the foundation for safer, more dependable construction standards across Australia.

Join us in this vital initiative for a better, safer building future:

Follow us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for updates and support.
Together, we can build a safer and more reliable future for Australian construction. Thank you for taking the time to engage with this crucial issue. Let's make a change together!

Thank You & Lets Go!
YouTube
Facebook
​Instagram
TikTok