An Albany building supervisor has copped a $12,500 fine for poorly managing and supervising the build of a Kronkup home that had to be demolished.
Asher Daniel Arthur Schlager was fined by the State Administrative Tribunal for failing to adequately manage and supervise the construction of a single-storey home in Kronkup, between Albany and Denmark.
Mr Schlager was the director and nominated supervisor of Schlager Building Services, which was contracted to build the new home in 2018.
The site’s failings included misclassifying the soil, incorrectly installing a subsoil drain, and laying a concrete slab that had structural issues and unacceptable surface cracks.
A mediation process brought by the Building and Energy division of the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety concluded that the building deviated from approved plans and specifications.
The owners were forced to demolish the new build after deciding it “could not economically be brought into compliance with applicable building standards and approved plans”.
Building and Energy acting executive director Nabil Yazdani said inadequate management and supervision were clearly disciplinary matters under the State’s builder registration laws.
“A nominated supervisor’s responsibilities must be carried out actively and diligently to ensure building compliance and safety,” Mr Yazdani said.
“Although the homeowners in this case were able to access home indemnity insurance after the building contractor’s insolvency, they obviously faced significant financial and emotional impacts from this project and the eventual demolition of their home.”
Schlager Building Services, trading as Schlager Homes, was placed into liquidation in 2021, owing an estimated $2.75m to creditors and leaving about 30 homes unfinished, including five in Albany.