Basements matter to the NSW Building Commissioner and he saw one in Wollongong he liked so much he wanted to hold an industry event in it.
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Commissioner David Chandler was in the Illawarra on Wednesday to check out the Novello development in Young Street, Wollongong, as well as the troublesome housing in Shell Cove.
For him the basement provided "an indicator of the DNA" of a building - and nobody thought to look there.
"When I started the job as Building Commissioner, they'd all say, 'oh, commissioner, come and have a look at the display suite, come and have a look at the display suite'," Mr Chandler said.
"I said, 'mate, the display suite is nothing more than lipstick on a pig. Let's go and have a look at the pig'."
![NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler on the roof at Novello in Young Street, Wollongong. He was impressed with the quality of the basement, a location he saw as "the DNA" of a building. Picture by Adam McLean NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler on the roof at Novello in Young Street, Wollongong. He was impressed with the quality of the basement, a location he saw as "the DNA" of a building. Picture by Adam McLean](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/4FavSveeQdYEHssZq5umRQ/44339b8a-7d02-4301-9274-93c309cdedf7.jpg/r0_0_5041_3361_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The commissioner's path down to the basement starts with the fire pumps outside and then taking the route fire-fighters would take down to the fire pump room inside.
At Novello he found the outside pumps hidden behind doors, which was preferable to the ugly site of them being exposed, good work on the concrete fire stairs and a basement that was a place he wanted to hold an industry event - so Mr Chandler could show others what a good build looked like.
Saying he had watched the Novello project since it started, Mr Chandler said safety was "a shocker" on his first visit but on Wednesday's visit he said the difference in the building was "chalk and cheese".
Maroun Taou, managing director of the builder TQM, said he appreciated the high standard the Building Commissioner had set.
"Development and construction involves a lot of widgets, and it's a matter of having those systems in place to produce," Mr Taou said.
"If you commit to a high standard, then that's where you capture most things. The commissioner has a very high standard he's created. He's placed construction quality up front. He's made it front and centre of building, which, where it wasn't five years ago."
Mr Taou said the Building Commissioner's focus on quality had eliminated the "fly by nighters".
"They put up their buildings, they wind up their companies and they disappear," Mr Taou said.
![The Novello apartment tower in Young Street impressed Building Commissioner David Chandler during an inspection - especially the basement. Picture by Adam McLean The Novello apartment tower in Young Street impressed Building Commissioner David Chandler during an inspection - especially the basement. Picture by Adam McLean](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/4FavSveeQdYEHssZq5umRQ/76ae3f20-1e48-47a9-91d6-12d1b55640c0.jpg/r0_0_6000_4000_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"We've been operating as one company, one licensee for 25 years and we're proud to be endorsed.
"The Building Commissioner is a very difficult person to impress, and he's come out here impressed, I think.
"I'm proud of my team that's working on this project. They work very hard to get to this level and if the Building Commissioner can leave a building impressed, then I think it's a good thing."
Mr Chandler said he had heard from builders and contractors how the Illawarra construction industry had changed since he began calling out shoddy sites several years ago.
He said owners of small building companies have told him how they're not being told to carry out defective work like they had in the past. Builders are now wanting to get it right the first time to avoid delays - which pushes out the ability to settle on sales.
"I went for breakfast this morning and another builder walked up and he said, 'oh, mate, our life's changed dramatically down here since you guys have been around'," Mr Chandler said.
"'We're not told, hurry, hurry, anything will do, whatever you get away with. Now they don't want to get away with anything'."