Through our own home-building experience, and conversations with other homeowners who have shared theirs, a troubling question keeps emerging.
Have we developed a culture of appeasement in Western Australia’s residential building industry?
Building a home is an enormous financial commitment. Understandably, homeowners worry about delays, disputes and the consequences of upsetting their builder.
Some feel more comfortable expressing concerns privately than publicly. Others may feel compelled to praise ordinary progress or avoid asking difficult questions, simply to preserve goodwill with their builder.
This isn’t a criticism of homeowners. Even confident, courageous people can become cautious when their home and financial security are at stake.
But this raises a much broader economic question.
How can a market function effectively when consumers feel unable to challenge poor standards?
One of the foundations of a competitive market is that consumers have reliable information, can assess quality and can make informed choices.
Businesses delivering genuine quality should enjoy a competitive advantage over those that don’t.
Yet in residential building, marketing claims can make it extraordinarily difficult for prospective customers to distinguish between builders who consistently deliver quality and those whose actual performance may fall short of their advertising.
When poor experiences remain largely invisible, and basic professional obligations attract disproportionate praise, the market receives distorted signals about quality.
That disadvantages consumers. But it also disadvantages professional builders who invest in quality workmanship, effective supervision, honest communication and proper accountability.
A well-functioning building market should reward actual performance, not simply effective marketing.
We need informed, confident and active consumers who feel supported in expecting the standards they’ve paid for.
Equally, we need effective consumer protection, transparent information and timely regulatory intervention when problems arise.
Consumer Protection, Building and Energy, and our elected representatives all have important roles in creating that environment.
Ultimately, raising standards requires more than legislation. It requires a culture in which quality is expected, accountability is normal and homeowners can exercise their rights without fearing the consequences.
That would benefit homeowners, quality builders and the building industry as a whole.