BUILDERS ARE CURRENTLY PLAYING PIGGIE IN THE MIDDLE.
“Builders are being pushed by Developers and their Project managers to complete projects, but subcontractors are not co-operating, which includes:
- Not following through their scope of works in accordance with the programme, delaying other trades;
- Poor standard of workmanship; and
- Failing to fix defects.
On top of that, I have heard stories of subcontractors holding the builder to ransom to either pay the subcontractor for monies they are not owed or they refuse to come to site.
Builders need to assess the performance of their subcontractors carefully and the current market situation before looking at terminating non-performing subcontractors.
Even if the builder terminates the subcontractor, it is also difficult to find a subcontractor to take over the works with the current labour shortage.
It is important more than ever to manage downstream contracts carefully.”