Master Builders members stand the test of time

Master Builders Association of Western Australia (Master Builders) was established in 1898 when 20 small local builders met to discuss key issues influencing their day-to-day operations. Over the past 121 years, Master Builders has led the way as the peak industry association for the building and construction industry of WA.

We are a proud association and have many members who have been around the building and construction industry for decades and even centuries. During this time, they have built not only amazing homes and buildings but also fine reputations as Master Builders. As a proud association, we enjoy publicly celebrating the success of our members, especially when they reach important milestones. In recent times, I have been extremely proud to acknowledge members who have achieved membership status from five years all the way up to 100 years of membership.

Maintaining 100 years of membership with Master Builders is an outstanding achievement and I am extremely proud to have recognised and celebrated their milestone of at a recent ceremony.

AE Hoskins Building Services was originally established in 1911, and has grown to become WA’s largest all-trade building services provider. Arthur Edward Hoskins established the AE Hoskins brand in 1911, having travelled from England to WA. Arthur held Builders’ Registration Number Six and was a pioneer in the WA construction industry.

Established in 1894, A.T. Brine & Sons is a fifth-generation family business and their craftsmanship has helped shape Perth’s look and feel, constructing some of the city’s most beautiful homes and notable buildings including St Mary’s Cathedral, Winthrop Hall at the University of Western Australia, the State War Memorial in Kings Park and the Oakleigh Building on St George’s Terrace.

These two organisations have stood the test of time and developed outstanding reputations within the building and construction industry in WA.

In next week’s article I will unveil the winners from our 2020 Master Builders – Bankwest Excellence in Housing Awards, which is having its 40th anniversary and will highlight the best of the best in the residential housing industry in WA.

For more information about Master Builders Association of Western Australia, advocacy, services or to become a member go to www.mbawa.com.au.

The next time you are looking for a builder – ask yourself, are they an MBA Member?

Q&A with MBA Technical Adviser Romina de Santis

The Question

We bought a house a few months ago that we intend on using as holiday home for family and friends to stay. We are currently renovating the home, but we don’t visit as often as we would like. This week we received our water bill which was extremely high compared to the first, given we are not living there. How do we go about checking if there is a problem?

The Answer

I suggest you start by installing water tap locks and check where the water might be leaking.

Start inside the house. Look in the kitchen, bathroom/s and laundry for dripping taps. Look at the washing machine or dishwasher for leaks, and the toilet cistern by placing a few drops of food colouring in the tank. Without flushing it, look for colouring in the toilet bowl. If the colour runs into the bowl, then this indicates a leak.

Have a look around your garden at:

Outdoor garden taps and hoses

Garden irrigation, including sprinklers

Automatic solenoids and manual isolation valves

Exposed pipe work

Check your hot water systems and air-conditioning units, as well as your water meter.

How to check the meter:

Step 1: Ensure no water is being used in your house. Turn off all water appliances such as washing machines and evaporative air-conditioners.

Step 2: Read the black and red numbers on your meter. Record the black numbers from left to right. The black numbers represent kilolitres (1000 litres) and the red numbers represent litres.

Step 3: If the dial is not visibly moving, take another reading after 15 minutes.

Step 4: If the red numbers have changed, the test confirms there is a leak and further investigation is needed.

Remember all plumbing work carried out in Western Australia must be completed by a licensed plumber or tradesperson working under the direction of a licensed plumber. So if you find the leak, get a professional to fix the problem and ask them to give you advice on other water-saving options you could implement.

There are a number of great water-saving tips on the Water Corporation website. Visit

www.watercorporation.com.au.