Risk of Inexperienced Site Managers in Class 1 Building

In talking to a lot of class 1 builders, one thing keeps coming up: many site managers in the volume home building industry are coming from retail backgrounds, often with experience at places like Bunnings and others. While these young professionals may have great customer service and organizational skills, they’re not always prepared for the complexities of running a construction site.

Site managers are responsible for ensuring that the work being done meets national regulations, including the National Construction Code (NCC) and Australian Standards. They oversee multiple trades, manage timelines, and ensure safety on-site. But when their prior experience is limited to retail, where they were more focused on stock management and customer service, how can they be expected to handle the complexities of construction?

The problem becomes clear: many of these site managers are stepping into roles with limited on-site experience, which creates a mismatch between what’s needed and what they can bring to the table. Volume home builders rely heavily on self-certification and have minimal mandatory inspections, which can be a risky practice when site managers don’t have the right expertise.

Common defects—like issues with waterproofing, ponding water in bathrooms and balconie—are often caused by poor design, lack of awarenss of how trade specificify impacts the entire system, and poor scheduling or sequencing of trades. For example, we see cladding and windows going on before waterproofing is completed, which leads to long-term moisture intrusion and other issues. This typically happens because of the payment structures in place for "lock up" stages, which pressure teams to move forward before waterproofing is properly completed.

So, what’s the solution here? It’s not about stopping young professionals from taking on site manager roles. In fact, these roles are attractive because they offer better pay compared to retail positions. But the lack of professional development and the support needed to succeed in such a critical role is where the gap lies.

What we need is a system that helps these young site managers transition from retail to construction with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed. Structured coaching and ongoing on-site training would help bridge the knowledge gap and make sure they understand the technical side of the job, including how to apply building codes, manage trades, and avoid costly mistakes.

The volume home building industry needs to rethink how we approach training. We shouldn’t stop young professionals from transitioning into site manager roles, but we need to ensure they’re supported in a way that sets them up for success and reduces risk for both builders and homeowners.

Love to hear your thoughts—how can we better equip young site managers? How can we improve training to prevent the issues we see too often in the industry?