$45,000 fine for Osborne Park builder

An Osborne Park-based building company and its nominated supervisor have been fined a combined $45,000 for negligent work that led to the roof of one house blowing off and another being badly damaged during a storm.

The Building Commission said today that Danmar Homes and supervisor Robert Williams had failed to comply with engineering details in the approved plans for the construction of two double-storey brick and steel roofed houses in Singleton, south of Rockingham, between 2008 and 2011.

Danmar Homes was fined $30,000 by the State Administrative Tribunal and ordered to pay $1,500 in costs, while Mr Williams was fined $15,000.

Both buildings received significant damage as a result of roof uplift during a storm in the Mandurah area in 2012.

The front of one of the roofs was completely blown off, with parts found in a neighbouring yard.

“Danmar Homes’ conduct resulted in significant risk of injury to public health and safety,” building commissioner Peter Gow said.

“Flying roof debris may have struck and seriously injured or killed residents and damaged property, especially with the storm having occurred during daylight hours.

“The two properties subject to this particular investigation are located close to the coast in elevated positions, so it is critical that the roof structures were constructed in accordance with the engineer’s approved plans, which did not occur in this case.”

Repair works to both of the properties were covered by the owners’ insurance policies.

It is not the first time Danmar Homes and Mr Williams have been fined for negligent conduct; the former Builders’ Registration Board fined the company $2,500 for negligence and incompetence in 2002 and $7,000 for negligent conduct in 2003.

In both of those cases, Danmar Homes had failed to ensure that a building licence was obtained before building work started.

Mr Williams was also fined $500 in relation to the 2002 matter.