Client Profile:  Tim Anderson, Anderson Group Building Surveyors and Consultants

Thanks for speaking with us today, Tim. Let’s start off with Anderson Group Building Surveyors and Consultants. Tell me about you and your firm.

I’m originally from Geelong, but when I was 13, my Dad got a job managing the Arts Centre in Mildura, and we moved up here. I ended up marrying a local girl, and we have two children. I used to work as a carpenter and played footy at the Mildura Footy Club, where I met the owner of a local building surveying company. He gave me a cadetship, and I worked for him for 12 years. During that time, I gained my Inspector's ticket, then my Building Surveyor's ticket and eventually achieved my Building Surveyor's Unlimited certification with the VBA through the official channels.

In 2010, I was considering my career options and decided to start my own business. It was a tough time as my son was only nine months old, and I had no clients.

So, what did you do to build your business?

To be honest, my former boss helped me a lot. He gave me a start in this business, and for that, I will always be grateful. During my time with him, I was the face of his business and formed great relationships with many builders. After I left, many of those builders I previously worked with started to reach out to me. It took some time, but I established sustainable relationships with my clients to grow Anderson Group Building Surveyors into the boutique business it is today. I have a small yet brilliant team. One of my building inspectors has worked extensively in Geelong and has excellent local knowledge. I also have two administration staff and recently hired a new cadet, a former carpenter. 

My wife, Simone, plays a crucial role in managing the company's finances alongside supporting me. Starting this company wouldn't have been possible without her unwavering support. She sacrificed her own career to contribute to the establishment of this venture. From the onset, we operated as equal partners, actively involved in every aspect of the business. Simone is my pillar of strength; without her, I wouldn't have achieved the success I enjoy today.

What geographical area do you cover?

Because Mildura is on the border, I hold certification in Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia. Broken Hill is the farthest North we travel personally. We work extensively in Geelong, where we have some fantastic clients. We have external building inspectors conduct inspections for us in that area. And, of course, we cover Mildura and its surrounding regions.

What kind of work do you do?

Anything that needs a permit, from shade sails to pools, sheds, extensions, various types of dwellings, and commercial buildings. We certify many swimming pools here in Mildura.

We are currently working on a three-storey commercial building, which is the largest project I have ever undertaken. The building is being constructed for a not-for-profit organisation and will house multiple departments and services under one roof. When finished, it will be a visually appealing functional building.

Actually, one of my questions was about an interesting project you have worked on. Could you tell us more about this not-for-profit project?

Sure. The building has three storeys, full bond decks, slabs, and a big lift well with polished concrete that’s already standing. It’s pretty impressive. 

I know the builder quite well, and we have a good relationship. They haven’t even poured for the first floor yet, and we would have done 50 inspections there already. Yes, that is a lot of inspections, but the site is only two minutes away from work. That’s one of the great things about Mildura: everything is close and convenient. it’s a good place to live. It is a minute triangle from my house, work, and the boy's school, so I’m fortunate not to be stuck in traffic for hours, and I get a lot more work done.

What motivates you to do what you do?

I didn’t grow up wanting to be a building surveyor or, for that matter, a carpenter. It happened naturally, as my Dad was working at the Arts Centre, and they had some building work going on, and the building company was looking for an apprentice.

Why do I like it? I really enjoy doing inspections. I love going out and seeing the end result. I did two inspections this morning, and when I reviewed my VA Sheet, I looked at the builders and thought, this will be a good day. And sure enough, the work is exceptional.

I also enjoy helping people and giving back to the community. I’ve had a few clients who foster children and needed a pool inspection, so in some cases, I’ve done this work for free. We’ve been very fortunate, so we like to help people. If a client is elderly or struggling, I do what I can to help them.

Sponsoring local footy and cricket clubs is another way Anderson Group likes to give back to the community.

What is a typical day for you?

I get up, make the kids' lunches, and then drive to work, which takes about a minute. I check my emails and usually have inspections booked. As I mentioned, I love getting out and seeing the clients, so I still like to do a lot of the inspections. Then, when I come back, I update everything in our VA system. I usually go home for lunch, and the afternoon can comprise a lot of things, such as meetings or dealing with any issues that may have cropped up. And, of course, managing the business itself.

Something very important to me is my clients. I've had some clients for 10 years. Often, when driving around, I'll pop in and say ‘hi’ just to show my face. I want to be present for my clients and maintain the relationships I have built with them.

What are some of the challenges you have faced?

For a long time, one of my biggest challenges was working by myself. I started a new business, and you often second-guess that decision to go it alone. I probably worked the first 8 years by myself, so the feeling of being alone, especially when making all of the decisions, was challenging. A lot of building surveying companies have partners, so they have someone to discuss and bounce ideas off.

The other thing is the regulations keep changing all the time. Just when you think something is right, the regulators add something else, and not only that, every state is different. But that’s the way it is, and you’ve got to roll with the punches.

How does technology help you in your role?

Technology is massive for us. Recently, we purchased two new tablets with tough cases that offer a built-in hand strap. They will give us more freedom when we conduct our inspections on-site using the iPad. Once the inspections are done, the results are synced with our office system, making the entire process smooth and hassle-free. Why anyone would still be doing it manually is beyond me.

We were talking about VA the other day because we have to keep an active licence of our old software system in case we need access to any old files or history. It is in the dark ages!

VA has been amazing for our business. It saves us an incredible amount of time. Gayle is amazing, and Jason is always checking in with us. Your team are great.

What would you like to see regarding technology that would directly impact how you do business today?

It’s funny you ask that because when I caught up with Andre in Mooloolaba, I think I shocked him when I asked him what he thought about using goggles or eyewear for the Inspections. He admitted that he had been working on a prototype project using this type of hardware.

I think drones for inspections like the pad footings and reinforcements will come into play. I’m excited to use these new tablets because they have much bigger screens and will be strapped to our hands; we won't need to hold them, giving us more flexibility.

How can one prepare for a career in building certification?

It is not a well-promoted career. My wife used to work in advertising, so we do a lot of TV adverts for our business here. It would be worth our Industry bodies starting to advertise, promote the industry, and recommend that students consider a career in Building Surveying.

Building Surveyors are an aging population, and every year, I go to industry seminars and hear the same people say the same thing. Nothing changes. The industry needs to change to attract more people.

Would I recommend my son pursue a career in building surveying? Although it is a great profession, it involves risk and liability. Additionally, the professional indemnity insurance required is extremely expensive, making it less appealing for young people to join the industry.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

It’s all about family time; we often go out on our ski boat together and stay on our houseboat. Simone and I are interested in property development, too. In fact, we have successfully completed a few commercial projects and built several houses in the last ten years. We are proud of what we have achieved so far.

You started life as a chippy. Where would your life and career have taken you if you hadn't done that?

Well, I really started my career working in Coles, or Coles New World as it was known back then; that shows you how old I am😀! I was living next door to the Manager at the time, and he asked me if I wanted a job.

I said yes, so he hired me. He was an excellent manager, and I admired him, but he was also fun to be around. While working as a cashier at Coles, I was offered a management cadetship. I enjoyed my job because I love talking to people, although one day, I realised I didn't want to continue doing it indefinitely.

That’s when Dad suggested the job with the Builder who was building the extension to the Theatre, which is how I got into my apprenticeship. It was very spur of the moment; I was lucky and given a good opportunity. Then, when I was offered my building surveying cadetship I did an associate degree in Building Surveying through CQ University and was the first person in Mildura to do this. Back then, CQ University was the only university that offered the course externally.

I am incredibly thankful for my career and am extremely fortunate to have met some amazing people who have mentored me along the way.

Lastly, would you be willing to share a few words about your experience with Visual Approvals software and how it has contributed to Anderson Group Building Surveyor’s growth and success?

Visual Approvals have had a major impact on our business. It has changed the way we do building surveying. I remember when I first started, Simone and I would be on the lounge room floor, making up all the folders for the jobs. Back then, we didn’t know any different. But now, having Visual Approvals is incredible. The job creation consolidates all the information, including the email history, into one file.

Moving from Dropbox to the VA Cloud is working much better. With our server, Dropbox used to go down, which could be quite frustrating.

I’m amazed at how Andre has written the program. He’s always trying to improve the system, which helps improve the efficiency of the staff and our business.

Thank you Tim, it has been a pleasure speaking with you today.