Client Profile: Josh McGufficke AcroCert

What led you to a career as a Building Certifier?

I’ve been working for AcroCert in some capacity since the company started in 2004. I started doing odd jobs like sweeping floors, emptying bins, washing cars and assembling flat-pack office furniture.

Then in 2011, while coming toward the end of my Bachelor of Science degree and not knowing what I was going to do from there, I decided to give building surveying a go. I was an Administrative Assistant with AcroCert and managed to use the electives from the Science degree to start my Bachelor of Construction Management degree. I graduated in 2017 and shortly became an A3 Accredited Certifier. AcroCert was founded by my father, Scott, in 2004, so AcroCert is a family business!

At the launch of AcroCert, how many staff members did you have?

At first, Scott started the business on his own and later hired an administrative assistant. He then brought on a trainee certifier to join the team. These days, Scott enjoys partial retirement and spends his time sailing. As for me, I'm in charge of running the day-to-day business operations. I lead a team of 15 employees, most of whom are trainee certifiers.

How do you recruit 'trainee' certifiers to AcroCert?

As the building surveying industry is aging, finding qualified individuals from the open market can be challenging. To combat this, we decided to grow our own certifiers by training them from the ground up. I have personally trained a dozen certifiers, starting from zero experience and guiding them through the process of completing a short course registration for building inspection. Our trainee program equips them with the skills necessary to become fully-fledged building surveyors who can issue their own building approvals and act as principal certifiers. We are proud to contribute to the growth of the industry by developing these certifiers. Our program includes using the Visual Inspector app on the iPad, which serves as a helpful training tool. The app provides comprehensive guidance, making it an excellent resource for our trainee certifiers.

What courses or qualifications do the trainees obtain through your program?

A range of courses and qualifications are available to become a registered building surveyor, and the Department of NSW Fair Trading provides a list of recognised courses. The trainees we have at the moment are either doing a Bachelor of Construction Management with the University of Newcastle or a TAFE course, but they all have to do the Certification short course at the University of Technology in Sydney as it is a state requirement.

What attracts clients to work with AcroCert?

We are a family-oriented business, and at one point, the company employed my entire family. Therefore, as a family firm, we can be highly responsive to specific client requests, a responsiveness that may be less forthcoming from larger certification companies.

What do you love about the building industry and your role in it?

I am in a unique situation as I came into the industry with a legacy. I often say Certifiers are a 'jack of all trades and master of none' because we have such broad exposure to the industry. We see a project start from the design concept to the end when they see their dream come to fruition in the physical world. It is very rewarding to be a part of that process.

Given the current challenges in the building industry, including supply chain issues, rising material costs, and the financial struggles of some building companies, what do you predict will be the impact on the industry and how might it affect certification companies in the next 24 months?

Nothing will change for the building industry in this time frame without significant changes at the legislative level. AcroCert specialises in residential housing, which accounts for about 80% of our business, with the remaining 20% in commercial projects. As Australia faces a housing crisis, there is a constant need for new residential dwellings, but the challenge lies in the speed of completion. As a result, certifiers may face pressure as there may be a decrease in the number of approvals issued each month. This can impact the cash flow of certification companies since they are legislatively required to receive payment for their services before completion.

Would it be safe to assume that most people who pursue Building Certification have prior experience in the construction industry?

Yes, it is. Some of the trainee certifiers we have at the moment have come from a career on the tools. However, there is a misconception that our job only involves spending a short amount of time on-site completing an inspection. In reality, there are many other aspects to our job.

Could more be done to attract people into the role of certification?

Yes, the industry needs to clearly define the role of the certifier. Some people mistakenly believe that certifiers are responsible for every aspect of a building project, including compliance. However, our role is more specific: we issue building approvals, conduct critical stage inspections, and provide Occupation Certificates. We are not quality control or building defect detectors. Unfortunately, some people still believe we are responsible for these areas, which can confuse those interested in joining the profession.

What do you see to be the traits of a good certifier?

I have only ever worked in the private certification sector so can only speak to this experience, but the trait of a good private certifier is to balance morality with the legal requirements. You need to be accommodating without stepping over the line. When an issue arises, as certifiers, we are not responsible for solving the issue, but you can be proactive in facilitating the client in addressing those issues.

Do you have any tips for individuals interested in pursuing a career in building certification?

Focus on developing the skills needed to find answers to questions that arise, rather than memorising the building code. Knowing where to look for information is key. Keep at it and stay committed.

Can you share some information about how AcroCert has been involved in the local community and what contributions they have made?

The McGufficke household has always been a sporting family and we have participated in the local touch football competition sponsoring our own AcroCert team for many years. We're also actively involved in the Lake Macquarie Yacht Club, with Scott being a dedicated member and sailor. Supporting charities and local community organisations is important to us, as seen in our recent participation in Australia's Biggest Morning Tea.

What do you like to do in your downtime?

As a parent with young children, my leisure time is limited. However, I enjoy spending time in my garden and constructing or fixing things in my work shed.

Thanks for speaking with us today Josh. Would you mind sharing your experience with Visual Approvals software and how it has contributed to the growth and success of AcroCert?

We started using Visual Approvals in 2012, and I've worked with AcroCert prior to VA and after VA. 

Prior to VA, we used a series of Excel spreadsheets and mail merge documents which worked for the volume of projects we were doing at the time. However, as we grew, we knew we needed to manage the jobs more efficiently, so we started to use VA. We fell into the trap or mindset of 'we need it done this way, but Visual Approvals doesn't do it our way, so VA needs to change'. However, when I moved into a management role, I looked at what we were doing and thought, let's flip this ideal. Visual Approvals does much more than what AcroCert uses it for, so let's start changing our business model to use VA more effectively and efficiently, the way it is intended and set up to do.

This change did a couple of things:

1. Strengthened AcroCerts' relationship with Visual Approvals
2. Enhanced and changed the way AcroCert operates as a company

Until 2019 AcroCert operated with both a physical hard copy file and an electronic file in VA, so we used a hybrid system. This caused issues because the two files were never in sync. So, in 2019, we eliminated the physical file and did everything in Visual Approvals. Then in 2020, when Covid hit, in an instant, we were able to pivot and move everyone working from the office to working from home. We were able to do that because of Visual Approvals. Our use of the software has only improved from there. We've started building and using the checklists in Visual Approvals, and the Certifiers have been using the iPad. Hence, our inspections are far more consistent and in turn, our clients see much better service from our team. By all means, Visual Approvals has improved AcroCert's service delivery.

I have nothing but praise to sing for the Visual Approvals product, and Jason Bird is a credit to Visual Approvals.