Client Profile:  Robert Mitchell  GMA Certification Group

Get to Know Robert Mitchell, Director of GMA Certification Group

What led you to a career in Building Surveying?

Building certification runs in the family, so I was introduced to it from a young age. Although I initially didn't have any interest in becoming a certifier, I began working for GMA Certification Group doing energy assessments and administrative duties. I was part of the team that implemented Visual Approvals, where my job was to digitise old physical job files.

After a five-year stint in the army, I returned to GMA in 2016 and managed the IT department for two years. During this time, I worked more closely with the certifiers and became intrigued by their work. In 2020, I earned my Building Surveying degree, and I am currently the Director of the company.

Can you share some background information about the company?

My father, Geoff, founded GMA in the late 1980s as a building design firm that initially operated out of our home garage. When the Queensland government privatised building certification in 1998, the company expanded into Building Certification services. Geoff had worked as a building inspector for the old Albert Shire Council, and he completed his building surveying studies just as the new certification regulations were being implemented.

GMA Certification Group has grown into one of the largest certification companies in Australia. What do you credit to the success of this growth?

Undoubtedly, the expertise and hard work of my father, Geoff, have been instrumental in the success of the company. Geoff's involvement in writing the building code, particularly for Queensland, and his collaboration with certification divisions across various Australian states and New Zealand earned him a solid reputation in the Building Certification Industry.

This reputation has been the cornerstone upon which GMA has built its success. Unlike newer companies, we do not rely heavily on advertising or social media to establish ourselves in the market. Our reputation speaks for itself.

What sort of services do you provide?

We offer a wide range of services, catering to a diverse client base. We work with various builders, ranging from volume builders to high-rise builders, as well as owner builders. Additionally, we are one of the few companies that are willing to take on 'as constructed work'. This type of work involves helping people gain approval for structures that were built without prior approval. Many certifiers shy away from this type of work as it can be challenging, but we are happy to assist. We don't discriminate based on the type of work we take on.

As building surveyors, we often operate in the shadows. After a building is completed, we are rarely acknowledged, but we take pride in serving as silent partners in the background. We are dedicated to helping individuals overcome difficult situations and assisting them in achieving their goals.

Do you have plans for future growth?

At present, we are content with our size and level of growth. We have around 50 employees working from 8 physical office locations. As any business owner can attest, managing a larger staff and multiple locations can pose significant challenges. In today’s climate, our focus is on consolidating our existing operations. However, we remain committed to expanding our knowledge development, and this supports our expansion into different states. Although we may not have a physical location there, our team is capable of performing the work remotely.

How do you manage the communications between your different offices?

Technology! Visual Approvals is our one central database, and it is hosted on our own IT Infrastructure. This means we are all working from one platform so that I can research a job in VA, and the Caboolture team can access the same information as I do. Our phone system is also fully integrated, with each office being an additional extension. Technology makes it simple for us to stay connected and work from one platform. It is particularly important for those situated in distant areas.

Do you bring all the staff from the various offices together at any stage?

Previously, we held an annual conference for all employees, which was a fantastic opportunity for certifiers to earn their CPD points. However, due to Covid and changes in how AIBS grants CPD points it has limited our ability to restart the conference. Nonetheless, we organise more office-based meetings and conduct tech training every two weeks to keep everyone connected and upskilled.

How does GMA attract building certifiers to work with them?

This is a tricky question because there is a limited pool of certifiers available. However, we receive some interest from people looking for a career change, so we train these individuals internally. Unfortunately, this does work against us as competitors may offer more incentives and lure away our certifiers. The field of Building Surveying is currently shrinking due to the retirement of many experienced surveyors. To address this issue, AIBS is attempting to encourage new entrants into the profession. Many of the more experienced surveyors are reaching retirement age, and the new certifiers do not possess the same number of license categories. This may cause delays in the approval process if there are not enough certifiers to complete the work.

Building Surveying is a very misunderstood role leading to misconceptions about what we actually do. Our professional bodies are working hard to promote and educate the community on the role of the certifier. It is important to make school leavers aware of this career path, especially if they are interested in the construction industry but don’t want to physically get on the tools. Building Surveying is a viable alternative to careers in engineering or architecture.

How can one prepare for a career in building certification?

Despite the negative portrayal of building certifiers in the media, pursuing this career can be very rewarding, especially if you enjoy research. To succeed, you must have a broad understanding of the entire building process. Many former carpenters, builders, and architects choose to transition into surveying for more career advancement prospects.

In what ways do you believe our national bodies can best support the industry?

Having a standard national framework would greatly benefit the industry as each state has their own set of regulations. Operating across multiple states can be challenging due to the need to understand the various building acts, legislations, and professional bodies unique to each state. The disparity between the states can cause a lot of confusion and difficulty in navigating the industry.

What aspects of your role do you find enjoyable?

In addition to Domestic, I have recently moved to work with more Commercial projects, which has been a refreshing change of pace. Being able to visit construction sites and witness the progress of a building is incredibly rewarding. Seeing a project through from its early stages to completion brings a great sense of personal fulfilment.

How do you anticipate the current challenges faced by the building industry, such as supply chain issues, rising material costs, and company closures, will affect the industry and potentially impact certification companies in the next two years?

The impact of the building industry challenges on our company will primarily be tied to the loss of a client if a builder goes under. Supply chain disruptions have not had a direct effect on us but have caused delays in some projects.

During the Covid pandemic, we experienced a surge in business due to the home building grant, which forced us to stop accepting new jobs at one point because we could not keep up with the demand. Whereas now some builders have slowed down, others are still steady, and others have disappeared altogether, which results in varying levels of work that are more sustainable to deliver.

Lastly, would you be willing to share a few words about your experience with Visual Approvals software and how it has contributed to the growth and success of GMA Certification Group?

Visual Approvals is our engine and the backbone of our operations. VA streamlines our assessment processes, generates certificates, and ensures that every step of the process is tracked. Since I came on board, we began taking advantage of its full functionality, such as generating forms and using checklists to expedite the approval process.

Gone are the days of spending countless hours compiling building approvals, as Visual Approvals takes care of it all. Our team uses the Visual Inspector app for on-site inspections, eliminating the need for paper files. I am particularly keen to use VA's default inspection report because of its integration of photos into the report.

As a result, we have been able to run our business more smoothly and efficiently, welcoming new staff members with internal training on Visual Approvals and allowing them to learn on the job.