Defective properties, business owners drowning in debt and a dire mental health toll. What can be done to rebuild a broken building industry? Watch Insight episode Buildings Blocked on
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Buildings Blocked
episode • Insight • Current Affairs • 51m
episode • Insight • Current Affairs • 51m
This article contains references to suicide.
I have been in the building industry for more than 22 years.
My father and stepfather were both builders, so I have grown up in the industry and culture my whole life.
In 2017, my life hit a crossroads after battling severe depression and anxiety.
I had two choices — seek help or end my life.
The mounting pressures
The truth is, the construction industry is facing a lot of challenges — and builders are on the front line.
Their costs have all increased massively during and post-COVID-19.
Insurance, permits, materials, labour, and interest rates have all had huge increases.
But client budgets have not.
Builds are getting more and more complex on tighter deadlines.
Along with this, we have to deal with councils, building surveyors, architects, interior designers, engineers, as well as the clients before the building process even starts.
We then have to oversee all trades and suppliers, working within their lead-in times and schedules. Throwing the weather into the mix, it makes for a very dynamic, stressful work environment.
If you’re a builder with multiple jobs running at the same time on fixed price contracts, it makes absorbing these cost increases quite challenging, which I believe is leading to a lot of builders going insolvent.
Coming to a crossroads
In 2017 when I was struggling, my wife made me an appointment with her therapist.
Around this time I made the decision to get sober. I knew I had to stop drinking to turn my life around before it was too late.
I found being sober in the construction industry quite interesting — there would be comments like 'I don't trust anyone who doesn't drink' and so on. Drinking is a big part of our industry — it feels like you're missing on out on connection if you choose to skip the pub after a long week.
After going to therapy, I noticed I was bringing up conversations around mental health with my workmates, something that I hadn't done before.
Jamie says that more must be done to help tradies cope with the pressures of an industry facing a crisis. Credit: Sunny Coast Photos
Despite seeking help years earlier, I got burnt out during COVID. It was a really tough time for the industry. I had to make the decision to either take some time off or leave the industry altogether.
At work or on-site I would never show my burnout, or show that I was feeling overwhelmed, depressed or anxious. I believed this was a sign of strength — not showing any vulnerability — as this was the building culture I grew up in.
The toxic masculinity trait of not speaking to anyone about how you are feeling or how you are coping is the norm.
All of these factors and using alcohol to self-medicate and to deal with your problems is very common in the industry. It creates a perfect storm of avoiding the difficult but necessary conversations we should be having with one another.
I know there are builders right now that are suffering alone. It doesn't surprise me that one construction worker takes their own life every two days in this country.
The industry desperately needs to do more in the mental health space.
We have access to associations if we have legal issues or industry questions, but it feels like we have nowhere to go if we have mental health issues specific to our industry.
Finding my peace
After reaching out for help and starting therapy, I decided to start training for Ironman events, which led me to compete in the Ultraman Australia competition last year.
I found a lot of positive role models in this space — which led me to finding community outside of work — something which I think a lot of tradies can benefit from.
I found that training is the best form of medication and meditation for me, along with being sober. I've been sober for seven years and counting after struggling with drug and alcohol issues from a young age.
The motivation behind all of this was that I wanted to be a positive role model for the younger guys and tradies around me.
It was something I never had growing up in this industry.
But if my journey has taught me anything, it's that you don't have to drink or be the stereotypical 'Tradie'.
I try to have a good, positive work culture on my sites and surround myself with like-minded people.
Recently scaling back my work volume has also helped significantly — I now try to take on less stress and less risk and to create more work-life balance.
I can see shifts in the culture and removing the stigma from my father's generation, but we still have a long way to go. I'm hoping by telling my story it will inspire others and open up conversations around mental health in our industry.
Readers seeking crisis support can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 and Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 (for young people aged up to 25).
More information and support with mental health is available at and on 1300 22 4636. supports people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
And for more stories head to , hosted by Kumi Taguchi. From sex and relationships to health, wealth, and grief Insightful offers deeper dives into the lives and first-person stories of former guests from the acclaimed TV show, Insight.
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