Outly

Understanding the risks: Structural vs non-structural defects

QBCC’s Top 5 Structural & Non-Structural Defects for 2025

Defective work continues to be a leading cause of financial loss, project delays, disputes, and licensing issues across the Queensland construction industry. As a builder or contractor, understanding your obligations—and the most common areas of non-compliance—is essential to protecting your business and your licence.

Register now for our Brisbane Information Session to gain practical, actionable insights to help you lift your quality standards, avoid costly rectification work, and reduce the risk of fines or demerit points.

Not all defects are the same and they have different consequences. Understanding the distinction is vital as well as your responsibilities at each stage of the statutory warranty period.

We’ll break this down for you, including what you are liable for and when.

We’ll also cover practical methods for improving your business processes to prevent non-conforming or defective work and enhance overall quality.

We’ll show you:

• How to implement Inspection Test Plans (ITPs) and holding points for critical trades like carpentry (framing) and waterproofing.
• The importance of post-completion communication with your clients and how to document the handover (including clear maintenance schedules) to limit liability and effectively manage client expectations.

Worried about an active QBCC complaint? If a complaint is lodged, you need to know the rules. We will explain the QBCC process and how to handle a Direction to Rectify (DTR).

• The QBCC complaint timeline: What happens after a complaint is lodged, and your right to access the site.
• Responding to a DTR: Understanding the strict compliance period and the severe consequences (public licence record, demerit points) for non-compliance.

You cannot afford to miss this.

Our Speaker

Brendan Parkes | General Manager – Building Services

Brendan is a highly experienced building and construction professional with over 23 years’ experience across residential, commercial, civil, and aviation projects. He is skilled in project delivery, site and post-completion management, quality assurance, compliance with building legislation and standards, and stakeholder engagement.

With a strong technical foundation from trade-qualified carpenter to senior management, Brendan has successfully delivered projects up to $300 million, consistently achieving high-quality outcomes. He is recognised for problem-solving, bridging technical compliance with practical project delivery, and driving results from concept to completion.

In his current role at Master Builders as the General Manager – Building Services, Brendan aims to share his knowledge with like-minded professionals in the construction industry, providing practical technical advice to support business success and elevate industry standards.