As President of the Australian Institute of Waterproofing (AIW), I spend a lot of time talking with people from every corner of our industry—designers, suppliers, builders, and most importantly, the installers on the tools.

And there’s a fundamental problem we need to address head-on if we ever hope to raise the bar for good.

Right now, for many, waterproofing on new construction projects is a job, but it’s not a viable career. A career implies a pathway for growth, where increased skill and experience lead to greater respect and compensation. That pathway is broken in our trade, and it’s costing the entire construction industry dearly.

I often ask this simple question, and I want you to really consider it:

“Why would anyone get into a profession where, as your skill and experience goes up, you aren’t acknowledged and compensated?”

This isn’t just a hypothetical. It’s the reality playing out on tender sheets every single day. On one side, you have a veteran installer with 20 years of experience. They know how to read plans, troubleshoot complex junctions, and execute a flawless application that looks like it’s out of a magazine. On the other, you have someone who registered a business name yesterday and bought a roller and a bucket on the way to the site.

In the builder’s mind, when they’re just looking at the bottom line, these two are often treated as apples for apples. The cheapest price wins.

This system creates a race to the bottom that is a great shame for our industry. The skilled professional, who prices a job to include proper preparation and meticulous application, is undercut. The contractor who fights to do things by the book—as I’ve heard from so many of our members—is told, “The other guys don’t do that.” The incentive to build expertise is eroded when expertise isn’t valued at the commercial level.

The knock-on effect is severe. We can’t attract new, high-quality talent to a trade that offers no progression. We risk losing the very experts we have to frustration. And for builders and developers, it creates a massive, unnecessary risk. A failed membrane doesn’t just mean a small repair; it means delays, disputes, and significant rectification costs that dwarf any initial savings from that cheap quote.

Changing this is a collective responsibility, but it requires leadership. At the Australian Institute of Waterproofing, we are fundamentally committed to promoting the changes necessary to make this trade a respected and viable career. We are championing mandatory accreditation, advocating for the adoption of clear standards, and developing educational resources to create a framework where skill and experience are not just recognised, but required.

The AIW will continue to lead this charge for our members and the wider industry. Our goal is to ensure that a skilled waterproofer is no longer an interchangeable commodity, but an essential, respected tradesperson whose expertise is rewarded and that newcomers should look to these veterans as a source of motivation and inspiration. That is how we will build an industry where people are proud to join and be recognised for their contribution.

By David Previte, President, Australian Institute of Waterproofing (AIW)

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