The 5 Hidden Costs of Being a Waterproofer or Tiler in Commercial Construction

(And what they’re doing to your business without you even noticing)

Commercial work looks good on paper — bigger jobs, stronger clients, consistent work. But there’s a side of the story most waterproofers and tilers don’t talk about.

The costs you don’t see on an invoice. The risks you never get credit for managing. And the systems you’re told to use… that don’t work for you.

Here are five of the biggest:

1. You’re Strong-Armed Into Using the Builder’s CMS System Moonlighting as QA

You know the one's I'm talking about!

You didn’t choose them. You were told to use them.

Builder platforms aren’t there to support your workflow — they’re there to protect theirs.

And now, you’re managing five different platforms across five different jobs — logging into someone else’s system every day just to prove you’re doing yours.

2. You’re Double-Handling Everything — For Free

WhatsApp threads. Dropbox folders. Screenshot galleries.

Photos get snapped on-site… Then sent to the office… Renamed, sorted, uploaded into portals…

All so the builder can tick a box.

You’re doing hours of admin per week — unpaid — just to chase documentation your crew already captured. And when something goes wrong, that missing context? It comes back to bite you.

3. You Don’t Own the Information — So You Lose Control

Once it’s in the builder’s system, it’s theirs.

You lose the version history. You lose access to original records. And if they can’t find it when they need it? You’re back on-site… fixing it for free.

And no, they won’t reimburse you for the time lost.

4. Your Team’s Knowledge (and Your IP) Walks Out the Door

Most job knowledge lives in WhatsApp — on personal phones. And when people leave, so does your evidence.

Even worse?

You’ve got no way to retain what your team’s learning day-to-day. No system to pass that experience on. No record of who’s done what — and how well.

It’s death by a thousand cuts.

5. You’re Assuming the Crew Knows What “Compliant” Means

Most guys on the tools have never been trained in the NCC.

They’ve never read AS 3740 or 4654. They’re relying on second-hand info, quick demos, or what they’ve always done.

And that’s the problem: When the job’s non-compliant… nobody even knows.

Until someone’s forced back for rework. Until the warranty gets voided. Until someone asks for proof — and no one’s got it.

🔒 There’s a Better Way

This isn’t about blaming trades. It’s about recognising what you’re up against — and doing something about it.

Because you can:

✅ Keep your own records

✅ Train your team while they work

✅ Prove who did what, when, and where

✅ Stop late payments, rework, and erosion of your margin

Most trades don’t realise how much these hidden costs are dragging them down — until they stop.

If this sounds familiar… you’re not alone. And now you’ve got a way out.