How Much Does Your Building Manager Get?

I have recently bought a property on a strata scheme and have realised that the onsite building manager is making a killing!

Her contract was for $70k in 2000, but she gets 5% payrises (or CPI whatever is greater) and is now on $170k per annum - and it will keep going up!!! She doesn't do any manual work herself. Just calls tradies up essentially. I find this amount exorbitant, but I'm not sure what the rest of the market is like.

The worst part is, she's on contract till 2035…

I'm in QLD in a scheme with 80 lots, which are townhouses of various sizes.

How much does you building manager get?

EDIT: mistakenly put start date as 2010 - it was actually 2000.

Comments

  • +5

    Many developers appoint related parties as the strata manager when they sell off the plan. They give those mates a very nice deal, as it is left to the poor buyers to pay them.
    When the initial term is over, your strata body can appoint a new one, with a more sane cost. So make sure you turn up to body corporate meetings and agitate for this.
    If you want a benchmark, call PICA. They are a company the provides management services to a lot of strata bodies.

  • +2

    How do I become a Strata Manager ?

    • +5

      Is your relative an apartment developer? That is the surest way.

  • +2

    im a Strata Manager and professional OzBargainer and I'm on 310K
    I know the owner of Built, Dyldam, and old mate Salim Mehajer.
    Dont hate the player, hate the game.

  • +1

    Her contract was for $70k in 2010, but she gets 5% payrises (or CPI whatever is greater) and is now on $170k per annum

    Numbers don't add up! 5% increase per annum should be at $98.5k.
    I don't think CPI has ever been greater than 5% in the past few years.

    • My mistake dasher - the contract start date was actually 2000. I've fixed it up in original description.

  • ours $110k. on-site and can call, txt 24hrs if an emergency after hrs

  • -1

    Damn, that's a good job for not doing much.

    • I agree with you - it's disproportionate to the skills/difficulty of the work required.

  • 2035, sounds like a crazy number. She could be dead or not fit enough to work by then. In NSW, there's a 3 year limit.

    CBD Sydney: $133k building supervision + $39k management (but that includes someone on concierge mon-sat).
    South of Sydney: $87k.
    West of Sydney: $56k building management + $24k management fees. But it's a large complex, the costs are shared with the other blocks in the complex.

    I know another small strata, where the strata manager/owner has taken control and charged $10k to replace each window in the building, it ended up costing $1m total. The job of replacing the windows, he gave it to his friend whom I don't think is a tradie, at least not a career tradie. So, don't just want their fees but watch who are getting the jobs to do things.

    It's good that you're checking on the costs, a lot of people don't bother participating. I get warnings once in a while about the quorum not getting enough votes and they have to postpone the annual meeting.

  • Brisbane $139K. Only available 9am - 4am Monday to Friday.

    I checked it out because I thought that it was ludicrous, only to find out that a 25 year agreement was struck by the developer.

    • +1

      I feel your pain. The contract had just been renewed on mine just prior to me buying in! :-(

  • First of all, the law relating to strata (Body Corp) differs from state to state.
    Queensland is quite advanced because of Gold Coast in the early years started with all the high-rise.

    Secondly, many people get confused between various roles:
    - Building Manager/ Onsite Manager/ Caretaker ……
    - Body Corp Manager/Strata Manager/ Secretary ……
    - Body Corp Member/ Body Corp Committee ……

    Agree with Dasher, the numbers doesnt add up. OP, please advise your source.
    Very roughly around $1k plus-minus 50%, per unit, depending on the building module, type of building, number of building, infrastructure and facility, the duties and its complexity, and a whole heap more.

    My advice is to get involved actively and gain an understanding of the ins-and-outs. Also to read up all the Acts" BCCM, Property law etc etc.

    • My mistake pumpkin - the contract start date was actually 2000. I've fixed it up in original description.

      I've actually done a bit of research into body corp lately and it's been very helpful being informed. the strata/body corp managers have been really helpful in answering my questions too. Alas, I think i've exhausted my options at this point unless she breaches contract.

      • Good to know.
        Hope you enjoy this journey of learning.

  • +1

    I thought that management rights are bought and sold. Essentially peole buy thremselves a job. Normally they sell for about 10 times the yearly income they attract and they come with a managers unit in the complex.
    Management Rights (or MRs) are businesses that manage unit complexes. They consist of 3 components: a unit owned by the manager to live in; a caretaking agreement paying the manager to maintain the complex; and a letting business paying commission for renting units in the complex. When you buy MRs, you're buying a house, and a business, combined.

    • Do you know if the Body Corporate could sack or get rid of the caretaker/onsite manager?

      • +1

        ours did, they where on about 200k going up every yr as everyone says above. I don't know all the details but he wasn't doing his job as in the contract. I don't know if it was an agreed payout or forced out through the court system but cost 500-600k payout and was a special levy. now we have a new one on $110k and controlled now by the owners not the stupid original meritan apartments contract.

      • +1

        you can only sack them if they breach their contract i.e they don't do their job.

  • Not sure but there should be a contract with all the applicable duties and rules

    • yes I've got that. unfortunately it seems my hands are tied unless she breaches the contract by not doing her job. She actually does an adequate job, I just think it's disproportionate to her pay!

      • Do not forget that she has paid money to buy the business. I think the developer initially sells the management rights as a business. So part of the pay should be regarded as a return on the invested money.

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