Slatter Group Western Australia goes into administration

A top Western Australian building firm specialising in construction apartments, public and commercial properties has gone bust.

Ernst and Young has been appointed to liquidate Slatter Group, which has worked on both government and private projects.

When Daily Mail Australia contacted the company for comment, the phones rang out.

The website is still live and says: ‘At Slatter Residential, we believe that forging strong relationships with our clients is the first step towards bringing their dreams to reality.’ 

The company which has been operating for 20 years was a finalist in the 2009 Telstra Business Awards as was led by managing director Mark Slatter.

It delivered a number of major education projects such as the Murdoch University Senate conference room, Penrhos College early learning centre and Aquinas College’s boarding house refurbishment. 

A spokesperson the for liquidators told news.com.au that they are ‘urgently assessing the position of the company and will be writing to the company’s clients regarding existing building contracts and reporting to creditors in due course’.

They confirmed the company has ceased trading.

Construction firms are still reeling from the impacts of the Covid pandemic with a global lack of timber and building materials being caused by choked supply chains impacted by the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

This has led to the cost of materials rising by more than 20 per cent since the start of 2022, with some items surging by even more.

Pine has more than doubled in price, while reinforcing steel, glass, plasterboard, fibre cement and other materials also rose.

Such price rises meant many fixed contract building projects were no longer viable.

Across Australia, hundreds of millions of dollars are owed by failed companies to subcontractors, tradesmen, clients and the tax office.

This month alone, major builders have collapsed in Tasmania, Victoria, NSW, Queensland and South Australia.