Thread: Overseas savings on home reno's

Some of the worst problems I have had on jobs have been where clients bought cheap crap from overseas then expected their builder to install it. Unless you are doing the job entirely on your own, it's a false economy as contractors will charge you to put it in, then take it out again and install a decent quality product when it fails. Stay clear of Chinese tapware is all I can say.

Many of the "dongas" and other buildings used in new mining camps (particularly where the mine is wholly or partially owned by Chinese companies) are either built in China and shipped here, or are assembled in Australia from "flat paks" manufactured in China.

From what I've seen of them (I live in one when on site), the building materials don't appear to be any worse than those used in similar Australian made buildings (they're ALL pretty cheap and nasty), but I have to agree with solmanic - give Chinese plumbing and bathroom fittings a wide berth.

In particular, the "S" bend on their dunny bowls are much smaller and tighter than the Australian standard, and are well known for requiring a "breaker bar" or similar to "push" through some of the materials that they are intended to convey.

Also, their taps and wall exhaust fans are crap.