Episode Details

Phillip Livingston is a trades coordinator at Vitaleese, a Melbourne-based home modification specialist working across aged care, NDIS, and private clients. They're a VBA-licensed builder, a registered NDIS provider, and an approved supplier under the State-wide Equipment Program.

In other words, they sit right at the intersection of building work, compliance, and the people on the other end of it.

This is a sector most builders never get exposed to. And after this conversation, you'll understand why that needs to change.

One in six Australians are now over 65. Within a decade, the over-85 cohort is set to grow by around 67%, pushing past one million people. The demand for accessible, livable homes isn't coming. It's here.

Phillip shares what it actually looks like to walk into someone's home — a home they've lived in for 50 or 60 years, raised their family in, built their memories in — and modify it so they can stay there. He talks about the privilege of doing that work, the duty of care that comes with it, and the cowboys who treat vulnerable people as a quick buck.

We get into the grab rail story that ended with a client's face on the floor. The ramp that was beautifully built and completely unfit for purpose. The Rose Bush that's been there for 40 years and why it matters more than the regulation. And the mindset shift that, if every builder adopted it, would lift the whole industry.

Phillip approached us to have this conversation. He wanted to talk about how it's done properly. That tells you everything you need to know about the bloke.

What We Cover

• The home modification sector and why it's growing faster than the people in it
• Duty of care, Australian standards, and why shortcuts hurt real people
• Working with occupational therapists, case managers, and NDIS frameworks
• The trust-building process — why the cup of tea matters as much as the install
• How Vitaleese earns the right to deliver work in someone's most personal space
• The cowboy problem and the clients who've been burnt twice — financially and physically
• What every residential builder can learn from this sector

Sponsors

This episode is powered by MyConstruct — construction management software built for Australian builders. Free 30-day trial at myconstruct.com.

And by Pay.com.au — head to pay.com.au/tgb and use promo code GOOD20 for 20,000 bonus points. Terms apply.

Connect with Vitaleese

Philip Livingston, Trades Coordinator, Vital Ease — Melbourne, Victoria - https://vitalease.com.au/about-us/