App set to ‘revolutionise’ renovating
An app launched this week will revolutionise how Australians renovate through their purchasing, selling and disposal of building materials.
The application, BuildBITS, allows investors to have access to an “online marketplace” where they can trade excess new and used building products, cutting down on waste and disposal fees.
Created by Western Sydney builder, Neil Turrell and wife, Leisa Turrell, they said that founding this app was a means to address an inefficiency in the amount of materials thrown out.
“BuildBITS aims to address this inefficiency, help the environment and provide tradespeople and renovators with a dedicated service to buy building materials at low prices or monetise excess items that they may have lying around.
“It is actually cheaper for me as a builder to list a pallet of bricks from a job site on BuildBITS for free and give them away, rather than spend $280 to put them in a skip bin and dispose of them,” said Neil Turrell.
To use the app, a user takes a photograph of the surplus products, writes a short description and a desired price. This is then submitted to the online marketplace. There are no commissions or fees for either buyers or sellers.
Partners and supporters of this app include Century 21, Kennards Hire, CSR, Trend Windows, Actron Airconditioning, Clarendon Homes, Narrellan Pools and Bendigo Bank.
“Having been in the building industry my whole life I know that renovators and builders are often time-poor and tired, so for the service to be used it had to be quick, simple and easy,” said Mr Turrell.
The android app is free, while the iPhone app costs $1.99.