24/7 emergency building works across Sydney
Building emergencies don't wait for business hours. A summer storm rips sheets off a roof at midnight, a tree comes through a bedroom ceiling on a Sunday, or a burst pipe floods a unit block on a public holiday. When that happens you need someone who answers the phone, turns up, and knows exactly what to do to stop the damage getting worse.
Excel Building and Power is a Sydney multi-trade contractor with an emergency line answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our emergency team handles the building side of the job (tarping, propping, boarding up, securing and removing hazards) and, because we are also licensed electricians, we can isolate and make safe damaged electrics in the same visit. You don't wait for a second contractor before the property is safe.
Once the immediate danger is dealt with, we document everything for your insurer, prepare a scope of works, and carry out the permanent repairs across building, roofing, carpentry, plastering and electrical trades. One phone number, one team, from the first call to the final sign-off.
When to call an emergency builder
If damage has left your property unsafe, insecure or open to the weather, it's an emergency. Waiting until Monday usually means more water damage, more mould, higher repair costs and, in some cases, problems with your insurance claim. These are the situations we respond to most often:
Storm & wind damage
Lifted or missing roof sheets and tiles, damaged flashings, broken windows and debris through the building.
Fallen trees & branches
Trees or large limbs on roofs, through ceilings, across fences or against walls.
Collapsed or sagging ceilings
Water-loaded plasterboard, failed ceiling joists or ceilings brought down by roof leaks.
Major water ingress
Roof leaks, burst pipes, failed waterproofing or overflowing gutters flooding rooms.
Vehicle & impact damage
Cars into walls, fences, garages or shopfronts, and damage from falling objects.
Structural movement
Walls cracking or bulging, failed lintels, retaining walls giving way or balconies and stairs becoming unsafe.
Fire & smoke damage
Securing and weatherproofing after the fire brigade has cleared the site.
Break-ins & security
Smashed doors and windows boarded up and the property secured.
Electrical hazards
Water in switchboards, damaged wiring, exposed cables and torn-down service lines.
Not sure if it's an emergency? Call us on 02 8107 9998. We'll talk you through it and tell you honestly whether it needs someone tonight or can wait for a booked visit.
What our emergency response includes
The first priority on every emergency call-out is to protect people and stop further damage. Depending on what has happened, our team will carry out some or all of the following:
- Temporary roof covers and tarping to stop rain getting in through damaged roofs, skylights and flashings.
- Propping and shoring of sagging ceilings, damaged beams, unstable walls and compromised structures.
- Boarding up and securing broken windows, doors, shopfronts and other openings.
- Electrical isolation and make safe of damaged circuits, wet switchboards and exposed wiring by our licensed electricians.
- Removing debris and hazards such as fallen branches, broken glass, loose sheeting and collapsed materials.
- Water control by diverting water, clearing blocked gutters and downpipes, and identifying the source of the leak.
- Temporary fencing and barriers to keep people away from unsafe areas.
- Photo and video documentation of the damage before, during and after our make safe for your insurer.
You can read more about this part of the job on our make safe page.
Emergency right now?
Our 24/7 line is answered by our team, not a call centre. Tell us what's happened and where you are, and we'll give you a realistic arrival time.
What happens when you call
Emergencies are stressful. Knowing what happens next helps, so here is how a typical call-out runs from first phone call to completed repair:
- You call our 24/7 lineWe ask what's happened, whether anyone is hurt or in danger, where the property is, and whether power, gas or water are affected. If there's an immediate risk to life we'll direct you to 000 first.
- We triage and dispatchWe prioritise jobs by risk. You get a realistic arrival time and advice on what to do safely while you wait.
- Site assessmentOn arrival we assess the structure, roof, water and electrical hazards, and explain what needs to happen tonight and what can wait.
- Make safeWe carry out the temporary works needed to make the property safe, secure and weatherproof, including electrical isolation where needed.
- DocumentationWe photograph the damage and our work, and give you a written summary and invoice to lodge with your insurer.
- Scope, approval and permanent repairsWe prepare a scope of works and quote for the permanent repairs. Once approved, by you or your insurer, our team completes the work across every trade.
Why it matters that we're builders and electricians
Most building emergencies involve electricity. Water through a roof runs into light fittings and down walls past power points. A fallen tree can tear the service line off the house. Storm-damaged switchboards trip and won't reset. Many emergency builders can't touch any of this, so they make the structure safe and you wait for an electrician, sometimes until the next day.
Our team includes licensed electricians, and our electrical division holds Grade A Level 2 ASP accreditation with Ausgrid and Endeavour Energy. That means we can:
- Isolate damaged circuits and make electrical hazards safe on the first visit
- Assess water-affected switchboards, wiring and fittings
- Restore power to the unaffected parts of the property where it's safe to do so
- Repair or replace damaged service lines, point-of-attachment fittings and metering, which normally needs a separate Level 2 contractor
- Complete the electrical side of the permanent repair under the same job
Learn more about our electrical services.
Storm damage in Sydney
Sydney's storm season brings severe thunderstorms, damaging winds, large hail and heavy rain, and east coast lows can hit at any time of year. The most common storm damage we see is:
- Roof damage: lifted sheets, cracked or dislodged tiles, failed ridge capping and torn flashings
- Gutter overflow: blocked or undersized gutters pushing water back into eaves and ceilings
- Hail damage: broken skylights, cracked tiles, dented roofing and smashed windows
- Tree damage: branches and whole trees on roofs, fences and cars
- Water ingress: wind-driven rain through windows, doors, walls and failed waterproofing
After a major storm, demand for emergency builders across Sydney spikes. Calling early gets you into the queue sooner, and a temporary make safe stops a manageable repair from turning into a ceiling collapse or a mould problem. If your roof has been damaged, see our roof repairs page.
Emergency works and your insurance claim
Most home, contents, landlord and strata policies expect you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage after an insured event, and many cover the cost of emergency make-safe work. Every policy is different, so check yours or call your insurer. Here's how to protect your claim:
- Make it safe first. Don't leave a property open to the weather while waiting for an assessor.
- Take photos and video of the damage before anything is moved, if it's safe to do so.
- Keep damaged items until your insurer says you can dispose of them.
- Lodge your claim early and keep your claim number handy.
- Keep every invoice and report for emergency work. We provide itemised invoices and photo records.
We work with homeowners, strata managers, insurers, builders and loss assessors on insurance work. See our insurance building repairs page for how we handle the claim from scope to completion.
How much does an emergency builder cost in Sydney?
Every emergency is different, so we don't publish fixed prices. We'll explain the likely costs before we start and give you an itemised invoice afterwards. These are the factors that affect the price of emergency building work:
| Factor | Why it affects the cost |
|---|---|
| Time of call-out | After-hours, weekend and public holiday call-outs cost more than booked work in business hours. |
| Extent of damage | A single tarp is very different from propping a collapsed ceiling and boarding up multiple openings. |
| Access and height | Steep or high roofs, multi-storey buildings and tight access need extra equipment and safety measures. |
| Materials | Tarps, timber, sheeting, fixings and temporary fencing used on the night. |
| Electrical work | Isolation, testing and repairs to damaged circuits or network-side equipment. |
| Debris removal | Tree limbs, broken materials and waste that need to be removed and disposed of. |
| Return visits | Checking and re-securing temporary works until permanent repairs begin. |
If the damage is covered by insurance, the make safe and the permanent repairs are often paid by your insurer, less any excess. We provide the documentation your insurer needs.
What to do while you wait for us
Your safety comes first. While our team is on the way:
- Get everyone clearKeep people and pets away from damaged areas, sagging ceilings and anything that could fall.
- Stay away from fallen wiresAssume they're live. Keep at least 8 metres away and call your network on 13 13 88 (Ausgrid) or 131 003 (Endeavour Energy).
- Turn off the power if it's safeIf water is near electrics and you can reach the switchboard safely without standing in water, switch off the main switch.
- Contain the waterUse buckets and towels and move furniture, electronics and valuables out of the way. Don't climb onto the roof.
- Record the damageTake photos and video from a safe position. They help your insurance claim.
- Call your insurerLet them know what's happened and that an emergency builder has been called.
Emergency works for strata buildings
Emergencies in apartment buildings affect many owners and residents at once: water through a common-property roof into several units, a failed balcony balustrade, storm damage to a façade, or a flooded basement car park. Strata managers need a contractor who responds quickly, communicates clearly, and produces reports the committee and the strata insurer can act on.
We provide 24/7 emergency response for strata managers and owners corporations, including make safe, temporary weatherproofing, electrical isolation, photo reports and scopes for insurance. Read more about our strata building maintenance services.
Emergency builder service areas
Our emergency team covers all of Greater Sydney, including:
Not sure if we reach you? Call 02 8107 9998 and we'll tell you straight away.