A Melbourne builder has grown annual deliveries from 215 to 402 homes in five years after moving almost its entire book into townhouses. The growth is the headline. How the work now arrives, and what it does to output per person, is the part other builders can use....
Every estimate, variation, delay and defect a building business records says something about how it actually performs. The widening gap is between the builders who read that record and the builders who file it. A building business generates information constantly....
Miss the foundations data and both states block you from recovering what it would have found. New modelling from Adelaide University puts a number on how large that gap can get. The soil report is close to the cheapest document on a residential job and it decides more...
The drip pricing measure being flagged to builders does not capture site cost allowances or provisional sums. A different section captures how a build is sold. Australia has a new unfair trading law. The Competition and Consumer Amendment (Unfair Trading Practices)...
In New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland the statutory warranty is not simply that the work will be good. It is that the work will match what the contract described. Most residential builders think of the scope of works as an administrative document. Something the...
The ceiling has not moved since 2007. Building costs have. A government discussion paper now proposes lifting it to $800,000, with the recommendations report due next month. Western Australia's Home Building Contracts Act 1991 does not apply to every home building...
Self powering homes are being pitched as the next step for Australian housing. The rating tool that measures them is already sitting on every new build certificate, and most builders have never looked at the number. Last updated: August 2026 A home that generates more...
Three new bushfire compliance documents have landed in three months. The more useful signal is what is happening to AS 3959 itself. Three new bushfire compliance documents have arrived in the space of three months, and the standard all three of them explain is...
Western Sydney University has launched NØBEL, the country's first ARC training centre built around digital platforms for net-zero construction. The headline material is a recycled concrete that stores carbon. The bigger story is a push to make lower-carbon building...
Of every tool a builder can put in their business, a customer experience program is one of the most critical. It is not the flashiest. It is one of the most important, and here is what it actually does. Ask most builders where their next job comes from and they will...
It is the number one defect in Australian homes. It is also the one that responds most reliably to good practice. Here is what the numbers say and what the next code change means for the work you are quoting now. Waterproofing is the most common serious defect in...
Most builders who struggle financially are not bad builders. They are good builders running businesses that were never quite set up to be profitable. Talk to enough builders and the same story keeps coming up. Full order book. Strong reputation. Good work. And yet the...
Mathew Vanstyn built a 15-person patio and renovation business by knowing exactly how big he wanted it to be. His refusal to chase scale is a lesson in risk management most builders learn the hard way. Most builder failure stories share a common thread. The business...
A charitable trust founded in Christchurch in 2015 has quietly become one of the most effective knowledge-sharing platforms in Australasian construction. Here is what it is, how it works, and why Australian builders should be paying attention. Most movements in the...
The Cook Government's Pre-sale Guarantee tackles one of the most stubborn financial barriers in apartment construction. The mechanics matter for anyone involved in delivering medium-density housing. Apartment development in Australia does not stall because builders...
Australia has a housing supply problem. You already know that. We have been talking about it for years. Planning reform. Zoning changes. Infrastructure levies. Approval timelines. Build rates. Housing targets. The National Housing Accord. State-level housing...
One of Queensland's leading builder brokers Emily Pollard on display homes, data, and the slow collapse of trust between builders and the people hiring them. There is a version of the construction industry that Australians still remember. Builders were respected. The...
Fixed-price risk, provisional sums, contingency buffers, and how to have the honest pricing conversation with clients without losing the job. Pricing a build has never been straightforward. But over the past few years it has become genuinely difficult in ways that...
For generations, construction has often been viewed as an industry built on independence. Builders started their own businesses, learned through experience, and carried the weight of delivering projects largely on their own shoulders. Knowledge was typically earned...
In an industry defined by tight margins, shifting regulations and relentless delivery pressure, one challenge continues to rise above the rest: keeping good people. Across Australia’s residential and commercial construction sectors, builders are still feeling the...
In an industry often defined by speed, volume targets and aggressive sales funnels, one Queensland builder is taking a very different approach. Rather than pushing customers quickly toward contracts, Avia Homes has built its reputation around something that feels...
For many builders, expanding beyond the capital cities appears to be a natural next step. Regional Australia continues to attract population growth, lifestyle migration and new infrastructure investment. But while the opportunity is real, the challenge is often...
In construction, the story usually goes like this: win more work, hire more people, build more homes, and the rest will sort itself out. But for many builders, success does not arrive like a trophy. It arrives like weight. That is the core message from The Good...
A Tasmanian manufacturer is betting that the next wave of residential building in Australia will be led by operators who stop chasing the cheapest option and start defending long term performance. That was the central theme in today’s Good Builder Podcast conversation...
By Aaron Ng, CEO The Good Builder Most builder marketing looks good on paper. Polished imagery. Big promises. Plenty of impressions. But when you strip it back, very little of it actually improves trust, changes perception, or attracts better clients. In many cases,...
Australia is no stranger to natural disasters. Bushfires, floods and cyclones have become recurring features of the national calendar, displacing thousands of families each year. And when disaster strikes, Australia is generally good at the first response. Emergency...
Why the strongest builders are focusing inward as the market gets louder Spend enough time reading construction headlines and you’d be forgiven for thinking 2026 is a year builders simply have to endure. Interest rates move.Regulation shifts.Labour remains...
A Better Way for Good Businesses to Be Found, Connected and Trusted We’ve said it from day one. The building industry does not need more noise.It needs better connections, better visibility and stronger trust. That’s why we’ve officially launched the Good Builder...
Why 2026 Is Shaping Up to Be a Standout Year for the Construction Industry There is something special about the start of a new year in construction. Sites are buzzing again. Diaries are filling up. Conversations feel sharper and more optimistic. Across the industry,...
If you want to understand where Australian home design is heading, you go to the source. Not the Pinterest boards or the display villages, but the research that sits behind how people want to live and why they choose the styles they do. That work is done quietly, more...
There are people in the construction industry whose influence extends far beyond product knowledge or technical capability. They are the people builders turn to when something does not make sense on site or when a problem needs to be solved quickly and cleanly. They...
When you spend your working life outdoors, you get a very clear view of what does and does not hold up on a job. You also get a front row seat to the small mistakes that turn into big, expensive fixes. That is the lens Rick brings to this Good Builder Podcast episode....
A Founder Who Saw The Problem First-Hand When Mark Corkery founded Onsite Scanning Solutions, it was not a business play. It was a response to the same frustrations builders face every day. After years working in scaffolding and design, Mark saw how often engineering...
When the new energy rules started rolling in, most builders asked the same question:How do we scrape to seven stars without blowing the budget? JG King asked a different one:What if we could make eight-star homes the default at no extra cost to the buyer? The answer...
Speed is the headline issue for builders right now. Every week, someone in the industry is talking about delays, bottlenecks or red tape. And while there’s plenty builders can’t control, one thing they absolutely can is who they partner with. That’s where trade...
Ask any builder who has been around for a while and you will hear a familiar story. The contract looked healthy. On paper there was eighty or a hundred thousand dollars in gross margin. By the time the last variation was done and the keys were handed over, the final...
In every boom and bust cycle one thing stays constant. Builders who know their numbers survive. Builders who do not, struggle, even when they have full order books and great brands. That is the space V2E lives in. What started in South Australia as a specialist timber...
Melbourne developer-builder Kincaid has delivered one of Australia’s fastest new-home construction turnarounds, unveiling a series of prefabricated terraces at Stockland’s Highlands estate that go from slab to occupancy in as little as two months. The project,...
In the current building environment, it is common to hear that success comes down to hiring more staff, finding better subcontractors or working longer hours. Yet for Sean Hewitt, Managing Director of Stonewood Homes Sunshine Coast South, the real advantage begins...
How ScaleUp Smart is helping Australian builders protect their people, improve culture, and operate with less pressure. There’s a long-running myth in the construction industry that outsourcing is a threat, a shortcut that replaces local staff, weakens culture, and...
Australia’s ageing population is reshaping the housing market, yet one element still lags behind in many masterplanned communities, social design. While builders and developers have made major advances in sustainability, accessibility and home efficiency, the...
Australia’s push toward lower carbon construction has taken an unexpected turn. Researchers at RMIT University have shown that spent coffee grounds, one of the country’s largest organic waste streams, can be turned into a functional ingredient for concrete that is...
Milwaukee Tool is strengthening its position in the professional carpentry market, unveiling two major additions to its expanding cordless range: the M18 FUEL™ 184mm Circular Saw and the 184mm NITRUS CARBIDE™ 24T Circular Saw Blade. Both products are engineered for...
Australian home buyers are showing renewed interest in energy efficiency, but the shift happening across Queensland, Western Australia, New South Wales and Victoria is far more selective than many expected. Customers are asking more questions about comfort,...
Why the move toward cleaner, smarter and more accessible bathrooms is reshaping how the industry thinks about water management Australian bathrooms have undergone a major transformation over the last decade. What was once a purely functional corner of the home has...
Australia’s construction sector is about to experience a shift that many in the industry have been waiting decades for. Love Reinforcing, a specialist engineering and project-delivery company, has announced a landmark partnership with Danish automation firm GMT...
If there is one thing most builders don’t talk about publicly, it’s what happens after handover. Warranty work. Maintenance confusion. Defect lists. Clients who swear they were never told what to do. The post-handover stage is still one of the biggest pain points in...
Australia’s housing system is under enormous pressure. Costs are up, timelines have blown out, labour is tight, and affordability continues to slide. With governments and industry now openly acknowledging the need for faster, smarter ways to build, one solution keeps...
Why Queensland’s official statistics portal has become an essential tool for forward thinking builders Every successful building business relies on good data. But while many builders look to private platforms for market insight, one of the most powerful sources of...
How builders are using predictive analytics to stay ahead of the market In the race to identify the next high growth suburb, timing is everything. For builders, entering a market too late means facing higher land costs, tighter margins, and more competition. Entering...
How builders and suppliers use national property data to plan with confidence Every builder knows that markets move in cycles, but predicting when the tide will turn is never simple. While many rely on agent updates or quarterly reports, those who want to stay ahead...
How builders can read the balance between demand and supply to stay one step ahead In a housing market where timing and location make or break a project, understanding real demand is everything. Builders who can see where the next wave of buyers is forming have a...
If there is one pressure point almost every builder talks about in 2025, it is people. Not just finding people. Finding the right people. Keeping them. And building systems so the whole thing does not fall over the moment more work comes in. On The Good Builder...
The five platforms helping builders make smarter decisions in 2025 Australia’s building industry is entering a new era of intelligence. Market cycles are tightening, clients are more informed, and the need for builders to plan with precision has never been greater....
Building Smarter: Green Timber Technology and White Picket Fence Forge Partnership to Halve Build Times In a move set to reshape how new homes are built in Australia, Green Timber Technology (GTT) has joined forces with integrated property group White Picket Fence to...
After two years of pain, insolvencies, and cost chaos, Australia’s major construction firms are finally posting profits again. But beneath the headlines of “builders back in black,” the reality is more complex and more telling about where the industry is really...
Australia is getting hotter. With 2024 ranked the nation’s second warmest year on record and 2025 expected to follow with above-average temperatures, the conversation around energy-efficient home design has never been more urgent. For home builders and designers, the...
“Toxic” is a word we hear a lot in business today especially when talking about teams. But as leadership coach Dan Urquhart reminded us on The Good Builder Podcast, most building businesses don’t start out toxic. They drift there slowly through a string of small,...
Australia’s Most Trusted Name in Site Protection Walk onto almost any major construction site in Australia and there’s a good chance you’ll spot the familiar Goop Guys logo, a mark that’s become synonymous with professional-grade protection and reliability. From...
Two years after the wildfires that devastated Maui, a new kind of community has risen from the ashes not just in name, but in spirit, design, and purpose. Ka La‘i Ola, meaning “the calm of life,” has become Hawai‘i’s largest modular housing community and the second...
A Melbourne based manufacturer is shaking up the Australian housing sector with a breakthrough prefab system capable of delivering fully insulated three bedroom homes in just a few hours for as little as $75,000. The innovative panel based construction method,...
A New Commander in Construction After years in conflict zones and political war rooms, Matt Moran has a new mission rebuilding confidence and capacity in Western Australia’s construction industry. As the newly appointed CEO of Master Builders WA (MBAWA), Moran brings...
Forty bricklayers, 250,000 hand-laid bricks, and a façade that revives a lost landmark, Multiplex’s Market Square project is proof that traditional skill and modern innovation can build something truly timeless. The Craft at the Core In a city skyline filled with...
In a Price-Driven Industry, Lauxes Grates Proves There’s a Better Way to Work With Builders What makes a good supplier in 2025? If you ask most builders, it’s not the cheapest quote. It’s not the flashiest brochure. And it’s definitely not who shouts the loudest...
Australia’s plan to deliver 1.2 million new homes over the next five years is facing a challenge that can’t be solved with land or funding alone, it’s about people. The newly released BuildSkills Australia Housing Capacity Study has laid bare a reality long felt on...
The Australian housing sector has always been shaped by innovation. From the rise of sustainable design to the surge of modular living solutions, builders have steadily embraced new methods to deliver homes faster, smarter, and with less waste. Now, a fresh wave of...
From Tradesman to Builder Every year, skilled carpenters and tradespeople take the leap into running their own building company. They have the craftsmanship, the drive, and often a strong reputation on the tools. But too many find out the hard way that being a good...
A New Era for Ceilings When people think about updating a home, they often focus on flooring, wall colours, or feature lighting. But one plasterboard manufacturer, CSR Gyprock, is asking homeowners and designers to look up. The company has just launched the Canto™...
As power bills climb, Australians are rethinking how they design and build their homes. More than three-quarters of households received a shock energy bill in the first quarter of 2025, according to Compare the Market. With another hot summer looming, hopeful home...
Every week we ask the same question: what makes a good builder? In this conversation with Anthony Hickey, Director of Two Tone Constructions the answers come thick and fast, not as theory, but as lived experience. Anthony’s a third-generation chippy who’s turned hard...
In Burpengary East, a quiet kind of milestone is about to be reached. On Maitland Road, nestled within a KDL estate, a purpose-built childcare centre is preparing for handover to its new tenant, Happy Hearts, and behind its thoughtful design and quality delivery is a...
When Dream Homes Meet Harsh Reality Imagine spending 12 months with an architect, shaping your perfect home, only to be told by a builder that it is hundreds of thousands over budget. According to Jared, builder and creator of B4UBuild, this is not the exception. It...
Australia’s construction industry is under pressure. Labour shortages, rising material costs and the push for faster delivery have created the perfect environment for alternative building methods to take hold. Yet while many speak of prefabrication as a radical shift,...
When we recently caught up with Aaron Hinkley and Bruce Robb on The Good Builder Podcast, the conversation turned to one of the most pressing, yet often misunderstood; challenges facing Australian builders today: thermal performance and condensation management. It’s a...
By TGB Editorial When you ask most builders where their profits are leaking, they’ll talk about material costs, labour shortages, or delayed approvals. Few will say “paperwork.” Yet across Australia, builders are losing days every month to manual admin tasks that chew...
When you sit down with someone like Anthony Jenkin, founder of Outlier, it doesn’t take long before you realise you’re not just talking about design, you’re talking about the future of how homes should be built. Anthony’s journey into building wasn’t a straight line....
Saturday night marked a milestone for one of the Australian building industry’s quiet success stories. Goop Guys, the protective coatings specialists trusted by builders nationwide, celebrated their 25th anniversary with a night to remember at Australia Zoo. Guests...
On a recent episode of The Good Builder Podcast we sat down with Shane Lutze, founder of Cresco Australia, to unpack how his team has become the go-to engineering partner for builders across the country. The conversation, recorded fresh off the back of Ryse...
How a humble electrical business is helping builders move faster, communicate better, and grow stronger teams, without the noise. The spark behind the partnership When The Good Builder launched, one of the first people to back the idea was electrician and business...
When the results landed earlier this year, Creation Homes stood out as one of Queensland’s fastest-growing builders. A 58% lift in growth, multiple award-winning displays, and a Master Builders Award for one of their very first client homes. It’s an impressive record...
For builders, the most stressful stage of a project isn’t the slab pour or the framing inspection. It’s the final stretch. The home is nearly complete, the finishes are in, and the client is already measuring curtains and planning move-in dates. At this point, even...
Why Cresco is fast becoming one of the most respected names in structural engineering, and how one smart slab solution changed everything. By TGB Editorial Published on The Good Builder 📩 https://www.cresco-group.com.au/ When RYSE Constructions hit their 100th slab...
The many lives of Alex Quirke Some people wear one hat and wear it well. Alex Quirke wears several and each one seems to make him sharper in the others. By day, he’s Business Development Manager at Avia Homes, a builder that’s rocketing through Queensland’s housing...
Building a home in just five weeks may sound like a marketing gimmick. But for NXT TEC. founders Natasha Di Ciano and Mataki O’Goshi Lim, it’s a reality they believe is critical to solving Australia’s housing shortage and part of a bigger global challenge. “We...
Australia’s housing crisis isn’t just about land supply, material costs, or red tape. It’s also about people and right now, the industry doesn’t have enough of them. Under the federal government’s Housing Accord, states and territories are expected to deliver 1.2...
In the world of construction, the best innovations often start where few expect in a garage, with a big idea, a bit of stubbornness, and a lot of trial and error. For Sunshine Coast couple Kirstee and Shane, the founders of Goop Guys, that combination turned a small...
Running a business is often compared to a battle. We talk about “market share wars,” “winning clients,” and “beating the competition.” But Ali Mamujee, founder of The Moat newsletter, offers a different metaphor, one that resonates deeply with builders, trades, and...
The wait is over...the Goop Guys are officially hitting the road as the 2025 Dunga Rally kicks off tomorrow, 21 August. This year, the rally means more than just dusty roads and backcountry detours. For the Goop team, it’s a family affair and a mission with purpose....
Culture That Actually Works Without the Clichés Ask any builder or supplier what culture means, and you’ll get a mix of answers. Morning smoko chats. Friday knockoffs. Maybe a values poster stuck to the office wall. But for Brendan, General Manager at Lauxes Grates,...
Handover is not the finish line For most builders, once the job is done and the keys are handed over, it’s straight onto the next site. But here’s what smart operators know:The period after handover is a missed opportunity if you go quiet. Clients are settling into...
Why every great build starts with the right question Most builders kick off with square metres, number of bedrooms, or what fits on the block. But Duayne Pearce thinks there’s a better way to start. A more powerful way. “It’s not about how many bedrooms you want. It’s...
A quiet but costly issue is surfacing across Australian construction sites, and it’s not the trade shortage, interest rates or delays. It’s waste. According to the Green Building Council of Australia, an estimated $65 billion worth of construction materials will go to...
A Career Built on Curiosity and Collaboration Recently we had the pleasure of sitting down with Phil Densley, Client, Brand, and Marketing Manager at Atrio Property. For Phil the journey into property and development has been one of curiosity, creativity, and a...
On the same day they celebrated a major milestone, their 100th BIAX Foundations slab, RYSE Construction launched an initiative that proves leadership in this industry goes far beyond bricks and mortar. It’s called RYSE Up, and it’s about taking a stand against...
What do the Colosseum, Roman aqueducts, and your next new home have in common? If you ask Stephan Van der Walt, founder of Walt Construction and former pro rugby player turned Sunshine Coast custom builder — they all should be built to last for centuries. “There are...
Why knowing your overheads, project pipeline and job duration could be the difference between profit and pain. You’re Not Broke Because You’re Slow. You’re Broke Because You’re Blind. It’s a story we’ve heard time and time again at The Good Builder: A builder has a...
Matt Sim still remembers his first real building job: digging footings with a shovel, boxing up slabs, and climbing on roofs before he’d even turned 18. “We did the lot,” he says. “Digging, framing, plastering, even the tiling. Back then, you didn’t just learn...
At Elridge Estate in Jimboomba, the sun shone on more than a slab pour. It illuminated what true collaboration looks like, a developer, a builder, suppliers, engineers, and trades all standing together to celebrate an achievement that speaks volumes about what can be...
You don’t need an agency. You need a system. If you’re running jobs, managing teams, and quoting new work, chances are your social media is inconsistent — or non-existent. But in today’s building game, visibility equals credibility. And credibility wins trust. This...
By The Good Builder Every builder wants the same thing at handover: a happy client and a smooth job behind them. But too often, the little things — like unresolved electrical decisions or last-minute variations — become the problems that derail timelines, frustrate...
In an industry under constant pressure, building businesses often focus on getting the next job done. But according to leadership coach Dan Urquhart, too many builders are missing what really determines long-term success, the culture they create inside their business....
We have examined the government’s plan to underwrite housing development in New South Wales. Here is our view on its potential, its limitations, and the questions that remain for builders and the sector at large. Summary The NSW Government’s $1 billion pre-sale...
In the building and construction industry, success too often depends on how well you can cope with chaos. Builders and business owners push through stress, manage personality clashes, juggle client demands and deal with endless daily challenges. But what if the...
By The Good Builder In an industry grappling with rising build costs, labour shortages, and time-poor supervisors, the strength of builder–trade relationships is being tested more than ever. And according to Alan Brannick, founder of New Home Electrical Specialist,...
Summary: From today, apprentices working in construction trades can access $10,000 in government incentives, part of the Albanese Government’s plan to ease cost-of-living pressures, strengthen the workforce, and help deliver 1.2 million new homes over five years. New...
By Aaron Ng, Founder – The Good Builder For a generation of Aussies, Eagle Boys Pizza wasn’t just a place to grab a feed. It was iconic. A pink eagle mascot. Drive-through pizza. Two-minute guarantees. Aussie humour that punched through the noise. But by 2017, the...
In the world of residential construction, what sets a trusted builder apart isn’t just the finished product — it’s how clients are guided through the journey. Aaron Ng, CEO of The Good Builder, saw this firsthand during his time with G.J. Gardner Homes. “When we...
If you’re a builder or work in a residential sales team, here’s a free tool you might not have heard of — but absolutely should be using. It’s called Planning Alerts, and while it looks like a modest little site, it’s quietly doing something that could help you find...
The future of Australian building needs a stronger foundation, and a new industry-led initiative has just stepped up to the challenge. A new not-for-profit organisation, the Sustainable Foundations Group (SFG), has officially launched, spearheaded by three industry...
By Aaron Ng, The Good Builder Summary: Everyone uses the word “trusted” now. But back in 2015, nobody was. That’s when we launched a builder campaign that sparked a shift, and helped a national network rally behind one message that meant something real. ⸻ It started...
By Aaron Ng, The Good Builder Summary: Most builders think brand is a logo or a website. But in reality, your brand is what clients feel when they work with you. Here’s what I learned from one of the most powerful builders’ brand campaigns of the last decade — and how...
Sunshine Coast event helps builders unlock real value and connect with industry Members of Master Builders Queensland on the Sunshine Coast are invited to a relaxed networking event on Monday, June 30, designed to help local builders and trades get more from their...
Summary: Western Australia has just launched one of the most accessible construction loans in the country – a new government-backed product that allows home buyers to build with just a 2% deposit and $400 monthly payments during the build. The loan is tailored...
Exploring the value of OpenLot’s Buyer Index In today’s dynamic residential construction market, getting the right product to the right buyer is critical to success. Yet many builders and marketers are still relying on outdated data, old assumptions, and anecdotal...
Summary: The New South Wales Government’s latest Women in Construction industry survey is now open and it is not just for women. Builders and trades across the sector are encouraged to have their say on workplace culture, diversity, and the changes needed to build a...
Building for the Future event shows how open conversations can drive industry progress At a time when residential construction is facing both exciting opportunities and serious challenges, the value of connected, informed industry communities has never been higher....
In today’s building market, speed and reputation are paramount, particularly for Tier 1 builders operating at scale. Yet one area that continues to create inefficiencies and risk is the traditional approach to cladding and external wall systems. The typical process,...
Summary: Australia’s luxury property market is defying the broader housing slowdown — with sales of $5 million-plus homes surging more than 55 per cent since 2020. It is a trend that signals growing demand for aspirational design and high-spec homes, and it holds a...
Summary: Ipswich is fast becoming one of Queensland’s hottest building markets, with the newly released Ipswich City Plan 2025 signalling unprecedented growth for the western corridor of Brisbane. From major new residential estates and catalytic infrastructure to...
In an industry where staff turnover is expected and burnout is commonplace, Murphy Group is writing a different story — one built on relationships, loyalty, and genuine leadership. Today, the business boasts 14 team members who’ve been there for over a decade,...
When you’ve been in the building game for more than four decades, you pick up a few sayings. For Craig Stuart—known affectionately as The Godfather—one phrase has become part of the daily language on site: “Is it Craig good?” It started as banter. A playful jab from...
There’s a simple truth in our industry; it’s easy to talk about mental health, but it’s a lot harder to create the spaces where those conversations actually happen. That’s why we started TGB Fridays, and why last Friday night’s very first event on the Sunshine Coast...
For decades, Australia’s residential construction landscape has been dominated by volume builders. With expansive display villages, large-scale advertising campaigns, and strong brand recognition, these companies shaped what building a home looked like for the average...
In collaboration with ScaleUp Smart. After a long day on the tools, the last thing most builders want is to spend their nights quoting, invoicing, or chasing paperwork. Yet for many small construction businesses, this is still the norm. It’s a grind that keeps the...
Good Builders Don’t Just Follow the Code…They Set the Standard Featuring Craig Stewart, Stuart Homes & Renovations “If you’re building to code, you’re building the bare minimum. That’s just crossing the line — not raising the bar.” — Craig Stewart, Stuart Homes...
In an industry where hard hats are mandatory and vulnerability is often masked behind bravado, a new campaign is using rugby league to tackle an invisible crisis head-on. You’ll Never Walk Alone: Why Culture and Communication Matter on Site On construction sites...
In an industry where hard hats are mandatory and vulnerability is often masked behind bravado, a new campaign is using rugby league to tackle an invisible crisis head-on. From Apprentice to Advocate: Craig Stewart’s 40-Year Journey Through the Trades “If someone asked...
Today marks the launch of something special: TGB Fridays. More than a meet-up, TGB Fridays is a movement — a growing initiative from The Good Builder that brings builders, suppliers, and trades together for connection, conversation, and a bit of well-earned downtime....
Rik Rushton shares why proactive communication is a builder’s greatest asset — and how to do it better. It’s not often you leave a talk at a building industry event and immediately start changing how you run your business. But that’s exactly what happened when Rik...
When most people think of carpentry, they picture the tools—the hammer, the nails, the timber. But at Carpentry Australia, the mission goes far beyond the tools. It’s about the people holding them. Speaking on The Good Builder Podcast, Nathan Quinn, one of the voices...
For years, Dan Urquhart built homes — and by all accounts, he built them well. He ran one of the most respected franchises in his group, sat on panels, and was flown across the country to share insights with fellow builders. But behind the site photos and polished...
This Friday, May 30, something big is happening in Brisbane — and if you’re a builder, tradie, or construction pro who’s serious about levelling up your business, mindset, and network, you need to be there. The Level Up Experience hosted by Duayne Pearce is a...
In most industries, “meeting the standard” would be cause for celebration. In construction, it should be the starting point — not the destination. Yet time and time again, clients are told that their concerns are invalid because something has been built “to code.” For...
It starts with the statement “Not all heroes wear capes…” A tongue-in-cheek superhero moment that quickly transforms into a sharp, surprisingly heartfelt message to the market: the homes are ready, the blocks are registered, the buyers just need to act. This isn’t...
The building industry is entering another transition. Projects are slowing, interest rates are biting, and homeowners are hesitating. For some, it feels like the wind has gone out of the sails. But for those paying attention, this moment presents something else...
The home building industry doesn’t lack effort...it often lacks clarity. If you’re a builder frustrated with inconsistent results from your sales or operational team, this one’s for you. Anthony Kirby, known to The Good Builder crew as “AK”, dropped a gem during our...
2025 is shaping up to be a strong year for residential construction across Australia. According to the latest PropTrack Home Price Index (April 2025), housing values are rising in every capital city, with regional markets in Queensland and South Australia leading the...
Today, we’re pausing from the noise. No market updates, no budget breakdowns, no commentary on approvals or the housing crisis. Because this Sunday is reserved for something more important, the women who laid the first foundations for our lives: our mums. In...
On Wednesday, May 14, 2025, from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM AEST, STIEBEL ELTRON Australia is hosting an insightful event titled “Building for the Future” at their Port Melbourne location. This afterwork session is designed to delve into the upcoming changes in the National...
Day 1 is done — and what a brilliant way to kick things off. The halls of ICC Sydney were packed from the start, buzzing with builders, tradies, suppliers, architects, and project managers from across the country. From keynote...
Illegal Dumping Costs One Council $2.3 Million a Year As Australia races to meet ambitious housing targets, an ugly side effect is emerging across the urban fringe: illegal dumping. In the City of Melton on the outskirts of Melbourne—one of Australia’s fastest-growing...
Empathy and Aggression: The Two Traits Every Modern Builder Needs “You need to be empathetic. But you also need to be aggressive — in pricing, in marketing, and in delivery. That’s the paradox of being a good builder.” — Greg McGee, Director, Ryse Constructions In an...
We're big fans of the Level Up Podcast and thought we'd share a few of our insights from a recent podcast from Duayne. In the latest episode of Level Up with Duayne Pearce, Duayne sits down with holistic health coach Hector Del Nido, and it couldn’t have come at a...
In our industry, where stress, pressure, and tough times are par for the course, knowing there’s someone on the other end of the line can make all the difference. That’s why we reckon that TIACS is doing a great thing. TIACS - The Home of Blue Collar Counselling , ,...
Two nests of the invasive red imported fire ant has been detected and destroyed in Harmony Estate in Palmview on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, raising concerns across the construction industry and local communities. The detection, confirmed by Biosecurity Queensland,...
The Queensland Government has kicked off a wide-reaching inquiry into the productivity of the state’s building and construction sector, a move that could reshape how projects are approved, delivered, and managed for years to come. Under direction from Treasurer and...
What if you could design a home from your laptop…and have it built, delivered, and assembled at a fraction of today's build costs? At The Good Builder, we’ll always keep a close eye on developments that could reshape the way homes are conceived and constructed and how...
We probably shouldn’t start this by talking about procedures, cashflow forecasts, or onboarding systems but if you're trying to grow a building business without burning out, this one's an honest look. Aletha Walters and her husband Slade run Stroud Homes Wide Bay one...
Not everyone wants to talk about ventilation systems or VOCs. Fair enough. Although if your clients are coughing through winter, paying a fortune on bills, or stuck in a mouldy rental, this one is worth sticking with. The industry talks a lot about affordable homes or...
Pete Love from The Good Builder joined Duayne Pearce on the Level Up Podcast, raising a heap of issues the industry’s already talking about, but not nearly enough is being done to fix. This is one of them. Who is ready to talk about high school? For most of us, it’s a...
We’ve all seen it. The client who starts calling every second day. The one who drives past the site three times a week (or more!). Maybe even the one who jumps the fence, pokes around, and sends you a 3-paragraph text well after hours. The point is that everyone can...
Not everyone’s keen to talk business systems, cash flow, and franchise models, but this one’s worth a listen. In the latest episode of The Good Builder Interview Series, we sat down with Aletha and Slade Walters, the powerhouse couple behind Stroud Homes Wide Bay....
If you're running a building business, chances are you didn’t start out thinking, “I want to do everything myself forever.” But if you’re the one still solving every problem, carrying every bit of risk, and putting out every fire well, you’re not alone. “I’d built a...
This one might hit home, especially if you’ve ever thought about scaling your building business or standing out in a crowded market. A bit more about what we talked about on the pod last week. A few years back, I found myself in the middle of a pretty wild experiment....
We all love a hot lead. The phone rings, someone wants to build. They’ve got land, maybe even a floorplan they found online and a Pinterest board ready too. You drop what you’re doing, scribble down a few notes, chase up pricing, maybe book a site visit or get on the...
I don’t know if I’ve chatted about it on the pod yet, but I love getting out for a fish. Not that I catch much… but I’ve caught a few customers in my time. Not everyone wants to talk about marketing, but you probably know me well enough now that I do. I get it though....
Builder brokers are popping up everywhere. If you’re a builder, especially a smaller one looking to grow, you’ve probably already crossed paths with one. Maybe you’ve had a great experience, or maybe you’ve been left scratching your head wondering who’s talking to the...
We’ve just dropped our latest chat on Spotify with Chris Baptista, founder of HOMES by CMA and trust us, this one’s a cracking interview. Chris runs a business that’s built different. From pouring the slab on his first spec home with his dad to now leading a company...
Not everyone’s talking about passive design, air tightness, or thermal bridging over a beer but for those who are working developing the future built environment and the next generation of Australian homes, it’s starting to matter. More and more Aussie builders are...
Not everyone’s interested in contracts and paperwork, but this one might be worth a closer look. A QCAT decision earlier this year sent a very strong message to builders, all because of one missing document: the Consumer Building Guide. We've covered this topic a...
You’ve probably heard the saying, “Bigger isn’t always better.” Well, in this week’s chat with Kenny Myers from MyCladders, we reckon he made a great case for it. Kenny’s been in the game for a while. He started out lugging furniture, found his way into roofing and...
We know that the majority of builders got into the industry because they love building way more than the fluff. That said, there’s a quiet kind of marketing that happens on site. No loud ads, no clever reels, no glossy brochures. Just the way you show up for your...
With increased density being pushed by State Governments, the townhouse and medium density space holds significant opportunity. But it isn’t without it’s challenges. Few know the ins and outs of medium density construction better than Ryan Lee, the...
“If we want the industry to get better, we have to get better,” says Duayne Pearce, builder, mentor, and host of The Level Up podcast. It’s a sentiment that’s not only fueling conversations across building sites but also sparking a movement one where upskilling,...
"Most builders entered the industry because they love building - not marketing," as The Good Builder CEO Aaron Ng pointed out in a recent article. "Many builders struggle with marketing because they assume it’s about making themselves look good." That doesn't have to...
Most builders got into the industry because they love building. Whether it’s the satisfaction of handing over a beautifully finished home, the challenge of managing a complex project, or the pride of knowing your work will stand the test of time, marketing was never...
The home building industry is the backbone of this country and its economy. Yet, mainstream media often paints a bleak picture; stories of insolvencies, delays, and affordability challenges dominate the headlines. But the reality is that many builders are delivering...
When it comes to a builder's unbuilt plans, one of the few indicators of quality a buyer has is the detail and impact of the visual render. If the old adage, “the way you do anything is the way you do everything” holds true, it is well-worth taking more time to...
For those not in the industry, you may not understand the size and importance of the Wholesale Home Builder. If you are in the industry, you should be asking how and why this B2B model is becoming so prominent and successful. In the 23/24 FY, the wholesale...
Display homes are often the most significant investment a builder will make - but do they work? And if you build one, what are the secrets to making it a success? We spoke with two industry experts: Tony Gall, GM of Retail at Creation Homes, who has overseen the...
Two key points to note in compiling winning tenders from Rick Hughes, Blulevel Estimating Winning a construction tender is about more than just offering the lowest price. Many factors contribute to a successful tender bid. Here are a few key considerations: How...
For years, builders and project managers relied on experience, industry contacts, hard lessons and gut instinct to grow their businesses. But let’s be real, running a successful residential construction business today is tougher than ever. Margins are tight, client...
Building a new home is a big decision. It’s exciting, nerve-wracking, and full of ‘what ifs.’ That’s where display homes have traditionally stepped in, giving buyers a tangible sense of what their future as a family holds. But with new technology and changing buyer...
Half of the home builder’s product is the land you build upon. Whoever has control over that land, has a significant influence over who does the build. This may be the developer, it may be project marketers or external land sales agents, a private vendor or the...
This week in our series of casual chats in Brew with a Builder we sit down with Stephan Van Der Walt from Walt Construction in Noosa, and he talks about some of the secrets which make his business a success, and reveals something about himself that even his work mates...
Being in the building trade comes with its unique set of challenges and responsibilities, and keeping the books in order is one of the biggest obstacles to overcome. These five accounting tips will help to keep your business robust, responsible, and most important of...
Builders often say the build itself is the easy part - it’s all the other things you have to do before and after work starts that take up time they simply don’t have. Getting a building approval can be one of the most frustrating steps, so we’ve asked Grant Johnsen...
If you want to see what your competitors are doing, or check out the latest trends in interior and exterior design, this weekend’s Brisbane Home Show will be worth a look. Featuring more than 150 exhibitors and some of the best speakers in the industry, the show will...
From a mechanical engineer for BHP to the General Manager for G.J. Gardner Homes in Queensland / NT and now with his own building and development companies under G.J. Gardner Homes Noosa, Eddie Kimmerely has seen and experienced a lot in the industry. We asked...
At The Good Builder we are all about making good builders even better. We’ve asked two industry-leading GM’s to let us in on their secrets to attracting good sales staff and keeping them. What’s your approach to recruiting quality salespeople? How do you go about it?...
Newcastle based builder Rohan McDonald’s business Abundance Property Services builds up to 20 homes a year across New South Wales. Understanding construction codes are an important part of his work day, but until recently they caused more lost time and money than just...
At The Good Builder we try to make your working life a little easier by cutting through the bullshit - and the red tape - to help you avoid errors which waste time and money. This week we’ve asked Paul Rojas from one of Brisbane’s biggest legal firms specialising in...
This week five years ago the first case of COVID-19 was reported in Australia. It set off a chain reaction through the building industry which brought down some of the best and brightest, while many others carry the scars of those tumultuous times. The basics of this...
Heat pumps have the fastest sales growth of any hot water system in the country but industry and government standards still fall well short of protecting builders or consumers. Although still lagging behind electrical, gas and solar hot water systems at about ten...
Queensland builders said they don’t expect demand to fall for vacant land despite Brisbane prices jumping by more than 21 per cent in the last 12 months. In the HIA-CoreLogic Residential Land Report for the September quarter 2024...
Last week we brought you the story of the Prime Minister’s commitment to give construction apprentices $10,000 to solve the capacity crisis. On the whole, the $626.9 million announcement was greeted favourably by the major...
What makes a 'good' builder? Your closest friend walks up to you and asks if you know a good builder. It's likely one of the biggest investments of their life. Who do you trust? It's simple: trust is based on certainty. Certainty that the builder will deliver the home...
Securing land in Queensland’s highly sought after South East corner seems to be akin to finding a park at Suncorp Stadium on Game Day. Queensland and New South Wales State Manager of OpenLot.com.au Con Sgouros, an online land marketplace said Queensland is one...
Our nation’s home building industry is the backbone of this country and its economy.
There is no doubt our industry has challenges, however the traditional media consistently paints a dire picture of insolvencies, delays and unaffordability.
The reality is that many in the industry are doing a bloody good job delivering well-built homes with consistently happy clients and running sustainable, profitable businesses.
Every Australian should expect to come home safe and well from work each day – but in the construction industry that is all too often not the case. About 30 people are killed on building sites each year in this country, and according to SafeWork Australia, there are a...
LATEST NEWS
A Melbourne builder has grown annual deliveries from 215 to 402 homes in five years after moving almost its entire book into townhouses. The growth is the headline. How the work now arrives, and what it does to output per person, is the part other builders can use....
Census data shows almost four million households with two or more spare bedrooms, and the national housing council is now tracking the figure. No spare bedroom tax is on the table, but the way housing supply is measured is starting to shift. Australia’s housing debate...
Singapore already has more than 20 robotics and automation solutions ready for construction sites. A new leasing scheme announced in September is designed to get them off the demonstration floor and onto ordinary projects by taking the ownership risk away from...
Builder confidence has dropped to a one year low, two in three builders are using sales incentives and the average 30 year mortgage rate is back above 7%. The American market is showing that building homes and selling them are two very different problems. America's...