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 of the top-performing franchises in Queensland. Over the years, they’ve gone from doing a dozen slabs a year to pumping out up to 18 slabs a month and selling 30 to 40 homes monthly.

So how do they keep things running without the wheels falling off?

Aletha didn’t start out in building. She studied commerce and worked in hotel management, where the operations were run like clockwork. First year you’re in the kitchen, second year at front desk, third year in management. Everyone knew their lane.

When she stepped into the building world, she brought that mindset with her.

“I found that a lot of the skills I learned from hotel school, knowing every part of the business, that’s how we operate now.”

“We know every role in our business, because our team needs to know we’ve done it too.”

Together with Slade, who handles construction, Aletha focused on the backend the systems, processes, and people that hold it all together.

At scale, you can’t wing it. The couple had already built a solid business doing 10–12 homes a year, but like many regional builders, they hit a ceiling. They were juggling renovations, sheds, admin, kids, quotes, and half their systems were still handwritten.

“We used to do quotes in a notebook. We didn’t check if we made money, just whether there was cash in the bank to pay the tax bill.”

That worked, until it didn’t.

It’s not just franchise builders putting systems in place to scale. Chris Baptista from HOMES by CMA built his business from scratch. No handbook, no network, just hard lessons and long weeks.

“We went from one build, to two, to 50 on the ground… but we had no systems.”

“I didn’t even know what a purchase order was when we hired our first estimator.”

These days, CMA turns over more than $100 million a year, and Chris has a procurement manager, detailed BOQs, and strict cost controls in place.

“Even $2,000 per house adds up quick at scale. It’s all about cost control.”

For Chris, the systems came later, but they’re now essential to staying sharp and keeping the doors open.

When Aletha and Slade decided to join Stroud, they didn’t just get access to plans and branding. They got access to national reporting systems, job management software, customer tracking, and cashflow forecasting tools.

Here’s an honest take; they actually use them.

“Going into a franchise helped us understand the why behind systems.”

“We’d hit all the potholes already, but now we had a structure to build from.”

Aletha and Slade set a clear growth model early on: grow, consolidate, grow again.

“You’ve got to push the limits of what your team can do, then stop. That’s how you find the weak points. Then fix them, settle, and grow again.”

That meant pausing between growth spurts to:

• Build out procedures
• Strengthen team culture
• Put checks and balances in place
• Match internal growth with external demand

At their current pace, 18 slabs a month, it’s all about managing volume without letting quality drop. That takes people, and it takes trust.

“We’ve got supervisors in different areas, and not all of them are the same. Some are great at scheduling, some need more support. So we built a middle layer, my brother-in-law now manages the supervisors and does quality assurance.”

The key? Knowing what’s actually going on in your business.

They use tools like OnSite Companion and Databuild, plus custom reports and weekly feedback emails sent to every client. Everything’s built to be scalable and repeatable.

Scaling doesn’t mean pushing for more without stopping to check the foundation. For Aletha, that’s where structure really matters especially when you’re about to grow again.

“We’re about to have another growth period. So we’re already asking: do we have the right concreters? If they can’t grow with us, who can? We have those conversations upfront.”

It’s that kind of thinking balancing ambition with planning that keeps the whole thing from blowing up.

By the way, don’t underestimate the role of team culture, either.

“I’ve learned the best team members aren’t always the most skilled, they’re the ones your clients actually like.”

Aletha builds her team like she builds a home. Every piece has a role, and those who stick together are the ones who work together.

There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to scaling a building business. But if there’s one thing worth taking from Aletha and Slade’s or Chris’s approach, and others we’ve interviewed here on The Good Builder, it’s this:

You’ve got to stop, assess, fix, then grow again.

Systems aren’t there to slow you down they’re there to hold you up when things get too fast.

Author: The Good Builder

The Good Builder is a media platform that provides news and insights for Australia’s home building industry. From exclusive stories and curated insights to bold industry perspectives, we deliver the news and updates that keep builders, suppliers, and the entire home building industry inspired and ahead of the curve.