Qld home builder goes to the wall

THE demise of long-established company Queensland Home Builders is a further indication that the sector is yet to emerge from its prolonged slump.

THE demise of another long-established Sunshine Coast builder is being viewed as further indication that the sector is yet to emerge from its prolonged slump.

Queensland Home Builders – an award-winning company that had operated on the Coast and Whitsundays for 18 years – has gone into voluntary liquidation.

It is understood liquidator David Clout and Associates began apprising the builder's creditors of the situation yesterday.

It is unclear how many creditors have been affected or how much money is owed, as the liquidator did not respond to the Daily's request for an interview yesterday.

One creditor told the Daily the company owed close to $500,000.

Queensland Home Builders, which comes under the David Berry and Associates' banner, has been described as a niche family company specialising in the medium to high-end market.

In a statement yesterday, Mr Berry said the banks had seized all his family's assets, including a substantial property portfolio locally and on Hamilton Island.

He said the value of the portfolio had been hit hard by the global financial crisis and his family was currently renting a home and had no remaining assets.

The company had one home to complete and his building licence had been handed in to the Building Services Authority.

“The personal loss experienced by my wife and myself has left me with no choice but to enter the company into voluntary liquidation,” Mr Berry said.

“There are no words that can express my deepest sorrow, as I know that this decision has put many small company's (sic) and family's (sic) into hardship.”

Lisa (surname withheld), who runs Kustom Rendering with her husband Jon, said Mr Berry owed them about $27,000.

“He kept telling us we'd get payment and then he wouldn't answer any of our emails or phone calls when we finished the job,” she said.

Originally published as Qld home builder goes to the wall