Builder collapse customers out of pocket, out of home

Months of anxiety and stress have culminated in a crushing blow to residents left scrambling by a southeast Queensland builder's collapse to have their new homes completed.

Greg Thamm is angry the builder of his house has gone into liquidation.

MONTHS of anxiety and stress have culminated in a crushing blow to Sunshine Coast residents left scrambling by a builder's collapse to have their new homes completed.

Cardiac nurse Greg Thamm, 57, has been staying with friends and house sitting while waiting for Lusso Homes to finish building on his Bald Knob block of land.

The company's entry into voluntary liquidation on Monday has sent his life into turmoil and ruined his retirement plans.

"Now I'm totally stuffed,” Mr Thamm said.

He and an Alexandra Headland property owner, who wanted to be known only as Gary, understand they will have to claim on builder's insurance to have their Lusso Concepts homes finished by another builder.

Mr Thamm said he chose the company after receiving recommendations from two friends who had also been clients of Lusso Concepts.

"Everything seemed to check out with background checks,” Mr Thamm said.

"You just trust that you will get your house built.”

Greg Thamm is angry the builder of his house has gone into liquidation.

But he said whole process had been slow since work began about April last year.

"I've paid everything on time.

"In fact, it seems he has charged me for things ahead of time.”

Mr Thamm said he hadn't been able to raise Lusso Concepts director Aaron Steel since before Christmas.

Greg Thamm is angry the builder of his house has gone into liquidation.

He said he was between $150,000 and $200,000 out of pocket.

"I'm distressed,” he said.

"The refusal of conversation, that is actually cruel.”

Meanwhile, Gary said he had paid $100,000 to Lusso Concepts last month for framework.

He said it was a reduced sum from what was asked because the framework was yet to be completed.

"Right up until Christmas he basically told us some work got carried out and first week back from holidays they would be pouring a bottom slab,” Gary said.

He said the build started in July and his concerns started in September.

"The warning signs were happening because there just wasn't flow.

"It was very stop, start.”

He said he also had not been able to get in touch with Mr Steel since before Christmas.

"It has been heaps of stress and total frustration and anxiety.”

The comment scome after builder Aaron Steel defended his company, Lusso Concepts, saying financial difficulty that led to his firm's collapse had arisen from an owner of an unfinished home wanting to renegotiate terms of a contract.