Dave Treasure slams Adelaide Exposed Concrete over $50,000 Mount Barker driveway nightmare:

This Mount Barker man wanted to use the money left by his late brother to finish his dream home. Now the money is gone – and time is running out.

Dave Treasure used a small amount of money left to him by his brother Michael — who passed away a in 2022 — as a “parting gift” to build his Mount Barker home, and things were coming along for a mid-winter completion.

Until a $50,000 concreting job set Mr Treasure’s plans back – even though the never officially started beside the digging of five holes for retaining walls.

Mr Treasure hired Adelaide Exposed Concrete (AEC) to do the job in December, and even though AEC was the most expensive of the three quotes he’d got for the job, it was owner Shane Lynch’s knowledge and “expertise” that “clicked in and sounded very thorough”.

Dave Treasure at his Mount Barker home where he has lost nearly $50,000 after hiring failed concrete firm Adelaide Exposed Concrete. Picture: Mark Brake

Owner of failed firm Adelaide Exposed Concrete Shane Lynch. Picture: Supplied

“It was all part of the spin,” Mr Treasure said.

“There were certain things along the way, saying ‘we can’t do this week because we’ve got to reinforce the I-beams because the soil is quite soft,’ all this stuff.

“I don’t know anything about this sort of thing, so I’ve put my life in someone else’s hands.”

AEC went into liquidation on May 7, owing approximately $1.7m to 122 creditors.

Mr Treasure is one of many owed money after the collapse of AEC, most being households that hired Mr Lynch for driveway or retaining wall jobs.

The house Mr Treasure is building is on the lower side of a small hill that requires substantial retaining walls built, and the prospect of wet weather over winter has raised significant concerns on how quickly he can get the job done.

Dave Treasure at his Mount Barker home where he has lost nearly $50,000 after hiring failed concrete firm Adelaide Exposed Concrete. Picture Mark Brake

Mr Treasure said AEC first quoted the job at about $70,000, and though he is listed as a creditor owed $44,609, the actual money owed was closer to $50,000.

“I’d stopped paying the money months ago and I’ve actually already started trying to get the money back from (Mr Lynch),” he said.

“Every week I’m being told, ‘we’ve got someone on today’.

“Then I had any excuse ... there was one time he told me that, and bear in mind this was probably mid-February, it had been raining and the back of the house was pretty much flooded.

Concreters Michael Schinella and Stefanos Anagnostopoulos who are offering their services for homeowners that have been impacted by Adelaide Exposed Concrete going out of business. Picture Mark Brake

In the midst of the nightmare another good Samaritan said he could help creditors like Mr Treasure.

Michael Schinella, owner of Schinella’s Concrete, has offered to finish AEC jobs without charging thousands.

“Most people need the help, they appreciate it and I’m willing to do whatever possible to help AEC’s and Mr Lynch’s customers,” he said.

Originally published as Dave Treasure slams Adelaide Exposed Concrete over $50,000 Mount Barker driveway nightmare: