QBCC imposes conditions on licence of Gold Coast building firm that owes subcontractors, families

The building regulator has taken action against a Helensvale building firm which is under fire from subcontractors and home buyers.

Queensland’s building regulator has restricted the licence of a Helensvale building business, which is under fire from subcontractors and home buyers amid accusations of cancelled contracts and unpaid invoices.

Art of Homes, operated by licensed builder Corey Hobbins and wife Rachael, has been inundated with scathing online reviews from angry customers and subbies, who say they have been unable to contact the company after handing over tens of thousands of dollars in home deposits and work.

The business is not answering phone calls or emails and its Facebook and Instagram pages have been taken offline. The Bulletin has contacted the business for comment.

The Queensland Building and Construction Commission moved this week to impose conditions on the licences of Sunfox and Lantis, the two companies that traded as Art of Homes.

Rachael and Corey Hobbins previously traded as a Hotondo Homes franchise.

The companies must not provide tenders or quotes, or enter into any new contracts for the performance of building work, until it has provided financial information required under minimum financial requirements legislation.

The companies have until March 6 and 7 to provide the information.

Sunfox has previously traded as the Gold Coast North branch of national franchise Hotondo Homes.

Mr Hobbins, 40, is sole director of Sunfox, while Ms Hobbins, 46, is sole shareholder via another company, RCMLT. Ms Hobbins is sole director of Lantis.

Smart Metal Roofing owner Cameron Adamson said Art of Homes owed his business more than $47,000 from invoices dating as far back as August 2022.

Mr Adamson said roofing was supplied for display homes in Murwillumbah.

“It started off just like any other builder – it started off good,” he said.

The Coomera-based contractor said the builder paid an initial $13,000 owed, but after that the communication “went dead”.

“We sent him numerous emails, numerous phone calls, numerous texts trying to recover the $47,000 owing from August last year,” Mr Adamson said.

“It is just really disheartening. We pride ourselves on doing a really good job and then unfortunately, you get a builder that does this and goes to ground.

“I don’t understand where all the money has gone. I’m astounded.”

Content from the Art of Homes website

Stefan Styles, whose company Civic Shower Screens, said he was owed more than $10,000 in invoices that were more than two weeks overdue.

When he sent a staff member to the Art of Homes office, he found it closed up, with no signs of anyone inside.

“We’ve been unable to get hold of them,” he said.

Mr Styles, whose company subcontracts to numerous builders, said late payments had been trending upward since late last year.

“It’s happening more and more at the moment,” he said.

“I know that builders are struggling, they’re not making money – their costs went up and they don’t have the money to pay.

“For me, it’s not as bad because we have so many builders, but some people only subcontract to a handful of builders, so if one doesn’t pay, that’s 30, 50 or 100 per cent of their income.”

Lismore resident Jess Ambridge said Art of Homes cancelled her building contract earlier this month after it was signed more than a year ago.

“(Art of Homes) has refused to refund our 10 per cent deposit of $48,000,” Ms Ambridge wrote in an online review of the builder.

“We are paying rent and mortgages and it is crippling us.

“How can someone do this? Do not touch them and tell everyone to avoid them too.”

Lismore resident Jess Ambridge says Art of Homes has refused to refund the 10 per cent deposit she paid for a home. Picture: Facebook

The QBCC declined to comment on the two companies, except to confirm they each held a current licence.

John Williams, a reinforcement supplier, said he was $11,000 out of pocket for invoices due in November.

“We sent moneys owed requests back around Christmas and received no acknowledgment at all,” he said.

“I feel so sorry for the young families who have lost their deposits and will never get a deposit again – things are tough enough as it is without this, it’s not right.”

Art of Homes director Corey Hobbins.

Art of Homes also trades through a second company, Lantis, which has been licensed since February 2020 for maximum revenue of $800,000-$3m.

Mr Hobbins is also nominee for that licence while the company is directed by Ms Hobbins.

The company logged two jobs worth $846,797 in the 2021-22 financial year, and one job worth $335,349 the previous year.

The Art of Homes website is registered via the newer Lantis company.

In a 2019 social media video for Hotondo Homes, the couple said it was very important for prospective home builders to do their research and “go with someone you trust”.

The Art of Homes website told prospective customers they could expect “big builder feel with a personal touch”.