G.J. Homes' 'Ned Flanders' leaves subbie $150k out-of-pocket

A tradie opens up about the how the 'sweet talking' G.J director acted before the company was put in liquidation.

MISSING: Owner of Summit Roofing, Hayden Quaife has been left $150,000 out of pocket from the G.J. Gardener North Ipswich collapse. Picture: Cordell Richardson

A ROOFING contractor is again picking up the pieces after the liquidation of G.J. Gardner Homes at North Ipswich left him about $150,000 out of pocket.

Summit Roofing Holdings director Hayden Quaife is annoyed, having to again face the tough task of rebuilding.

Mr Quaife's company, with up to 15 full-time office staff and 40 sub-contractors, was doing on average one roof each week for G.J. Gardner Homes at North Ipswich.

"It's around $20,000 in revenue per week we've got to fill now," he said.

He says insurance will cover most of the $150,000 he is owed for work completed for G.J. Gardner Homes; leaving him in a better position than other subbies.

With a $10,000 excess, Mr Quaife is due to recoup about 85 per cent of his costs.

"We're still going to lose a s--tload of money but we're better protected than some of the other poor tradies," he said.

Liquidation is an all-to-familiar process for Mr Quaife; he's been through several.

"I've been through a lot of insolvencies in the last four or five years," he said.

"We've just got to try to get through it and tighten the belts."

He said the G.J. North Ipswich managing director Pieter Burghout did not show any sign of worry for the franchise.

"He was just a real sweet talker, that's how he portrayed himself via email," Mr Quaife said.

"I called him the Ned Flanders of G.J. because he was always saying hidey ho, how great is today... there's sunshine and everybody's smiling."

Mr Quaife is again calling for reforms to the building sector but, after facing five insolvencies already, is not optimistic.

Originally published as G.J. Homes' 'Ned Flanders' leaves subbie $150k out-of-pocket