Jaimi: Welcome to Home Building Like a Boss, the podcast dedicated to helping first home buyers in Perth build their dream home with ease and excitement. I'm Jamie, your host and go-to Building Broker. Are you ready to feel empowered, in control, and excited about your building journey? I'll help guide you with expert advice, insider tips and tricks, and real life.
Stories to help you navigate the confusing world of home building. Tune in as I take you on the journey to building your home like a boss.
Okay, hello and welcome back to another episode of the podcast This week I have my first client on the episode, which is very, very excited and we have such a unique. Experience and journey to chat about. So I have Anna here with me who was a client that I helped halfway through her build, kind of towards the end.
Anna's previous builder that she engaged a couple of years ago went into liquidation. So Anna and I connected through a Facebook group and I helped her through the rest of her journey by. Navigating that liquidation process, finding another builder and then getting her through the rest of construction.
She was at plate height through, yeah, plate height when her builder went into liquidation. So in construction, slab down, bricks, up and in a bit of a pickle. So today, um, I'm super excited to introduce Anna here and we're gonna chat about Yeah. Get her real life experience, her story, ask her questions, and so she can kind of give you.
A client perspective of what she went through and how to navigate it and things that she learned along the way. So, Anna, welcome. Could you introduce yourself? Uh, thank you for having me on.
Anna: My name is Anna and I started my building journey in September, October, 2020. A friend of mine was, uh, talking to me at lunch think saying to me that I should take advantage of the, uh, grants that had been, you know, introduced.
Yep. And I was, I was a bit nervous cuz I was doing it by myself and I didn't have like a partner or husband or anything like that with me. Yeah. So I was like, oh, I don't know. But I did, um, get in touch with a mortgage broker just to find out if I could afford it. And he got me in touch with the salesman of this builder.
Yep. Because they knew each other and he's like, you know, this isn't the company I've been around for a couple of years and they deal with customers like you who have to go through Keystart, cuz that was the only way I was gonna be able to do it. Yep. So I was like, okay. And so I got met with the salesman and ended up choosing a plot of Land up north.
Um, north of Butler and it just took a really long time to get the, the contract sorted. And I remember thinking even all the way back in 2020, like, this is taken a really long time to get sorted. Like, I don't know whether that was the first red flag I had, where I just remember. And they're just like, oh, it's really busy.
Everyone's taking advantage of the grants. And I'm like, okay, fair enough. Like, you know, and eventually, like I did get the contracts and unless you're like a property lawyer, like you are never gonna understand all of the stuff of the contract.
Jaimi: No. You don't understand that lingo as a first time buyer, do you?
No. So
Anna: I was like, oh, well I, I hope that whatever I'm signing, I'm not, you know, signing up for, you know, trouble. And yeah, I remember it just, it was just taking a very long time to get through each process. And I think it was even before I got to pre-start, which was in the march, they put a price increase up on the contract already.
Yeah. Already. And I'm like, I went, I went to their offices, which were in North P and the sales, but he actually looked really a bit bit haggard and a bit like A bit stressed. A bit stressed. And he is like, oh really? Sorry. Like they would ask for like, um, I think mine was 11 grand increase. And I remember saying to him at the time, I, I said, are you just after the grant money?
Is this what's happening here? Like, and he is like, no, no. The covid and the prices increased and everything's so hard to get and the timber and this, that and the other. And I was like, okay. Like I can kind of understand. Yeah. Covid has made everything very difficult. The build an industry, it's like obviously just overstimulated, you know, with the grants or something.
So I remember kind of accepting that first increase. Not very happy, but I was like, okay, well yeah. At least I have the grants, otherwise I couldn't afford it. There's no
Jaimi: way. No. Yeah, a hundred percent. A lot of people through the grant period went through. Price increases, I guess, even with builders that didn't go into liquidation the industry like four times the amount of work that it did.
And yeah, I guess it was a very hard situation, but yeah,
Anna: so you, you kind of go, okay, I understand that. And then I think the day of pre-start, um, when I went cemented, make all my choices, I got hit with another $1,000 increase from my slab. This is gonna cost a thousand dollars extra for the slab. And I'm like, okay, like another one.
Another one. Where did that come from? Okay. Surely you would've known from the land what the slab needed to be. And they're like, oh, they went out there and then they needed to do this, that, and the other to the land. And I was like, okay. Um, so yeah, going through the pre-start was, That's probably another red flag cuz everything I brought up, it was like I wanted a a gas point.
Can I have a gas point put in? Yeah. You know, for one, have a heater one day and the girl's like, well, where would you put it? And I'm like, um, okay, but aren't you meant to help me with that? Yeah. Like things like that. And I'm like, I kind of want. What did I say? Was it skirting boards or something like that?
And I'm like, oh no, you don't really need, and it was just too hard. Everything just seemed too hard, like just to try.
Jaimi: And they didn't care.
Anna: Yeah, just didn't care. And I'm like, well, this is not really a fun experience and I meant to make all of my choices and. You know, and eventually like at the end I was like, okay, I'm kind of happy with those.
Aw. But
Jaimi: yeah, it wasn't like you a pre-start. Yeah. That's supposed to be like, yeah. Fun and positive. But yeah, I guess if you don't have like, yeah, good people even helping you at pre-start, even that can be like such a overwhelming or sad Yeah. Experience and process, which is such a shame.
Anna: I know, I was just kind of like, I was so excited for it and then it was just kind of with the slab increase, like it was just like, oh God, why did it have to be today of all days?
But
Jaimi: then, yeah, great way to go into pre-start. Yeah.
Anna: And then, you know, everything was kind of moving along. I thought, but then it was taking forever for the slab, and I think the slab eventually went down July, 2021. It took a long time. Yep. So about 12 months later. Yeah, and I can't remember when the next price increase.
I didn't even see the salesman at that point. I just got an email. But another price increase. Here's another variation. I think that one was $9,000. Essentially they've got an extra 20 grand, another grand for the slab. Another, I think it was five, six grand, a pre-start. I think I wanted extra dawn and I was like, they're just getting all of my grant money.
Like this is, I don't know. And I said, I remember saying to a friend of mine, I just, so many red flags have been coming up and I, I feel like then July, 2022. Yep. Or 2021. I thought they are gonna go bust. Okay. I just had this horrible feeling and my friend's like, don't put that out there in the universe.
And I'm like, that too late. I think. I think it, I just think it's gonna happen. I don't know why. I mean, it didn't happen for a little while, but I had to change my prick selection about three times. Yeah. And I was like, why am I changing my brick selection so much? It was like, oh, they can't supply that brick that you chose, or we found it.
Like a more superior product. I'm like, is it though,
Jaimi: like are you just, or is it a
Anna: flagging me? Yeah. And so the brick selection took a while. Then eventually the bricks that I have now. And I was like, okay, well when are they gonna go? Go up? And um, the bricks were delivered and they just sat there and sat there and sat there.
And I'm like, okay, when are we gonna get brickies? Oh, it's really hard to get brickies the moment, you know? Yeah. Blah, blah, blah. And like, fair enough. Yeah. I knew it was really hard to get trades and stuff and all of that, so I'm like, okay, I just, I just
Jaimi: wanna know. Yes. You understood to a degree that there was like, yeah.
Stuff going on.
Anna: Yeah, but you just kind of like, at the same time you're like, well, all the builds seem to be going okay. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know. Like it's oh six or one half dozen of the other. And then the bricks went off in January, 2022, so I had the, the slab and the bricks. So I'm at plate height and um, but before then, that's right.
In December I was asked to pay my pre-start. And all of that. Can you please Yeah. Pay for all of that and cuz I'd gotten the grant money by then. Yeah. And all the other variations and price increases. So God, nearly 30 grands worth of money. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I paid them and I, cuz I sent an email and I said, is this just you trying to get money out of me cuz you've got cash flow problems.
Yeah. Okay. I'm not that stupid. I wake in accounts like something's going on. No, no, no. I had this guy call me up who was, was he part of the finance or something? I don't, I'm not quite sure. And he was, gave me this big spiel. Oh. You know, like I. We all knew when the government, you know, introduced these grants that things were gonna happen and, you know, with the trades and this and that and, you know, a lot of builders go bust, you know, in these times when, when things like this happen.
And, but, you know, we, we've been conservative and we didn't take on all these clients like other building companies did, and I'm like, Okay. I'm like, I just feel like you're just after my money. Yeah. I'm just, and I'm a very straightforward person. And the guy on the phone's like, no, no, no. Like, you know, we're just, just asking for the money, like, uh, you know, to like secure trades and all this kinda thing.
And I'm like, oh, okay. And I ended up paying it and I really regret doing it now. I really regret it, but I did it and within, you know, a few. Like a week or so, they were like, yeah, we've got tradies. Um, brickies are gonna go put your, um, your walls up. And it did happen in January. So I was kind of like,
Jaimi: okay.
Well that was, yeah. Yeah. Okay. So, okay. That's good.
Anna: That's, it's, we're going along. And then nothing happened. And I was like, when are we gonna get to the roof stage? Yeah. And I didn't really, I hadn't really had that great of a communication. Prob, like, they kind of answered me if I had questions, but. You know, sometimes it take a little while.
Yeah. But I wasn't really thinking that anything was happening, or it must have been other customers who having issues getting in touch with people. I was just so used to just things just taking so long I was like, Ugh, you know, whatever. Yeah. And then I think in the April, 2022, I remember getting out of the shower and my dad going to me.
Anna, is this your builder? Uhoh on the telly? I was like, why is my builder on the telly? What are you talking about? The builders on the telly. And he goes, it's on channel seven news. So I just run out and there's this journalist outside the offices that I'd been into in North P a couple of times, and I'm like, oh my God.
And my stomach just dropped. Like, this is not good. And then like the journalists are saying, um, customers have found it really hard getting in touch with, um, you know, this builder and the offices are closed. Um, the website has gone down. No one's been able to get in touch with anyone for a couple of weeks.
And I'm just like, oh my God, what? The website's down? They're like, what the hell's
Jaimi: going on? What the fuck is happening? Yeah.
Anna: Oh my God. And I just felt so sick and my parents were just like, watch it. Like. They were like, they were just like devastated for me. Cuz I'm like, I, I dunno what to do, what do I do?
And they're just looking at me going, dunno what to
Jaimi: do either. Like, oh, even like now I'm like, oh no, it's
Anna: making my heart right. And um, you know, oh God, that night I didn't sleep. And then there's, you know, there's tears, there was anger, there was, there was everything in between, all of the
Jaimi: emotions, all
Anna: of the, I was like, I just, I dunno what I'm gonna do.
And I've been on this Facebook group that you mentioned earlier. Yeah. Um, and I, cuz I had been obsessively checking this Facebook group for this builder cuz I'm thinking other people must have problems. Yeah. Other people must be obs like there must be something. Cause the, you know, you go through and there's so many different other builders and people like, don't use this one, don't use that one.
And. And nothing could come up yet. So I was like, okay, maybe they're okay. Like, I don't know. And then the next thing, I went on that Facebook group and I was just like, I don't know what to do. Somebody help me. Like, yeah, you know, you, you saw the post. I was just like, I don't know what to do next. Like, what do I do?
And. People were like, um, they would like send me messages through Messenger from the group going, I saw your post, get in touch with the liquidator. Um, it's gonna be like an administrator assigned and then register with them as a creditor, blah, blah. And
Jaimi: is that when you kind of knew first that they had gone into liquidation?
I thought
Anna: like I didn't know it was liquidation. Yeah. I was like, it was either administration. Yeah. I didn't know what type of, cause obviously there's different types and working in accounts, I knew there was gonna be different types of, cause I've dealt with companies going into administration, but they're still, uh, functioning.
Yeah. They still trade. Whereas liquidation is like, that's it closed, Don gone. Yeah. We're not trading. And I'm like, what type of. You know, administration is it. And um, so I was just like asking for help then, cuz I thought something's happening and it probably wasn't until, was it the next day that it was liquidation?
Yeah. And then that's when again, my stomach dropped. I was like, oh my god, I feel sick. Um, okay, so roughly $80,000 that I paid them is never coming back to me. But I did register as a creditor and I registered everything. I sent all that paperwork. But then I didn't know about the insurance, QB insurance. I honestly did not have a clue.
Yeah. I didn't know that the builder, that I was part of it, that they have to get that insurance, get that insurance. Um, cause I was like, am I screwed? No. Like I can't
Jaimi: finish my bill. Like what happens now? What happens
Anna: now? And this someone, uh, from that Facebook group got in touch with me and said, you need to get in touch with QBE and get your certificate of quarantine, all this.
And I'm like, Okay. Like, I didn't know this existed, but all right, then I'll do that. And I think I was probably one of the first ones to get in touch with qb. And I remember talking to this woman, and again, like this made me feel sick. She says to me, okay, I'll, I'm gonna search for your name. And your address, but I have to warn you, other people have called up and the builder never registered them with us.
Oh. It just makes me feel horrible. I know. I remember. I, I was at work. I just started a new job. Right. I was still in my probation here. Time and I'm literally like, oh my God. I'm like, I'm trying to organise this stuff during my work time and I'm like, God, these people are gonna like fire
Jaimi: me. Like, I'm like, like who's this new girl that started, she's actually not doing any work.
Yeah. She's having a nervous breakdown in the printer room. What's
Anna: going on? Yeah. And cuz I was on the phone to this woman and when she said that to me, And, um, but the insurance, I, I felt sick. I was like, oh my God, please God, let my name be on there. Please let my house be registered. And she eventually went, oh, yes, I, I find I see you.
I've got your, your information. I've got
Jaimi: some small amount of relief.
Anna: I, I was like, oh my God. Cause yeah, I was like, those 30 odd seconds, whatever, that she was trying to sage, I was like, Oh, I feel sick. Felt like hours.
Jaimi: And yeah, for everyone listening, your Q B E insurance and certificate of currency gets lodged at your building permit and approval stage by your builder, and they need their like insurance out on the job before they go to site.
So, When you get your first progress payment, one of the requirements, one for the bank to release the funds, is the builder must have this certificate of currency and insurance taken out and your building permit you must have. So these things are requirements that the bank need and that the builder then needs to go to site and then for the bank to release the funds to the builder.
But certain builders have caps and all builders do they have caps and limits on insurance. For how many jobs they have out on site. So if they're at their limit or their cap, they can't put any more insurance claims through. So jobs. In this instance, we're sitting at towards the end of pre-construction at building permit stage, waiting for q b insurance to come through, but because jobs weren't getting handed over and getting offsite, that was filling up the insurances, therefore is why a certain number of people didn't have insurance on their house.
And those people. Hopefully most of them actually, they weren't in construction. If the builder's in construction without insurance, that's even bigger
Anna: issue. Yeah. So luckily I had that and um, I was, I was, um, relieved that at least something was going my way. Yeah. And um, and then she sent me the links, um, to everything that I needed, like all the forms I needed to fill out.
Uh, for QB to get the ball rolling. And, you know, I had sent all of my, I sent everything, everything that I had, contracts, variations, addends, everything, everything was attached and, um, to make the claim. And then obviously I got in touch with my mortgage broker cuz I was just like, what does this mean for like the mortgage?
And yeah,
Jaimi: now what do we do finance
Anna: wise? Finance wise? And he's like, he's like, he's like, I've had a few people contact me. Because he was upset, because he had, you know, referred them to his friend and he said, me and my friend had a bit of a fallen out because of what was going on with all the price increases the way that the customers were getting treated.
And, and he's like, he's like, well, Keystart are aware of what's happened and they're gonna try and help. As much as they can, like customers who have been affected by this liquidation. And I'm like, oh God. Okay. So yeah. So for a long, the longest time it was just, yeah, it was like, wait and see, but then, you know, QB was like, okay, now you need to go and find.
Jaimi: Quotes. Yeah. And you need three, is it? Yeah, three quotes.
Anna: Two. It was two. Two minimum. Yeah. They told me two and I was like, oh, I like, oh, I don't even know where to start. I don't even know what to do. And, um, I can't remember who you trust,
Jaimi: where to go, what to
Anna: do. Yeah. And I remember a couple of people have recommended, recommended like another house and land broker.
Yeah, and I think I did have an appointment to go see them, but within that time of like me kind of book an appointment. To see them. I think you got in touch with me. Yeah, I think you private messaged me and said, I saw your post on the, on the Facebook page, and I just wanna to see if I can help. And again, I was like, who's
Jaimi: this person?
I trust her. Who is she? Yeah. Is
Anna: she, is she on the level? Is she on the and up and then, I was like, okay, well I'll talk to her, but you know, there's no harm in talking to you. I called you. Yeah, yeah. And I got your number and that, and again, I was at work, I was trying to do like a lot of stuff during my lunch break and I was just like, I was like, okay, you know, this happened apparently, like I need to have these quotes.
Like I dunno what to do. And you know, just like you just said, oh I just, I wanna help people cuz I know how ho horrible it is, like going through the process, but without. This happening to you, like the liquidation and everything. And I was like, okay, I think I'll trust this girl. Yeah. And I remember you, you said something about like, oh, we could meet for a coffee or something, and I was just like, let's just get it done.
Jaimi: Let's just get just, I'll just, yeah, just go
Anna: for it. We'll just, I just need to get this done. I'm one of those people like I just need to. Just to do it. Like I can't, like, you know, just be sitting there. Yeah. I hate just sitting there waiting. But, and that's what I had to do with the QBE process was just I had to wait for the claim to keep process and, um, yeah.
And I, and you were like, yeah, just send me all of the information, like everything. And I did, I think I sent you as much as I possibly could, every email I'd ever gotten with an attachment from the builder. And I was just like, here's this and here's that. I hope that's helpful. And I was so grateful that you could do that cuz it was just one less stress.
Cuz honestly, like I remember just sitting at wig that I was like, that Dwayne the Rock Johnson. Me, you know from Ji. Yeah. Don't cried. Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry, don't cry, don't cry. And I was often like that and I was just like, oh my God, people gonna think I'm insane. What it was, it was. Like, yeah, there's a couple of months there where I'm just, I don't
Jaimi: even remember.
Can't remember. Yeah, you can't just remember what happened.
Anna: No, I just, just gone through. It was like, I think I was just in a constant state of like fight or flight, like,
Jaimi: you know.
Anna: Yeah, a hundred percent. Gotta keep going. Gotta keep going. But like, yeah, you were like so well for, and I'm so glad like I had you to help me with all that quote process.
Cause like if I didn't have that, oh my god.
Jaimi: Yeah. It's another thing that you have to worry about, like which builders one can. Yeah. Who do I trust? Uh, yeah. Who do you trust? Who do I trust? Not a lot of builders will start or pick up a job that what builders have capacity? Yeah. Their insurances, who's doing the right thing and all those things.
I guess you start to question again cuz you've been through that process. Firsthand. So I guess that's where I could like, yeah, try and I knew I could help you in that sense, so that's why I was like, oh, I've just gotta
Anna: try. Yeah, yeah. And um, oh God, I'm so grateful. And yeah, when I got the quotes with Q B E, they will offer you their preferred builder or the quotes that you provided.
Okay. Yeah. So that's probably where the three come, but I preferred to go with the one that you. You recommended? Yeah, because it just seemed better and I'd looked up the other builders and I was like, no, dunno about the QB approved one. Um,
Jaimi: yeah, it's like hard to again. Yeah. Yeah, I don't know. Who is that, that you're dealing with there?
Like what is that builder like, why do Q, like why are they partnered? I guess that maybe they're partnered because they know that that's a builder that can take over jobs like that. But then if that builder's taking over all of those jobs, are they gonna be then under the pump? Because QB is then sending all of these jobs to them.
So are you just shifting one problem to the next problem?
Anna: Yeah, exactly. And I, and I wanted it. To be done properly. Like I didn't want some half hours job and like a house that was, you know, gonna fall down or something within a few months or something. And I thought I didn't wanna get all to this point and just not, you know, have a, a good house.
Quality house. But, um, once it all got finalised by qbe, it was really quick. The money came in, it was, yeah, really fast. And I was able to get started with the new builder right away. And I remember the admin lady, like she was really good and really responsive and she was really lovely. And you probably weren't
Jaimi: used to that from being with the other builder, so it was a bit of a shock to the system to have somebody communicate with you.
Anna: Yeah, she was, yeah. And I was just like, I'm not used to this. And yeah. And things just started rolling after that. And when I started seeing that, like the roof go up, I was like, oh my god, my God. That relief. Yeah. It's actually happening. Yeah. Yeah. And, um, managed to get. Stuff sorted with Keystart as well.
Cause unfortunately, like when I did my claim, the only, the claim amount went up to a hundred grand then. Yeah, now, now it's 200 hundred. Yeah. But um, yeah, so I still had a little bit more because of all the price increases, like everything could gone up or
Jaimi: the building devices. Yeah. Mm-hmm. So what that means basically is, Q B E previously were giving out, so the insurance claim is up to a hundred K to finish the rest of the work completed on the build because of the price increases.
The difference, I guess, from 2020 compared to 2022 had changed dramatically.
Anna: Builder had.
Completion, but also to factor in the changes in the market increase. So
finance,
Jaimi: yeah,
Anna: the remainder.
So there, let's say your goes into liquidation and was you
builders
finish off.
Then approve that and give you 50 grand, transfer it into your account, and then you transfer that directly to your new builder once signed, new agreement with them, update new
contractions,
Jaimi: which is pretty much similar
Anna: to what you have, old builder,
Jaimi: but it's new selections,
Anna: new suppliers.
Things that are very similar. And
Jaimi: then they have new contract, new
Anna: new plans, new everything.
Old.
Yeah.
Jaimi: Yay. Yeah. Yeah. And then so it was probably. How long was it from roof frame to you getting your keys again? So I think it all
Anna: started off again, was it August last year? 2020, yeah. Yep.
Jaimi: So that sounds about
Anna: right. Yeah. They said around maybe Christmas time or it might be, might have been pushing it.
Cause I know like trades obviously go. Christmas break, um, Christmas break. So I was like, I always thought it was gonna be this year, 2023. I got my keys at the beginning of March. Yep. And I moved in on March 11th. Um, amazing. And I always remember that cuz my niece's birthday's the next day and she was, um, We had like a little birthday celebration, so it was the first celebration in my
Jaimi: house was her birthday.
Oh, amazing. Yeah.
Anna: So that was nice. And yeah. So yeah, by, by the end, I mean, they were always upfront with me. Yeah. And like I, with them, I never had to worry about like, are they, you know, just blagging me, they, you know, the lying. Yeah,
Jaimi: they, the communication was there. They were telling you, keeping you
Anna: updated.
Oh, keeping me updated. And you know, when you go, you walk through with the handover and stuff like that and there's little, little cosmetic things. But you know, I remember the guy came round and, you know, did like little things like might have been little tiny chip in the paint and he and you, he'll fix that up and he fixed a lot of things up in front of me.
I've got something in the car. And that'll fix that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because they were aware of my, like what I'd been through and I. Didn't want me to have like a, like a horrible experience by the end. Yeah, that's good. But no, it was by the end it was like, you know, really positive, good. And I now I have my house and you know, I'm really happy.
I know
Jaimi: you're in your house. Yeah. You've been in house for few months. Yeah. Yeah. Amazing. That's gone. Time flies as well. That's even gone quick now. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. And I guess you had like from that point then of engaging me as well. You had me there to support you through any questions and things, or you weren't Yeah, there's, or is this filled a align?
Are they, is this okay? And I'm like, no. Yep. That's all good. So you had me there as well to help, I guess, reassure, explain things, give you support as well, which, That always helps cuz you've got somebody else there to Yeah. Yeah. Ask questions and understand. Yeah. Is this normal? What do I do this normal?
Yeah,
Anna: yeah. Yeah. I think I did that a few times. I was like, oh my God, Jamie, like, what's going on with this? And it was like, no, it's ok. It's all good. But I, I also had, um, other people get in touch with me after. Yeah. That about, um, their builders going to liquidation. Because they didn't know what to do either to do.
Yeah. So I was, you know, I was messaging with this one lady for a while and she was asking me like, each stage I did try and like tell her to get in touch with you, but she was probably like, oh, okay. I don't trust her. Yeah, I don't trust, I don't trust either of you. Like what you boots. So, but yeah, I. Tried to help.
Cause I thought, well, I've got this knowledge now. Might as well help other people
Jaimi: pass it on pass. It's such a pass it on. Unique, yeah. Situation to go through. And yet, if you're going through it, I mean building in general, when you go through it the first time, you have no idea what you're doing or where to go, what to do, who to ask questions to, and then to throw that in the mix as well is like even worse.
So it's like, I guess that's why we're doing this episode, to be able, so you can give people. That education and like story of your experience and pass on that knowledge. So God forbid it probably will happen that another builder goes into liquidation, but it, you can come out on the other side of it and Yeah.
As long as you, yeah, get the insurance, get the Q B E, get it sorted, get the new builder and construction can start again.
Anna: Yeah. Yeah. So yeah, it was definitely, A unique experience. Yeah. But, um, you know what I always think, like, if, if someone had said this to me during the time, if someone had said no, what doesn't kill you make you stronger?
I probably would've killed them. Um,
Jaimi: at the time you don't wanna hear things. No, no, no,
Anna: no. But now I'm like, no, you know. Okay. Probably like taught me some lessons and you know, I think one of the big ones is yeah, your instincts. Yeah, just holy instincts. Like I had so much and I just thought maybe I'm just nervous cause I've never been through this before and I'm on my own.
Like I don't have
Jaimi: like a partner, it's female. It's even more daunting and scary as well.
Anna: Yeah. And I was just like, and oh God. Yeah. And when you hindsight's 2020 and I always look back and think, oh God, I should have, should have known from there or I should have like, yeah, you know,
Jaimi: It's hard to tell as well.
Yeah, you don't know and you're like, oh, is it, is it, what's this? But yeah, trust your gut.
Anna: Yeah, trust your girl and then yeah, there like there are people out there who obviously shysters and will like, you know, trying to just get the money out of you. But then there's also people like, you know, obviously you and my new builder and Yeah, who actually are on the level and they actually.
When they say they're gonna do something, they do it. Yeah. Which, you
Jaimi: know, yeah. There's good out there. It's just about findings. Finding that good and the right people and the right team. And you can, you can do it with that, but that's tough when you don't know what you're
Anna: looking for. No, and I didn't know.
That house and land brokers existed? No, before, before this. And I wish I had, cuz I would've like properly like, started off with you and just gone through the whole thing because I've seen like all like your posts and stuff on social media and that, and I'm like, oh, I,
Jaimi: I'd have had hair. She would've helped me do that.
I had like, you
Anna: know, I could have had that in my laundry or I could have had this on in my house, but Im happy that I've got my own home. But, Yeah, especially in these times. But yeah, for
Jaimi: sure. The next one, we can put this one up for investment and then we'll do a positive one. Yeah, get rid of this one Will too.
Anna: Good one from from scratch.
Jaimi: Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So what advice can you give to others who might find themselves in a similar situation?
Anna: Yeah, I would just, yeah, try and get advice from as many people as you can, and. Especially like people like yourself or you know, if you have access to lawyers. Yeah, I mean, I know it's expensive.
It could be very expensive, but, um, you know, cause I tried to talk to a lawyer that I work with. At my previous job, and they were like, your contract's free. Like it could mean this, but it could mean that, and it's an interpretation. And like what they're saying, like what clause they're using to justify this price increase is kind of like neither here nor there.
And like even with lawyers, like the contracts aren't very clear at all and you're like, oh, well, you know, if you can get the advice, then yeah, yeah. But obviously some people just can't afford.
Jaimi: Yeah.
Anna: Yeah. But, um, but I would definitely try and do as much research as you can before you sign any contracts.
Yep. Yeah, definitely. Yeah. Which is, you know, one of my,
Jaimi: one of your lessons.
Anna: One of my lessons. Yeah. And you, you think you do, you think you do, you do your due diligence and you think like, oh, I look the builder up. And at that time they had positive reviews. Yeah, there was nothing negative about them at all.
And it was just, I think that was probably, cause it was near the beginning of like whole Grants.
Jaimi: Grants before the storm started. Yeah. Before that just
Anna: became like a massive issue. Yeah. So,
Jaimi: yeah. Is there anything you had wished you had known previously or done differently?
Anna: Yeah, probably shopped around a bit.
Yep. Got in touch with someone like you if I'd known you existed. The hand house land broken. Um, yeah, and just seeing what else was out there. Other options. A lot of other options. I, I ended up just going with that, that one because it was just overwhelming. It's
Jaimi: just so overwhelming. It is. Yeah. And I just remember
Anna: thinking and I.
Like with this mortgage broker, like, you know, he knew the guy and Oh, it's a good company and blah, blah, blah. And you, you go off of the recommendations of people. You kinda, maybe that's one of my, all the lessons not taking people on face value so much, but I don't Yeah. Doing it's, yeah. But it, but it's hard cuz you hope that people are doing the
Jaimi: right thing.
Yeah. Not giving you the right recommendations and stuff. Yeah,
Anna: yeah, yeah. But it, yeah. Definitely a lot more research in that than I had done. Yeah.
Jaimi: Yeah. It's easy to also be like, oh yeah, okay. Like that was there, and then you're like, oh, there is too many other builders, so I'll just settle and go with this one.
Yes. And you don't look for outside of the box options like, Building brokers or other people that work independently, cuz it's like, oh, I'll just Google a Perth builder, or I'll just go to a display village or, and it's like those, there's other options out there now that are becoming more common rather than just Googling builders or going to a display, which then tends to be like, oh nah.
Yeah, also too overwhelming. So I'll just go option.
Anna: Yeah. Yeah, I know. And it's like my parents, they didn't have a very good building experience either. Their builder, they built 12 years ago now, 12, 18 years ago. But it's obviously very different than it is now. But they weren't really happy, but they didn't know anyone either.
And. Yeah, at that point I think we'd lived in Australia about nine or 10 years cuz we're from England originally. And you just, um, when you don't really know anyone Yeah, I know who to ask. Or if someone else had gone through and had a good experience, like who did you build with, you know? Yeah. Yeah. My parents kind of went, they had to go through Keystart as well.
Yeah. And there's only, I would say builders who. You know, deal with Keystart customers. Yeah. Yeah. So it's difficult, but I think now with social media and that, yeah, it's a lot better. Yeah. And you have a lot like look at things. Yeah. And um, that Facebook group that, that we connected with. Yeah. You know, that was a like, I mean, some of the, it is like, you know, very much like the sky is falling, the sky is falling.
They're a bit like doom and gloom. Yeah. But you know, there's also. It's good to know some good things. Yeah. Because there are some people who have good experiences and then the ones that you know, you wanna avoid and Yeah. I, I remember, um, telling a few people who, um, thinking about building that, like, join this Facebook group.
Yeah. And then look up like house and land brokers. They're out there like, I would recommend using one of them and you know Yeah. If, you know, if they house, if they wanted to build or they couldn't afford to buy outright,
Jaimi: well now you're out on the other side and you're in your house. I'm very happy. Yeah.
Good. I'm so happy for you and I'm so glad that I could help. Yeah. Take you through the rest of that shitty process. Turn it into a, Positive one towards the end and positive. Yeah. Yeah. The main thing was helping you through that process, navigating the quotes, what QBE needed, and understanding that, and for you to have someone there that you could lean on.
And then, yeah, the builder to finish the rest of the job off. So yay. It all worked out the end. Yes, it did. Good long journey and a lot of lessons, but you did it, so,
Anna: yeah. Yeah. That's So is it is possible. It is possible, yeah. Yeah. Even now.
Jaimi: Cool. All right. Well thank you so much for taking the time to join me on the episode today and I'm sure, I'm hoping a lot of people learnt a lot.
Yeah. And if you guys have any questions for me or Anna, feel free to. D me on Instagram and yeah, I can ask any your questions or even, I'm sure she wouldn't mind getting in contact if anyone had any questions. Um, she can also, um, she's been really great with yeah, passing on her knowledge and being very open to do that.
So thank you so much for and joining on this episode, Anna. Well, thank you for
Anna: having me and thank you for all your help.
Jaimi: Oh, really appreciate. You're very welcome. You're welcome. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you so much for tuning in to the home building like a Boss podcast. I hope you enjoyed today's episode and learned something new. Remember, you've got this and I've got your back. Until next time, stay inspired, stay informed, and stay confident on your building journey. I can't wait to chat with you on the next.
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