Perth builder collapses after wind-up call

Residential builder Opus Homes has been placed in the hands of liquidators after being hit with a wind-up call from disgruntled customers. 

The Perth builder will be wound-up by Hall Chadwick’s Richard Albarran and Aaron Dominish, who were appointed as liquidators by the court on Tuesday. 

Building and Energy said it urged affected homeowners to contact their home indemnity insurance provider.

"Following the liquidation of Kulowall Construction Pty Ltd, trading as Opus Homes, Building and Energy is advising affected home owners to contact home indemnity insurance provider QBE to discuss arrangements for completion of their homes or rectification of any defects," a spokesperson said.

"Building and Energy is now considering its options regarding disciplinary allegations that were in progress against Kulowall Construction."

It comes after Opus Homes, registered under Kulowall Construction, received a wind-up bid from two unhappy customers over a North Coogee home. 

The action came after a building dispute was escalated to the State Administrative Tribunal in July, which was one of several pending against the builder at the time. 

The published SAT decision revealed the North Coogee build was so plagued with defects that it would need to be demolished and reconstructed.

In that matter, the tribunal ordered that the respondent, Kulowall Construction, pay the homeowners $1,148,369 by August 2023 to cover the costs of the rebuild.

It was just one of five pending building disputes against the builder last year, with another matter being referred to SAT by the industry watchdog due to the “serious nature of the disciplinary allegations”. 

Opus Homes’ collapse also comes after Building and Energy conducted an investigation into the builder last year, which resulted in it being banned from commencing any new residential projects.

At that time, Opus Homes had left about a dozen residential projects in a lurch.