BUILDING WITH AN AUSTRALIAN VOLUME BUILDER?

WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOUR BUILDER WON'T TELL YOU — & HOW IT'S COSTING YOU THOUSANDS?

Abeaud is your new home building hub for Australians building with volume builders — tools, guides & checklists

Pronounced / (abode): meaning —— beautiful home

What your builder doesn't explain, usually what ends up on your invoice.

Abeaud makes sure you're never the last to know.


We’re not builders, sales agents or developers - We've been through it & talk from lived experience.

We’re here to help you cut through the BS (building surprises).

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A home may test your patience before it rewards your heart——But with the right tools, even the hardest journey finds its path.

make shift happen With the Right Tools

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"A woman who understands the system cannot be dismissed by it."

Got a Building Contract?

PAY ATTENTION TO THESE CLAUSES

  • When Can a Fixed Price Contract Increase?

    Many people believe a fixed-price contract means the price can never change.

    Common reasons a builder may charge more include:

    🚩 Site Conditions

    Unexpected rock, poor soil, fill, groundwater or engineering requirements discovered after signing.

    🚩 Owner Variations

    Changes to plans, selections, upgrades or inclusions requested by the owner.

    🚩 Authority Requirements

    Additional works required by councils, certifiers or utility providers.

    🚩 Delays Caused by the Owner

    Delays in finance, selections, approvals or land settlement may result in additional costs.

    🚩 Legislative Changes

    New building regulations or compliance requirements introduced after signing.

    🚩 Provisional Sums

    Allowances for unknown works such as rock removal, retaining walls or service connections that end up costing more than estimated.

  • Special Conditions in Your building contract

    The Special Conditions attached to the standard contract is where you need to pay attention.

    This is where builders quietly add extra rights, extended timeframes, price adjustment clauses and liability limitations that can completely change what you agreed to.

    Key Special Conditions to Look For


    🚩 Extension of Time Clauses

    Can the builder claim extra time for -

    • Weather
    • Material shortages
    • Labour shortages
    • Delays from suppliers
    • Access issues

    🍒 Ask: How much extra time can they claim and what evidence is required?

    🚩 Site Cost Clauses

    Look for wording relating to:

    • Rock removal
    • Soil conditions
    • Retaining walls
    • Piering
    • Service connections

    🍒 Ask: What site costs are excluded from the contract price?


    🚩 Suspension of Works

    Some clauses allow the builder to stop work for:

    • Late payments
    • Approval delays
    • Other owner-related issues

    🍒 Ask: When can the builder legally suspend construction?

    Always read the Special Conditions. Then read them again.

  • EOT BUILDING CONTRACT CLAUSE

    This is one of the most important sections.

    🔍 Look for:

    • Weather delays
    • Material shortages
    • Labour shortages
    • Supplier delays
    • Council delays
    • Authority approvals
    • Access issues

    🍒 Ask yourself:

    1. Does the builder need to prove the delay?
    2. How many days can be claimed?
    3. Is there a process they must follow?


    Why it matters:

    Many homeowners focus on build duration.

    The builder focuses on Extension of Time clauses.

    They're not the same thing.

    A 180-day build can become much longer if EOTs are granted.

  • PROGRESS PAYMENTS IN YOUR BUILDING CONTRACT

    ⚠ Read this section carefully.

    🍒 Check:

    • When each payment is due
    • Whether payments are linked to construction stages
    • How long you have to pay
    • Consequences of late payment
    • Whether interest can be charged on overdue amounts


    🚩 Many HIA and MBA contracts require stage payments to be made once a stage has been completed, even if the owner has concerns about workmanship or defects.

    In many cases, minor defects or quality disputes do not automatically entitle the owner to withhold payment.

    The contract may instead require the owner to pay the stage claim and have defects addressed through the builder's defect rectification process.

    Why it matters:

    Many owners assume they can stop payment if they are unhappy with the quality of work.

    Unfortunately, standard building contracts are generally designed to protect the builder's cash flow.

    👉 If a stage has been substantially completed, withholding payment may place the owner in breach of contract and could result in interest charges, suspension of works, or further contractual consequences.


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"I Didn't Come From
the Building Industry -
I learnt through my building journey."

"And what drives me isn't building homes.
It's helping people avoid that sinking feeling of looking back and realising they were expected to make life changing decisions without ever given the full picture."

I'm Jessica - Founder of Abeaud, project manager, property consultant and author of She Builds.

But before any of those titles, I was a woman trying to build a home for her family.

I didn't create Abeaud because I spotted a business opportunity - but because I lived through the building process and saw how much homeowners aren't told.

Despite years of managing complex projects, budgets and timelines, I still found myself navigating vague answers, confusing contracts and decisions I wasn't fully equipped to make.

There's one thing I don't take lightly - and it's the feeling that someone has taken advantage of your trust.

So I started taking notes. The questions nobody answered. The lessons nobody teaches. The things I wish I'd known before we signed.

While building our home, my husband Matt was diagnosed with brain cancer. Three months later, he was gone. Through grief, motherhood and construction, I kept documenting what I was learning.

Those notes became She Builds.

And She Builds became Abeaud.

What drives me isn't building homes.
It's helping people avoid that sinking feeling of looking back and realising they were expected to make important decisions without ever being given the full picture.
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She Builds

your guide to building with volume builders

SHE BUILDS - Your Guide to Building with Volume Builders

Building a home will test your budget, your patience, and how much you’re willing to question what you’re told.

It’s also one of the easiest places to lose thousands without even realising it. This book exists to change that.


Three years in the making,
She Builds is the first of its kind in Australia.

An in-depth, no-BS guide designed to take you from overwhelmed and unsure… to clear, confident, and in control.

Inside, you’ll learn what most builders don’t explain.

  • How to spot hidden costs before they hit.
  • How to actually understand your contract.
  • How to make smart decisions from the very beginning, not when it’s too late.

Whether it’s your first build or your second, the difference between guessing and knowing is everything.


For the cost of this book, compared to the cost of getting it wrong…

it’s not even a decision. This is the guide you reach for before you sign anything.

And the one you’ll wish you had if you don’t.