DSGN Homes’ boss speaks out on the industry that led to his insolvency

A builder whose liquidation left Canberra home owners with half built houses has spoken out, stating that he wanted the public to have “a clear picture” of the challenges those in the industry are facing.

Subscribe now for unlimited access.

or signup to continue reading

Home owners and subcontractors told The Canberra Times they were left with half built houses and thousands of dollars worth of unpaid bills. It is currently unclear whether they will be paid any dividends as a result of the liquidation process.

Keith Perrett, inset, says the building industry has been suffering since the COVID-19 pandemic. Picture supplied, Elesa Kurtz.

The company is one of many builders in the ACT that have been struggling to survive since the COVID-19 pandemic. Calls for more support for the industry have started again since the conflict in the Middle East began driving up fuel and supply prices.

Mr Perrett founded the company in 2016 and at its peak, employed 10 people. Until the COVID-19 pandemic hit, he said business had been doubling year on year.

“By the time the impacts of those were really found, it was too little, too late to do anything,” Mr Perrett said.

Subcontractors knew risks, Mr Perrett says

Mr Perrett said his business took a hit of about $350,000, which would have taken three to four years to recoup. About 18 months ago, he realised the business was in trouble, when a series of delays on projects meant he was consistently falling behind on payments.

Subcontractors continued to take his business, he said, because the industry was currently operating on the knowledge that bills would not be paid in time, and that no one should have been caught off guard by the insolvency.

“I hate that subbies suffered from all this, but some of these subcontractors lost $3000 or $4000 after working with me for nine, 10 years,” he said.

“There should be a shared risk. I understand we pulled the strings on it all, but I didn’t hold a gun to anyone’s head or lie to them or anything else to get them to come and work with us.

“Everyone did it because they liked working with us and knew the risks associated.”

Mr Perrett refuted claims that he continued to take on new clients while knowing the business was heading towards administration.

He said he had stopped taking on new clients in January 2026, but did not realise the insolvency was necessary until a week before it happened, when a site-specific insurance lapsed.

“As soon as I received that email, I called our subcontractors and paused all works on site,” he said.

“Then 24 hours later, I’d met with my accountants that evening. I was just literally out of options.”

Mr Perrett denies ‘phoenix trading’

Since the voluntary administration came to light, Mr Perrett said he has been the victim of break-ins, and his family had been threatened. Subcontractors who he had previously been friends with had turned on him, he said.

“The business is part of my identity as well. There’s no one left in my phone that I really speak to,” he said.

“I just want some advocacy for builders, just as a clear picture. Not saying the poor me stuff, but to realise that there’s real people behind this, there’s a business, there’s a human face with kids and families.”

“I’ll be wiped out from all this. I’m back to pretty much where I left school, is where I’ll be financially.”

Mr Perrett disagreed that finishing any of the houses his company was unable to complete would amount to more than the home owners would be able to claim through insurance.

“I’m sorry that they’re in the position that they’re in. I’m pretty confident at the end of the day, once the dust settles, they’re going to have beautiful homes, and they will have a level of compensation,” he said

He said he hoped those clients would be able to see that he tried everything he could to prevent the business from going under, and denied allegations that he would be “phoenix trading” by starting a new company in Queensland, where he now lives.

“I’ll be happy if I never build anything again in my life,” he said.

“Everyone that had a significant building company post COVID has been driving along with a ball and chain around their neck.

“I know all of them are burnt out and just happy to be surviving.”

More from Business and Finance