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Shoddy renovation leaves home unliveable and ‘fake builder’ with $80k fine
The botched renovation of a Gippsland home has left an unregistered builder facing an $80,000 fine after his work made the house unliveable and left the home owners’ dreams in tatters.
A 26-year-old man has been fined more than $80,000 after pleading guilty to four charges of illegal work on a 2022 renovation project, including representing himself as a registered builder.
The “builder”, Darcy Wheildon, pleaded guilty in Sale Magistrates’ Court to carrying out domestic building work without registration, insurance, or a building permit.
According to a building inspector, the uncompleted work left the home unliveable to this day.
The court was told Wheildon was hired through a Facebook ad on a community page, where he told the home owners he was a registered builder and that the work didn’t require a building permit.
He then quoted the home owners $170,000 for the works they requested, including internal alterations and an external extension to the top floor.
The work included demolition, removing an interior kitchen wall later found to be a structural beam, and partially removing a balcony.
Over three months, Wheildon was paid almost $55,000 before Wellington Shire Council issued the home owners a stop-work order after discovering the building permit was not in place.
He then told the home owner he was a registered builder and that the onus was on them to organise the permit.
Eventually, Wheildon agreed to repay the $55,000, but no money was ever returned.
A building inspector assessed the property and concluded it was extensively damaged, unsafe, and could not be restored to its previous state.
The property now also has asbestos-related issues.
Magistrate Samantha Poulter imposed the $80,000 fine but recorded no conviction because of Wheildon’s personal circumstances and lack of prior convictions.
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The Building and Plumbing Commission said the case reminded home owners of the dangers of saving money on a renovation project.
“Consumers should always use a registered builder for jobs over $10,000 and also ensure the builder has mandatory building insurance in place if the work is over $20,000.”
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