A woman who wanted to renovate her home so her dementia-stricken father could safely move in is now on the hook for $132,573 after the builder filed for bankruptcy.
Kerry Beake was awarded the sum after a two-year battle in the Washington State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) for compensation because the work was incomplete or of such poor quality that her father was never able to move in before he died.
However, the builder has now declared bankruptcy, so he will not receive any of that money.
“I would have more protection as a consumer if I bought a toaster from Aldi,” Beake told Daily Mail Australia.
She hired Perth-based construction company Buildwise Solutions, based in Byford and run by Peter John Edmonds, claiming there was no way in WA to keep track of serious complaints against builders.
“We are not stupid people, we were scammed because we trusted a person to do the job they were paid to do and was qualified,” he said.
‘In other professions people are removed if there is a complaint, but in WA people are at risk from botched builders; the system is not going to protect them.’
Mr Edmonds, 71, was fined $2,000 at Mandurah Magistrates Court this month after pleading guilty to carrying out building work at Ms Beake’s Mandurah home without taking out compulsory home indemnity insurance which would have covered the sum ordered by SAT.
Ms Beake had hired him in 2020 to convert a shed into a granny flat, make bathroom safety upgrades and convert a garage into an office.
Kerry Beake hired Peter Edmonds of Buildwise Solutions to carry out renovations (pictured) to her home so that her father, who suffered from dementia, could move out and avoid having to enter an aged care facility.
His father was never able to move in before he died because proper building permits and insurance were not obtained and the workmanship was of poor quality.
But when he later discovered that the work was poorly done, he was quoted $185,000 to fix it.
Mr Edmonds had charged Ms Beake for home indemnity insurance but she never took out a policy so she cannot claim her money back, as is often the case with a builder who goes bankrupt.
‘He didn’t get the proper building permits or insurance. There were holes in the wall and the windows had been removed, so water was flooding the floors.
‘He quoted us a 35-day job – which at first seemed excessive – but it was left unfinished and he stopped communicating, we didn’t hear from him for months.
“I later learned that some parts were not manufactured to code.”
Ms Beake, 54, said she believes she will not see a cent of the money she is owed – the total cost of the construction was $152,250 – and is concerned that other people could fall victim to similar situations.
“I find it difficult to resign myself to the fact that there is no other way forward with this.”
“I probably look and sound fine, but I have a lot of trauma that I haven’t been able to address or process because of all of this… I haven’t been able to get over the loss of my father.”
Her father eventually entered a nursing home (the situation Mrs Beake had tried to avoid by renovating her house) and died late last year.
Ms Beake has written to government ministers about the traumatic events, urging changes to the law to provide greater protections for consumers.
“A $2,000 fine is insulting,” he said.
Mrs Beake (left) said water would flood into her grandmother’s flat through gaps left in the walls.
The building work was not done to code and needs to be demolished and rebuilt, something she says cannot be allowed.
Other clients, employees and subcontractors have alleged that Buildwise Solutions also owed them money.
The company’s website, which has now been taken down, described it as: ‘A team dedicated to listening to you and understanding your needs and you being our top priority throughout your journey with us.’
Mr Edmonds filed for bankruptcy on March 18 and bankruptcy trustee Giovanni Carrello said creditors were owed $433,425, according to The West Australian.
“The bankrupt reported that the company ceased operations on or about November 9, 2023 as a result of a major accident at the site,” it said in a report to creditors.
Mr Edwards said an injury affected his ability to continue operating.
‘The bankrupt is the joint borrower on a mortgage…secured by real property in the name of the bankrupt’s spouse.
‘In 2022, she transferred to her spouse a 2003 Harley Davidson with an estimated value of $15,000 and a 2013 Mercedes-Benz hatchback with an estimated value of $19,000.’
He has also run companies under the names Enviro Housing Group and Alternate Living Homes.
Daily Mail Australia has attempted to contact Mr Edmonds.