I didn’t originally set out to be a builder.

I started as an electrician. Four-year apprenticeship. A few years wiring houses. It was good work.

You turn the power on, the lights work, and you move to the next job. But I realised I wanted to

build the whole structure, not just be part of it.

 

My stepfather, Peter Winser, ran a construction company on the Northern Beaches. He gave me

the opportunity to learn carpentry while still doing electrical work on weekends to support myself.

 So I started again. Another four-year apprenticeship.Then I did three years of building

supervision at TAFE at night while working full time during the day. It wasn’t glamorous.

It was long days and longer nights. But I wanted to understand building properly.

Not just one trade. The whole process. Peter taught me something simple that stuck. 

Turn up. Do what you say you’re going to do. Pay attention to the small details.

That’s how you build trust.

​

In 2006, I started Better Built Builders. Early on, I made a mistake. I missed the cost of roof tiles
in an estimate. Everything else was there. But that one line item wiped out my margin.

We broke even. That one hurt. It taught me quickly that good intentions aren’t enough.

You need systems. You need checks. You need discipline. Building still throws challenges at you.

Complex sites. Engineering surprises. Weather. But I’ve learned to stay calm and deal with issues

early instead of reacting late. What I enjoy most is handing over a completed project and seeing

the look on a client’s face. You’re not just building walls. You’re building the place their family will

live in for years.

​

I’m a licensed builder, licence 183907C, and a member of the Master Builders Association. I spent 15 years learning under Peter before stepping out on my own.

One of our early complex jobs in Alexander Street, Collaroy involved deep piers, restricted access, crawl cranes and serious engineering challenges. We worked through it methodically. Fourteen years later, I still speak with those clients. That matters to me.

​

I’m married, have four grown children, and I’m now a grandfather. Every week the whole family comes back to our place for dinner. It’s noisy and busy and exactly how I like it.

Building isn’t just my job. It’s how I provide for my family while helping other families build theirs.

That’s why I care about doing it properly.