Building inspector Anthony Baldwin has exposed some of the shocking defects and poor workmanship he has uncovered in newly built homes and renovations across southeast Qld. Pictures: Adam Head
Homeowner are footing the bill for shocking building defects, prompting a state regulator crackdown as a construction crisis puts basic housing standards at risk.
Armed with heatmaps to hunt down dodgy tradies, the watchdog is stepping in as independent building inspectors sound the alarm of the grim reality of dodgy new builds and haphazard renovations.
The grim reality of dodgy new builds and haphazard renovations across the southeast. Source: Anthony Baldwin, Top Tier Building Inspections.
Data from the Queensland Building and Construction Commission’s (QBCC) Industry Snapshot and its latest Regulatory Report confirms these aren’t isolated incidents.
The regulator ranks roof cladding, painting, joinery, wall cladding, waterproofing and floor tiling among the top ten building defects in the state.
A QBCC spokesman said these defects arose from “increased work demand on trades, construction complexity, sequencing challenges and inconsistent performance”.
The regulator is cracking down in response, deploying “heatmaps” to target problem suburbs and high-risk builders before issues escalate.
In another major shift, the QBCC is also strengthening accountability by issuing Directions to Rectify directly to subcontractors when they are caught carrying out shoddy work, rather than just chasing the head contractor.
REAL ESTATE SUNDAY EGN: Building inspector Anthony Baldwin has exposed some of the shocking defects and poor workmanship he has uncovered in newly built homes and renovations across southeast Qld. Pictures: Adam Head
Anthony Baldwin, of Top Tier Building Inspections, is documenting a growing gap between buyers’ quality expectations and the realities of a market buckling under tight deadlines and soaring costs.
“The demand for more housing, delivered faster and with significant cost restraints, appears to be creating an environment where workmanship, supervision and quality control can suffer,” Mr Baldwin said.
“This can disadvantage many excellent builders and tradespeople who struggle to compete against what I call a race-to-the-bottom approach focused primarily on cost, speed and volume.”
The evidence of this pressure is alarming. In 2024-25, the Queensland Home Warranty Scheme paid out a staggering $60m in approved claims to homeowners affected by defective, incomplete, or subsidence-affected building work.
Some of the defects uncovered are astounding. Source: Anthony Baldwin, Top Tier Building Inspections.
On the ground, Mr Baldwin is uncovering the eyebrow-raising reality behind those figures, garnering a massive audience as he shares videos of his inspections to social media.
In one handover inspection of a $1 million new build, Mr Baldwin discovered doors that wouldn’t close, raised shower tiles he described as “worse than treading on Lego,” and human faeces left on a brand-new toilet seat.
In another handover, the tiling was so poorly aligned and chipped that Mr Baldwin questioned if the trades had “tiled with a chainsaw” on a “DIY Sunday.”
It comes as the industry is squeezed by unprecedented financial pressure. Master Builders Queensland data reveals the average price to build a new detached home in the state has increased by 41 per cent since 2021-22, tying for the highest jump of any state.
Build sizes are shrinking, with the average floor area down from 245 sqm to 231 sqm in a year.
Master Builders deputy CEO Michael Hopkins
Apartment construction has been hit even harder, with costs up 71 per cent over three years to top $5,020 per square metre, making Queensland the most expensive state on the east coast for building units.
Master Builders Deputy CEO Michael Hopkins warned the cost to build in Queensland was becoming “prohibitive,” stating regulatory red tape and National Construction Code changes added up to 20 per cent to a dwelling’s sale price.
Mr Hopkins said the industry was operating in an “undeniable pressure cooker” environment, but stressed build quality and worker safety must remain the sector’s top priorities.
“The shortage of skilled workers is currently our biggest challenge, putting significant pressure on project timelines,” Mr Hopkins said.
“Defects can be common as building is a very complex process – but what’s important is how these are dealt with.”
Mr Baldwin said luxury projects as well as entry-level homes were affected.
One expensive renovation on the Gold Coast turned into “absolute chaos,” with an inspection revealing cut roof trusses, unsupported batons, and severe water damage.
Mr Baldwin’s intervention ultimately resulted in the certifier failing the property’s occupation certificate, forcing the builder to return and rectify the work.
REIQ CEO Antonia Mercorella.
Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) CEO Antonia Mercorella urged buyers to prioritise due diligence including commissioning a licensed professional to conduct a building and pest inspection.
“Buyers can negotiate to make a contract of sale ‘subject to’ a building and pest inspection condition. However, it’s important to understand, while a buyer can seek to negotiate with the seller, a seller is not required to rectify any problems discovered and not all defects and problems will allow a buyer to terminate the contract,” Ms Mercorella said.
Mr Hopkins urged homeowners to protect themselves from corner-cutting operators by securing three quotes and ensuring they were comparing “apples with apples,” warning the lowest price doesn’t always deliver value for money.
He advised buyers to verify trade licenses via the QBCC, secure written contracts, and demand a copy of their home warranty insurance before work begins.
But Ms Mercorella warned buyers can feel pressure to “act quickly” in competitive markets. While seller-commissioned reports were becoming more common and could “remove cost and time barriers … and identify issues early”, they came with potential risks and legal limits.
“Generally, this means the buyer, who is not a party to that building and pest inspection contract, cannot directly rely on the report and seek compensation from the inspector for any damage or loss they may suffer if the report is defective,” Ms Mercorella said.
Mr Baldwin said first-home buyers in particular may be unaware these reports were commissioned by the vendor.
“The peace of mind of having your own independent inspector is often worth the investment.”
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