You're going to need more than a brochure
Pronounced / (abode): meaning —— beautiful home
We’re not builders, sales agents or developers - We've been through the building process & talk from lived experience.
We’re here to help you cut through the BS (building surprises).
Most building mistakes aren't made on site. They're made before you even break ground.
Start here.
make shift happen With the Right Tools
Miss something at handover… and you’ll pay for it later. Your PCI is your final chance to get it right.
👉 That’s where things get missed.
👉 And once you sign off… you lose leverage.
A 31-page, structured PCI guide to help you:
✨Instant PDF download
✨Printable A4 format
Your Ultimate Selections Planner - Instant PDF Download
This room-by-room planner walks you through every single selection - from façade to final styling - so nothing gets missed, rushed, or regretted.
Inside, you’ll map out:
✔ Instant download
✔ Printable A4 + digital-friendly
✔ Designed to work seamlessly with your builder
Rushed selections = expensive mistakes.
Disclaimer:
Not legal advice—just a guide to help you gain some contract clarity.
Many people believe a fixed-price contract means the price can never change.
Common reasons a builder may charge more include:
Unexpected rock, poor soil, fill, groundwater or engineering requirements discovered after signing.
Changes to plans, selections, upgrades or inclusions requested by the owner.
Additional works required by councils, certifiers or utility providers.
Delays in finance, selections, approvals or land settlement may result in additional costs.
New building regulations or compliance requirements introduced after signing.
Allowances for unknown works such as rock removal, retaining walls or service connections that end up costing more than estimated.
The Special Conditions attached to the standard contract is where you need to pay attention.
This is where builders quietly add extra rights, extended timeframes, price adjustment clauses and liability limitations that can completely change what you agreed to.
Can the builder claim extra time for -
🍒 Ask: How much extra time can they claim and what evidence is required?
Look for wording relating to:
🍒 Ask: What site costs are excluded from the contract price?
Some clauses allow the builder to stop work for:
🍒 Ask: When can the builder legally suspend construction?
Always read the Special Conditions. Then read them again.
This is one of the most important sections.
🔍 Look for:
🍒 Ask yourself:
Why it matters:
Many homeowners focus on build duration.
The builder focuses on Extension of Time clauses.
They're not the same thing.
A 180-day build can become much longer if EOTs are granted.
⚠ Read this section carefully.
🍒 Check:
In many cases, minor defects or quality disputes do not automatically entitle the owner to withhold payment.
The contract may instead require the owner to pay the stage claim and have defects addressed through the builder's defect rectification process.
Why it matters:
Many owners assume they can stop payment if they are unhappy with the quality of work.
Unfortunately, standard building contracts are generally designed to protect the builder's cash flow.
👉 If a stage has been substantially completed, withholding payment may place the owner in breach of contract and could result in interest charges, suspension of works, or further contractual consequences.
"I Didn't Come From
the Building Industry - I'm building one that improves it."
Jessica Blue, Founder of Abeaud. Project Manager. Property Consultant. Author. Mother.
But before any of that, I was a wife, building a sanctuary with my husband. What I didn't expect was how hard it would be to get a straight answer from anyone - anywhere.
Vague answers, conflicting communication, lack of transparency and the frustration of being dismissed simply for being a woman on site.
I quickly realised that there was no real building hub or building advocacy.
No transparency. No integrity. Just a chain of people each protecting their own interests, while we were left to figure ours out.
And we weren't the only ones.
The questions nobody answered. The lessons nobody teaches. The things I wish I'd known before we signed. Hoping I might just be able to help other people not make our mistakes.
I had no idea those notes would one day become a book. At that point I was a woman trying to make sense of a process that had never made sense for people like us.
My husband was extremely supportive of me in my plight to help others. He thought it was very 'me' - decoding - researching - determined to make something useful and more efficient out of something that was confusing and vague.
He never got to see what it became.
And as life happens - just after we moved in - my husband Matt was diagnosed with stage IV brain cancer.
Three months later he was gone.
Life has a way of forcing you into chapters you never chose. Chapters that arrive uninvited and demand everything you have left.
This was mine.
I kept writing. Picking up where I left off.
I knew what I was documenting mattered. And I knew others deserved this help before they needed it - not after.
Three years of notes became a book and eventually - Abeaud.
She Builds
your guide to building with volume builders
Building a home will test your budget, your patience, and how much you’re willing to question what you’re told.
It’s also one of the easiest places to lose thousands without even realising it. This book exists to change that.
Inside, you’ll learn what most builders don’t explain.
Whether it’s your first build or your second, the difference between guessing and knowing is everything.
For the cost of this book, compared to the cost of getting it wrong…
it’s not even a decision. This is the guide you reach for before you sign anything.
And the one you’ll wish you had if you don’t.
So many Australians building, have joined social media group chats for help with building.
This number tells us - that when you start the building journey, you'll have a multitude of questions and sometimes it's difficult to get straight answers from your builder.
If you're just starting - download our free
FIRST HOME BUILDER SURVIVAL GUIDE
