Homeowners Left Stranded by Tilson & Sons Building

Chelmer Couple Faces $145,000 Loss

Tom and Monica Belcher of Chelmer have spoken out after paying more than $140,000 to Tilson & Sons Building and Construction for flood repairs and renovations that remain incomplete after more than a year. The couple terminated their contract in frustration, adding their names to a growing list of clients who say they have been left out of pocket by the company.

Creditor Watch lists Tilson & Sons Building & Constructions PTY LTD on the risk level of “impaired.” According to the site, the company is currently highly vulnerable to non-payment and default. It also states that “trading eligibility must be considered.”

The Belchers had engaged builder Declan Tilson in late 2023 to restore their downstairs area, which had been severely damaged in the 2022 floods, as well as carry out additional renovations. Despite their urgency to move forward, progress on their home stalled, leaving the property in what they described as a “skeleton” state with only rough works undertaken.

The Courier-Mail contacted Mr Tilson about the claims, but no response was received.

Stress and Financial Strain

The couple revealed that they paid a total of $145,000, including $32,000 from the Resilient Homes Fund. In addition to financial losses, they said they suffered significant stress throughout the ordeal. “Families have lost their homes, their savings … no family should ever have to endure this again,” they stated.

Ms Belcher added that warning signs were visible early on. “From the beginning, there were red flags: he pushed us to pay a deposit early, delayed the start, left our home exposed to weather, and failed to manage trades or basic orders,” she said.

Disabled Veteran’s $97,000 Dream Extension Collapses

Michelle Holmes, a veteran living with permanent disability, entrusted Declan Tilson with building an extension on her Burpengary East home in 2023. Using $97,000 from her disability payout, Michelle and her husband David McInnes signed a fixed-price contract worth $164,000 for work that was promised to take six months.

The plan involved a 6m by 9m extension, including demolition of an exterior wall, an open-plan lounge, kitchen and dining area, a media room, and a carport. Instead, two years later the project remains incomplete, with Michelle describing it as a “two-year nightmare.” At times the couple lived in the property without a full roof, and she said she has been hospitalised with anxiety.

“This has also been quite stressful for my husband who has blood pressure issues,” she added. Michelle said two independent construction companies have since assessed the work as defective and requiring demolition. She also noted, “Nothing has been done since August 2024 and he’s dragging it out.”

Complaints to the QBCC

Michelle Holmes said she had contacted Queensland’s Housing and Public Works Minister Sam O’Connor, who referred her concerns to the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC). She launched several actions through the regulator but described the process as fruitless.

“The QBCC ghosted me. They were completely dismissive. No one rang. No one contacted me,” Michelle said. “When they did contact me they pretty much told me nothing and said they can’t do anything about it. What the QBCC wants me to do now is make sure I get a construction lawyer and terminate the contract because they say “we can’t help you unless you terminate the contract”

She has since begun a Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal action and engaged a specialist building compliance lawyer.

Flood Victim’s $92,000 Contract Abandoned

Flood victim Megan McStea also turned to Tilson & Sons after her home was devastated in the 2022 floods. With assistance from the Resilient Homes Fund, Megan paid Declan more than $92,000 for urgent repairs he claimed would take just four to six weeks. She found Declan through the Resilient Homes Fund register.

Work began in October 2023 but stopped after only one day. When Declan returned briefly in March, he left Megan’s home propped up on timber pallets, uninhabitable and unsafe.

“It’s absolutely destroying me. Basically, I hadn’t planned for any of this. I got accommodation for four weeks,” Megan said.

As a single mother and widow, Megan has been forced to live with her 89-year-old mother while also paying her mortgage and renting a separate unit for her two sons. “I was a pretty easy target, a single, widowed mum who didn’t know a lot about the building thing,” she said.

Builder Responds to Media Confrontation

When approached by A Current Affair, Declan Tilson stated, “I’m not one of those people that run away from situations. But yeah, it’s really unfortunate the situation,” in response to Megan’s case. On Michelle’s extension, he described it as an “ongoing situation,” adding, “We’ve tried to elaborate on it, and it’s been took out of context, affected me and my family.”

In a separate response to The Courier-Mail, Tilson acknowledged delays, saying, “We’re just trying to get through to the other end. We want to finish the job. I’ve had many customers who have had delays and they’re happy with the end product. You get the bad ones now and then which can be a nightmare but you work through it as best you can. It’s all up to the big man above – if you do the right thing and do the work it should always work out. Sometimes it doesn’t but you always have to do your best.”

QBCC Response and Regulatory Action

A QBCC spokesperson confirmed that Tilson & Sons currently holds a low-rise builder licence. They stated that due to confidentiality obligations they could not comment on individual cases but confirmed the company had been issued regulatory penalties.

In 2024, the company was issued a direction to rectify and fined $3,226 with four demerit points for failing to comply with that direction. Separately, information provided also records two directions to rectify across 2024 and 2025, with penalties including a $4,774 fine and eight demerit points.

“The QBCC has a range of regulatory action to address offences committed by individuals and companies, including penalty infringement notices and warning notices, as well as prosecution and disciplinary actions,” the spokesperson said.

In addition to the QBCC penalties, court records show that on 13 June 2025, Tilson & Sons Building & Construction faced a default judgment in the Caboolture Magistrates Court (Case Number M12907/25). The case, brought by Excavator Edge Pty Ltd, resulted in a QCAT order for $9,174.11 against the company.

Megan’s case now rests on whether the QBCC will cover any of her losses. Without intervention, she faces an 89-week wait before her case can be heard at the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal.