Queensland couple forced to live in bus outside $1m unsafe dream home

Imagine spending four years living outside and staring at your dream home – but not being able to move in.

It’s an absurd situation for Phil and Sharron Barker, who sleep in an old bus outside their house.

Every day, they wake up to their stunning, two-storey colonial farmhouse that cost them $715,000.

But they can’t move in because the building is incomplete, uninsurable, and structurally defective.

Their only option is tear down that dream house and start again, or spend another $600,000 trying to get the building safe.

It’s an impossible choice that started in 2021, when the couple hired local builder Joshua Moore to build the home.

“He was a saint - perfect. Absolutely perfect,” Sharron told A Current Affair.

“[We checked the] QBCC website - goes back through history, any misdemeanours. [There was] Nothing,” Phil added.

“And he talked himself through how good he was. Yeah, so we believed him because he’s a nice guy,” Sharron said.

But the couple say that despite signing fixed price contracts, additional invoices started coming in.

“He was demanding more money, and no job was finished,” Sharron said.

“I was under the impression it was a fixed price contract and the QBCC keeps telling us we signed a fixed price contract,” Phil said.

Then the couple allege some of the building work was not up to scratch.

When they questioned Moore, the couple said his response was always the same.

“Oh, you’re not a builder. You wouldn’t understand. You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Phil said of Moore’s responses.

“We copped that a dozen times … We know we’re not builders. We’re not blind either,” Phil said.

In 2022, the couple terminated their contracts with Moore and lodged complaints with the Queensland Building and Construction Commission.

The QBCC undertook a number of inspections during 2024 and 2025 of the site.

Reports from those inspections have been cited by A Current Affair.

Some of the defects detailed in those reports were cosmetic and contractual issues that were the responsibility of the Barkers to fix, while Moore was ordered to address major structural issues.

Those defects included waterproofing of wet areas, missing brackets, bolts and tie downs that make up the structure of the house, and unsuitable timber and a steel beam used in the home’s construction.

One QBCC report from September 2024 found the roof to be defective because of the “inappropriate connection of the bracing wall and the roof structure”.

It went on to find the connection of the bracing walls to the roof trusses was not in accordance with the building code.

As a result, the QBCC found the roof space to be an “unsafe condition that poses a potential threat of injury or death”.

The same report found timber support posts in the house were at “potential risk of structural failure”.

The most recent inspection by the QBCC in March 2025 highlighted further structural issues for Moore to fix, but five months later he was declared bankrupt, lost his builder’s licence and, as a result, couldn’t undertake the work.

The Barkers have since commenced legal proceedings through QCAT.

Those legal expenses, together with money outlayed for construction, mean the Barkers have spent about $1 million on a home they still can’t live in.

They are eligible to make an insurance claim through the QBCC, but the payout is capped at $200,000.

“We felt that the QBCC believed the builder more than us,” Sharron said.

“We trusted the QBCC (and) the system, and it’s broken.“

“So many people are like us - being pushed to the wall and you can’t go any further because your job’s a mess,” Phil added.

Moore previously told nine.com.au that increased costs had led to the dispute over the unfinished works and said the ensuing legal battle had cost him his business.

“We signed a contract with the Barkers to lock up, they then continued their building works, another contract for internal linings and bathroom works,” he told nine.com.au in August.

“They became very upset with us after we provided them a price to finish the joinery works, and they then went down the legal route with QCAT and QBCC.

“This legal battle went on for years and cost our business dearly. As a result, we could not continue our business.

“COVID price increases across Australia and the world are not our doing personally as builders, yet we get the blame when people cannot afford the costs.

“We are just a little local builder, and yet we get crucified for the inflation problem in this country.“

For now the Barkers must call their bus home - but even that’s a problem.

Council will only allow them to camp in their temporary home until July next year.

Statement from QBCC

The Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) acknowledges that QCAT review proceedings remain on foot in relation to this matter and it would not be appropriate to comment on matters awaiting legal determination.

As you would appreciate, the  QBCC operates under strict confidentiality obligations (under the QBCC Act) and is therefore unable to provide information about any individual or matter that is current and ongoing to not prejudice the outcome. 

Administered by the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC), the Queensland Home Warranty Scheme (QHWS) provides compulsory financial protection for consumers undertaking eligible residential construction work.

The QHWS provides an important safety net for eligible home owners when residential building work is left incomplete or defects arise in circumstances covered by the scheme.

The QBCC administers the scheme to help protect consumers and support confidence in Queensland's residential construction sector. 

In 2025-26, 198,944 QHWS policies were issued and $55.7 million in approved claims were paid out, with over 85% of claims paid out in full.

Eligible home owners may be entitled to cover of up to:

• $200,000 for incomplete work, or
• $200,000 for defective work or subsidence-related issues after completion.

For those seeking additional peace of mind, optional cover is also available, increasing the maximum entitlement to $300,000.

These claim value thresholds, and related time limitsfor when owners can make claims, are specified by legislation.

The Queensland Government is considering changes to these thresholds to better align with changing market conditions.

Around 150,000 QHWS policies are issued every year and there are approximately 900,000 active policies across Queensland at any given time.

Of these, fewer than two per cent result in a claim each year, which reflects the fact that the overwhelming majority of residential building work is completed without the need for home warranty assistance.

Home owners affected by the liquidation of a company may be able to make a claim under the (QHWS).

Statement from Southern Downs Regional Council

Council recognises this has been a challenging and stressful situation for the landowners, and we have been working with them to help navigate the approvals process.

Under Council’s local laws, residents can apply to live in a temporary dwelling while building their permanent home, provided some basic health and safety requirements are met, such as access to drinking water, wastewater management and waste collection services. These approvals are usually granted for up to 18 months, but Council can consider individual circumstances and provide extensions where appropriate.

In this case, Council has already granted two extensions, most recently until July 2027, to align with the relevant building and plumbing approvals. Council also waived the associated fees so the landowners were not required to pay for additional applications.

If more time is needed beyond July 2027, Council is open to considering a further extension. As we’ve done this time, we can also align the various approvals to help provide certainty and avoid unnecessary administrative burdens.

While Council is not able to become involved in matters between the landowners, their builder and the QBCC, we remain committed to supporting the landowners through the approvals process as they work towards completing their home.