114 – Dan Holden – Avoiding a building disaster

There are few things more complicated during a property development than the builder going bust during the construction phase of a project. It puts you in a very precarious position and becomes very tricky to navigate. So many issues have to be resolved and the whole process can be very stressful and time consuming. This is exactly what happened with property developer and development financier Dan Holden from Holden Capital. During a construction phase his builder went bust through no fault of his project, and he had to scramble to fix it. I have also had my own issues with a builder facing difficulties during a building phase, so have some experience of what it is like to wonder if the building will ever be finished. Given all the turmoil in the building industry over the past few years, we look at how you can protect yourself for a building disaster and set your project up for construction success. In this episode, Dan and I discuss: The current state of the lending market and what it means for developers How to protect yourself from the chaos caused by a builder collapse What to look out for in a builder’s contract (and when to step in) How to mitigate risk during construction: warning signs, cost escalation, supply chain issues, and more The critical role of risk management in today’s turbulent building industry Property Development Training Want to learn how to manage property development with confidence? If you're ready to take control of your development journey, check out my Property Developer Training. This step-by-step course covers everything from finding a site to running feasibilities and successfully completing a small-scale development. You'll learn how to avoid the pitfalls I’ve faced and set yourself up for success. New Course: Building Blueprint – Navigating Construction During Turbulent Times To help you successfully navigate the construction phase of any project, I’ve added a brand new, standalone course included with the Property Developer Training called Building Blueprint: Tactics for Navigating Construction During Turbulent Times. This course dives deep into construction contracts, common building pitfalls, and how to mitigate risks during the construction phase. So head over to propertydevelopertraining.com and take a look... I would love to see you on the inside... Property Developer Quiz Ready to find out if you’re ready to become a developer? Take the free Property Developer Quiz and see where you stand. Whether you're just starting or already working on projects, this quiz will help you assess your readiness and point out any gaps in your development knowledge. Take the free Property Developer Quiz (https://www.propertydevelopertraining.com/quiz) and get a sense of where you are at… Free book - Discover the secrets of a Million Dollar Property Developer Grab Your Free Book: "Become a Million Dollar Property Developer" Want to know how I delivered a 20-townhouse project on my first development? Grab a free copy of my book, Become a Million Dollar Property Developer, where I share the lessons I learned—and how you can apply them to your own projects. Grab a free copy of my popular book Become a Million Dollar Property Developer about my journey into property development at https://www.propertydevelopertraining.com/digital_book. Social Connection Youtube - catch up on all the episodes and my property project updates - https://www.youtube.com/@propertydeveloperpodcast196 Facebook - see what's happening on site, what I'm up to and more on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/propertydeveloperpodcast Instagram - check out my short videos about developing and my latest site updates on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/property_developer_podcast/ LinkedIn - connect with me on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/property-developer-podcast Links Holden Capital - https://www.holdencapital.com.au/ Book: Constructive Finance - https://www.holdencapital.com.au/store/constructive-finance-insight-into-the-world-of-australian-construction-finance Episode summary Justin:Welcome to episode 114 of the Property Developer Podcast! I'm your host, Justin Gehde. It's been a little while since our last episode, and let me tell you, it’s been quite the busy few months for me. We’ve sold and moved into a new home, and on top of that, my dad had a major stroke, which was incredibly stressful. But we’re back now, and in today’s episode, we’re diving into an important topic—what happens when things go wrong during the construction phase of a property development project. Joining me today is Dan Holden from Holden Capital. Dan has years of experience lending to property developers, and he’s here to share his insights into the current lending landscape and, of course, the challenges developers face when construction doesn’t go according to plan. Dan, great to have you back! Let’s get straight into it. Can you share w