When two tradies started a building firm on the outskirts of Sydney, they never imagined they would win a national award from the Housing Industry Association. By Frank Leggett
Back in 2000, Aaron Gampe and Jayden Saundercock were apprentice carpenters who knew each other through the same local church in Penrith.
“My brother was going out with Jayden’s wife’s younger sister and that’s how we became friends,” says Gampe. “From the outset, it was clear we had similar goals,” adds Saundercock. “We were both carpenters and while I had a passion for new home builds, Aaron was a committed renovator. Once we completed our Cert 4 in Building and Construction, we worked for separate companies.”
They first collaborated in 2010 when they bought a block of land, built a home and successfully sold it for a profit. Little did they know that from this small beginning, they would eventually start a company that would win one of Australia’s most prestigious building awards.
AWARD WINNER Gampe and Saundercock started Better Built Homes (BBH) in 2010, steadily building a strong reputation for their quality builds. Located in Sydney’s western suburb of Penrith, BBH now has a suite of 100 different designs with 30 to 40 showcased at any one time. All the designs can be customised, complemented by a bespoke service. The bespoke aspect currently makes up around 10 per cent of the business’s workload. Last May, BBH won the Australian Professional Medium Builder/ Renovator award at the 2025 Housing Industry Association-CSR Australian Housing Awards.
“We were chasing that award for the past five years and it was very satisfying to have a win,” says Gampe. “We’re a couple of tradies who have worked hard to build a business that’s recognised as professional and trustworthy.”
Saundercock agrees. “The nice thing about the HIA awards is that they are voted by a panel of judges from all areas of the building industry. Our win shows we’re on the right track.”
In November 2025, they once again took out the NSW Professional Medium Builder/Renovator win at the 2025 HIA NSW Housing and Kitchen & Bathroom Awards. This win means they have a good chance to pick up the national gong for a second time in 2026.
ON DISPLAY Presently, BBH has 40 staff with a management team covering accounts, drafting, interior design, pre construction, construction, purchasing, estimating and sales and marketing. The company is building around 80 homes a year. Prior to COVID, that number was 120 homes annually.
“When building high-quality homes, we offer a high level of customer service,” says Saundercock. “Even though our annual build numbers are down, we’re building larger homes so our revenue hasn’t really changed.”
BBH is on track to build 100 homes by the end of 2026, and the plan is to double that number in the next three to five years. Aaron Gampe is also on the HIA Membership and Training Committee that assists in finding ways to get more apprentices into the construction industry.
Many of the BBH subcontractors employ apprentices, and Gampe intends to directly utilise apprentices with BBH this year. “We have a great facility here in Penrith,” says Gampe. “Our team is our core strength—there’s no doubt our success is due to their professionalism and skill. I believe our sweet spot is building 250 to 300 homes per year and we’re working towards that goal.”
ON DISPLAY Display homes are an essential element of BBH, allowing clients to visualise their future residences. An outstanding BBH display home has just been completed in Sydney’s south-west suburb of Menangle Park, based on one of its existing designs. “This home is a cut above our previous builds,” says Gampe. “It’s on a quarter-acre block with a large in-ground pool and is 54 squares in size [approximately 500 square metres].”
While BBH is based in the rapidly growing suburb of Penrith, its build area has increased to cover the whole Sydney Basin including the Blue Mountains, Southern Highlands, Wollongong, the Central Coast and the Newcastle/Hunter Region.
While its pre-designed homes are its most popular option, BBH is seeing more individualisation. “Many customers are happy with one of our designs,” says Saundercock. “Other customers are attracted by our reputation and our willingness to personalise their chosen design to suit their needs. Our display homes allow prospective buyers to see, touch, feel and experience the way they are going to live.”
POINT OF DIFFERENCE There are many building and design companies in Australia but Gampe and Saundercock agree on what sets BBH apart. “Customer service,” says Gampe. “If a customer has an issue, we address it quickly and fairly. We’re reasonable people and want a good outcome for the client and ourselves. We pride ourselves on being fair and honest.”
After 15 years of business together, they know clients want to deal with real people and have their voice heard. This doesn’t mean there’s always agreement with what the customer has to say, but all concerns are taken seriously. “Building a home is a daunting experience for any client,” says Saundercock. “We have a responsibility to ensure their expectations are met or exceeded.” As this award-winning company has proven time and again, the results speak for themselves.
