The Australian Builders Network (ABNetwork) business model was conceived in 2011 and commenced trading in 2012. Built by 3rd generation builders, our primary objective is to provide small to medium sized builders with the necessary tools required to streamline and grow their construction business.
Barry and Steve the founders, managed their own construction business for many years before starting ABNetwork. As owners of a construction business, they knew the challenges that were associated with running a building company. After many years in construction, they wanted to streamline their business to run more efficiently so they could scale and grow the business but also enjoy a healthy work-life balance. By analysing the business structure of bigger builders in particular volume builders, the founders of ABNetwork quickly realised that in order efficiently scale their business they would need more resources.
These resources included things like;
- Estimator (Take offs, BOQ's & purchase orders)
- Colour Consultant (Qualified colour consultant to help clients choose products & colours)
- Products Selection Showroom (A venue where clients can choose products under the one roof)
- Purchasing (Better pricing through market negotiation)
- Architectural Designs (A portfolio of home designs to market to potential clients)
- Reputable Suppliers (Recognised brands and products that are tried and tested)
- Managed Price Files (Up to date contracted fixed price files)
- Job management & estimating software
The catch was that these additional resources came at a considerable financial cost to setup and implement.
Barry and Steve thought there had to be a better way to tap into these resources at an affordable cost.
So, they decided to start a company that would help them, and other builders share the cost of these resources. The idea was to establish a network of builders across Australia and use that collective power to reduce overheads and negotiate better deals with suppliers. Whether you were building 5 or 50 homes a year, you could equally benefit from these resources.
This is how the idea of ABNetwork was born.
Today, we have over 60 reputable brands and suppliers in our network and over 300 Builder Members. We have a collective buying power of over 2,000 homes per year giving our members big savings on products. We have a comprehensive Product Selection Showroom exclusively dedicated to our builder members and their clients. We have optional services such as a colour consultant and estimator to help builders reduce workloads to help scale their business. We have over 60 architectural home designs ready for marketing. We have real-time supplier price files on our online portal accessible 24 hours a day. Plus, many more tools and solutions to choose from.
Our services are designed to be flexible, allowing our members to pick and choose which tools and solutions they want to adapt into their business.
Since its inception, ABNetwork has managed to successfully deliver these services to small and medium sized builders at a fraction of the cost of setting up on their own.
Our network continues to grow each month and its founders are as passionate about helping builders grow their business as they were the day they started. It is this passion that continues to drive new solutions and innovation into ABNetwork.
ABNetwork is a membership-based organisation that allows small to medium sized builders to access tools and services specifically designed to streamline and grow construction businesses. Members can increase profit margins, reduce cost of goods, reduce work load and stress and enjoy a more work/life balance.
With over 300 Melbourne based Builder Members and over 2,000 homes built each year, ABNetwork has the collective buying power to negotiate some of the best rates in the industry.
There are NO lock in contracts or franchise agreements.
Starting from $12 per week (less than what you would spend on coffee every day) you can unlock an array of tools and services. Members can choose from the following services;
- Access to thousands of products which are negotiated and locked in with ABNetwork's collective buying power
- Access to price-files through our online builders portal
- Access to a Product Selection Showroom (Exclusive to ABNetwork Members and their clients)
- Access to Meeting and Conference Rooms (Conduct business in private)
- A full-time Purchasing Manager that negotiates and locks in some of the best deals in the industry
ABNetwork also provides access to additional resources such as;
- Colour Consultant
- Marketing Assistant
- Estimating Services
- Access to over 40 architectural home designs to add to your portfolio
Note: Additional fees apply
Becoming an ABNetwork Builder Member gives our builders the competitive edge they need to stand out from the crowd.
Ever dreamed of having your own showroom? Now you can with ABNetwork. ABNetwork provides a fully functioning product selection showroom for its builders and their clients. This service allows our builders to treat the showroom as an extension of their own business, where they can invite clients to touch and feel products from over 60 brands and suppliers under the one roof. Normally this type of solution would require a builder to invest a large sum of money setting up their own showroom plus the added cost of rent and staff to man it. At ABNetwork the cost is negligible and included in the package. The showroom is also a great sales tool when meeting up with new clients. Be remembered as the builder who has a showroom.
Working from home or meeting clients at cafes? No problem, ABNetwork has you covered. Book in one of our meeting rooms or conference rooms to conduct your business with clients in private. Feel confident in a professional environment that you can promote as extension of your own business. This facility is located in the same building as the showroom and can be booked via a convenient online booking system.
Why not elevate your credibility as a professional builder by using ABNetwork's qualified Colour Consultant? Your clients will love the attention and advice they receive from an experienced interior designer. Save countless hours compiling color and product specifications by allowing ABNetwork's Colour Consultant to represent your business and finalise all the paperwork. No need for you to hire a full-time staff member for this role as ABNetwork can offer this service on a job-by-job basis and it's all done in a professional showroom.
ABNetwork has a full-time procurement manager whose entire job is to negotiate the best deals for its builders. This eliminates the need for builders to waste time chasing the best deals and securing supply contracts with fixed pricing. Builders would normally pay close to a six figure salary to have a dedicated procurement manager but at ABNetwork it’s all included.
How would you like to increase your profit margins by reducing the cost of goods or pass on the savings to your customers in order to win more work? ABNetwork has over 300 builders in its group and collectively our network builds over 2, 000 homes per year. This number is constantly growing as more and more builders find out about our services. This growth allows ABNetwork to negotiate some of the best deals for its builders members.
ABNetwork has developed a cloud-based portal that enables its builders to access all its solutions online. This includes a huge database of price files from suppliers. This puts everything at the builder’s fingertips allowing them to streamline their building operation.
Want to free up some time? Then why not consider ABNetwork's estimating services that allows builders to hand ball all take offs, BOQ's and purchase orders to a qualified estimator. This service alone saves our builder members countless hours of work, allowing them to focus more on growing their business or using the free time to enjoy with family.
ABNetwork is an official Platinum Partner for Buildxact Estimating & job management software. Our price files are fully integrated with Buildxact which allows for faster quotes and estimates. We upload and manage thousands of building products with real-time pricing. Products are itemised and categorised by supplier and product categories. Supercharge your estimating experience by combining ABNetwork and Buildxact for your building projects.
Barry Hasturk
Barry is the Director and co-founder of Australian Builders Network (ABNetwork). He is a knowledgeable construction specialist with over 20 years industry experience in areas of building compliance, supplier negotiations, construction management, sales and marketing, education and business mentoring. He has experienced the building industry from many different angles giving him a solid understanding of the challenges faced when managing a construction business. Barry is passionate about bringing innovation and business solutions to help builders streamline and grow their construction business.
Steve Yagmur
Steve is the Director and co-founder of Australian Builders Network (ABNetwork). Steve has construction in his blood. He is a 3rd generation builder who has been active in the construction industry for the past 20 years. His experience brings a wealth of knowledge into the business including in areas of construction management, industry regulations, supplier negotiations and building compliance. Steve’s primary goal is to build solutions for builders to help them grow and manage their business more efficiently.
How much will I save by joining ABNetwork?
This depends on three main factors;
1. How many projects you build each year
2. What percentage of ABNetwork suppliers you choose to do business with
3. What you are currently paying for materials
At ABNetwork our builder members are collectively building over 1,000 homes per year and this number is increasing on a monthly basis. This collective buying power empowers ABNetwork to negotiate some of the most competitive rates in the industry. To find out how much your business can save please contact us for a no obligation discussion. As a general guide the average ABNetwork Member saves between $5K to $15K per project. By utilising all the tools provided by ABNetwork, builders can save approx. 50 hours of work per project.
Does ABNetwork guarantee the cheapest prices?
Not always. ABNetwork only commits to doing business with proven reputable suppliers. The construction industry is flooded with cheap untested products and suppliers which we refuse to do business with. We encourage all potential new builder members to compare apples with apples.
If you are comparing like for like products from the same suppliers, then ABNetwork guarantees you'll get a better deal. If not, we will then hold our suppliers to account.
How do I get access to the price files?
Once a builder has been approved for membership, they will receive a username and password to access all pricing from a user friendly online builders portal accessible from anywhere you have internet.
How much is the membership fee?
Membership fee start from $49 + GST per month.
Click on the pricing tab to view all membership options
Am I locked into a contract?
No. There are no lock in contracts with ABNetwork. Members are free to cancel their membership at any time.
What are the showroom trading hours?
The showroom is open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday & 9am to 3pm on Saturday via online booking. We are closed on Sundays.
Is the showroom open to the general public?
The showroom is exclusively available to builder members and their clients only.