McCarthy Homes: 30 years of custom building across South East Queensland
McCarthy Homes has spent more than 30 years building custom homes across South East Queensland, and much of that work has been shaped by the sites it builds on: sloping blocks, narrow frontages and ageing homes in Brisbane's established suburbs.
The builder works across knockdown rebuilds, custom new homes and premium multi-residential projects, covering Greater Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast.
A builder that starts with the site
McCarthy Homes takes a custom approach, tailoring each home to its site, brief and the requirements of its owner, with challenging blocks treated as something to design around rather than a reason to compromise.
Knockdown rebuilds are one of its core specialties, and where that considered approach is most evident. For homeowners whose house no longer works but whose block still does, a rebuild offers a way to create a new home without leaving the neighbourhood, schools and community they've settled into.
Those sites are often constrained. Sloping and narrow blocks are common across Brisbane's older suburbs, and on hillside land the builder often uses split-level designs that step down with the natural fall of the block rather than reshaping it, giving several levels their own connection to the outdoors.
The people behind the name
The business is led by Managing Director Nick O'Sullivan, who has been with McCarthy Homes for more than 25 years and was appointed a director in 2015. With a background in construction management, he remains hands-on and actively involved in every project.
Alongside him, Commercial Director Declan O'Sullivan brings more than a decade of experience delivering multi-residential projects across South East Queensland, with a focus on commercial outcomes and project performance.
The company is QBCC-licensed and HIA and Master Builders accredited, and is a nine-time Master Builders award winner.
On what sets it apart from other premium builders, McCarthy Homes points to two things: its people and its process. It describes itself as a close-knit team that communicates proactively, with a focus on homes that owners remain proud of for years to come, rather than homes that simply look good in photos.
How a McCarthy build works
Its process begins with the site, the client's brief and a careful look at what can be built. Clients can arrive with plans already prepared, or work with the builder's design partners to develop a home that is both well designed and buildable.
Before anything is finalised, clients receive a detailed quote setting out exactly what's included. During construction, each client has a dedicated Site Supervisor overseeing quality and providing progress updates, along with a Customer Project Coordinator for day-to-day questions.
Clients can be as involved as they like, from regular site visits to check-ins at key milestones. While build times vary with a project's complexity, site conditions and council requirements, McCarthy Homes sets a realistic timeline from the outset, without trading quality for speed.
Getting to know McCarthy Homes
Buyers can see McCarthy Homes' work in person at its display homes in Hamilton in Brisbane and Worongary on the Gold Coast. Because every home is custom designed, the display homes aren't designs to order off the shelf, but a showcase of the finish and craftsmanship that carries across all of McCarthy Homes' projects.
That long-term view sits at the heart of the brand: 'Crafted to inspire, built to endure'.
Home designs by McCarthy Homes in Queensland
Joel Robinson
Joel Robinson is the Editor in Chief at iBuildNew, where he leads the editorial team and oversees the country's most comprehensive news coverage dedicated to the new home building industry. With more than a decade of experience in residential real estate journalism, Joel brings deep insight into Australia's evolving home building and construction landscape.
