Subcontractor out by $700k

A Christchurch-based builder, ‘‘John’’, is claiming a $700,000 debt from collapsed Corbel Construction and says he had no inkling anything was wrong.

He had two crews of about 25 subcontracting tradesmen helping him finish two Auckland projects before Christmas, and all of them would be hit by Corbel’s collapse.

John (who Stuff has agreed not to name) said he had been asked to help complete the Auckland projects about eight weeks ago, and had had almost daily conversations with Corbel director Mark Wells.

‘‘I never heard anything about the potential risk. We finished the job last Friday with payment due on December 1. But I got shafted,’’ John said yesterday.

‘‘I’m going to talk to the guys today and ask them if they will agree to an extended 90-day payment. I’ve got no other options. I’ll have to talk to a lawyer, too.’’

He said he had been told there was a threat of a lawsuit from the owners of the Parnell Terraces apartments in Auckland against the companies involved in the $24 million repair of the leaky cladding, including Corbel and the main project management firm, Maynard Marks.

Maynard Marks’ senior director was approached for comment but had not responded by deadline.

A former staff member of Corbel said about 100 staff had been laid off nearly two years ago, and another 45 subsequently.

‘‘They went too big. [Former CEO Ross] Meikle was appointed chief executive in early 2017 and the directors seemed to step back from close day-to-day involvement. But we’d heard about the court case involving the Auckland project. We knew it was coming,’’ the staff member said. –Stuff