Ballast Point

Ballast Point managing director Mat Wilk has always been passionate about building and design. He graduated with a Bachelor of Building from the University of Technology Sydney in 2000. After being fired from his first construction graduate job for being too honest and not aggressive enough (expressed by his employer in far less polite language), he turned his back on building to train and work as an outdoor guide and educator in the Blue Mountains and travelled the world, including cycle touring in South-East Asia and Europe. A stint working at then-fledgling technology company Amazon in Ireland was extremely influential, teaching Mat about the importance of obsessive customer service, systems and staff training. He also learned that things can be done differently – at the time Amazon was redefining the future of shopping, and this was his peek behind the curtain.

When he returned home, Mat began working at Yuncken Builders in Sydney, where he was mentored by one of Sydney’s most iconic builders, Chris Yuncken. He was also privileged to work with some of the country’s most outstanding architects, including Ian Moore, Peter Stutchbury, Stanic Harding and Rosevear and Stephenson. During his 14-year tenure, first as a project manager and then as a construction manager, he saw the business grow to become one of the top architectural home builders in Sydney, winning numerous awards, including Master Builder of the Year in the Master Builders of NSW Excellence in Housing Awards in 2008.

In 2015, Mat co-founded Ballast Point, which quickly gained a reputation for its amazing buildings and for forging strong relationships with clients and collaborators. Over the years, Ballast Point has evolved from a building contractor business into an integrated design and building company that puts clients and their needs first. Mat wants to change the way things are done by listening carefully to clients and defining their unique set of problems. Only then does he set about finding a tailored solution that best addresses their needs. Mat has observed that in the building and design industry-standard procedure seems to be to fit each client into the designer’s or builder’s predetermined solution. In his view, this often leads to poor design outcomes, cost blowouts, anger and mistrust. Instead, he starts each conversation with “what do you need?”, rather than “this is what we do”. He endeavours to make every project a great experience for all involved.

Ballast Point is an innovator. Mat and his team always try to find ways to do things better, including embracing new technology to improve systems in the industry. They want to challenge the established industry norms and redefine what a building company can be.

Mat has lived in the Balmain area of Sydney for a decade and loves walking his dog through the streets admiring its heritage architecture, as well as the easy-going people. When not working, Mat reads widely about building and design and spends his spare time embarking on outdoor adventures such as bushwalking, mountain biking and canyoning with his four kids and wife, Rita.

We use our wealth of knowledge and experience to build great homes, without losing sight of what’s important to you as a client or architect.

Project Management

• Design management
• Program management
• Consultant engagement and coordination
• Council and certification management
• Tender management and review
• Contract administration

Construction

• Complete home builds
• Major renovations
• Difficult sites
• Major retaining and underpinning
• Site logistics/ Crane operations
• Major concrete works including class 2 off-form and precast
• Lift retrofits

Development Consultancy

• Pre-purchase inspection and report
• Build feasibility report
• Methodology and site logistics

Technical Advisory

• Solutions to technical problems
• Defects analysis
• Site logistics solutions
• Specification review
• Constructability solutions

Cost Planning

• Quantity surveying
• Feasibility
• Risk analysis

Inspection & Reporting

• Quantity surveying
• Feasibility
• Risk analysis
• Defects inspection
• Pre-purchase inspections

Integrated design and build

• Planning and feasibility
• Cost planning and ROI
• Design services
• Engineering and consulting
• DA submission
• Construction

Construction of new homes and renovations

• Complete home builds
• Small and large renovations
• Commercial construction
• Specialising in difficult jobs on difficult sites
• Major retaining and underpinning
• Lift retrofits

Development management

• Pre-purchase inspection
• Feasibility and cost planning
• Design and project management
• Consultant and engagement and coordination
• Council and certification management
• Contract administration

Design Consultation & Feasibility

• Development feasibility report with key data and planning calculations
• Site inspection and discussion
• Planning advice
• Hand drawn concept sketches
• Detailed roadmap through design, approval and construction process
• Pre-design process which includes a fixed price for survey, research and client workshop

Home maintenance and repairs

• Scheduled home maintenance
• General repairs
• Roof leaks and moisture problems
• Solutions to technical problems