If you’d told us a few years ago that we’d be back in Forster running our own building company with three little kids in tow, we probably wouldn’t have believed you. What was once a distant dream is now our reality.

Were we crazy for launching a business in a new town with a 2-year-old and a 6-month-old in tow?
Or are we crazier for going all in and continuing this journey with a now 4-year-old, 2-year-old, and an almost 3-month-old?

All the above.

Manning Homes didn’t just appear out of nowhere. I’d been pestering Jake with the idea of “Manning Homes” since 2020. Jake has always dreamed of running his own building company, he’s been in construction since he left school in Year 10, and it’s something he’s incredibly good at. But life, timing, babies, and responsibilities meant the idea lived quietly in the background for a while.

Things changed when we were living in Young. We loved parts of it, but raising two little kids six plus hours away from family support was honestly one of the hardest things we’ve ever done. No village, no one to pop over when we were drowning in laundry and sleepless nights, no family to call on, and no beach (!!). Just us.

So, when our time in Young came to an end, we basically put all our eggs in one basket, packed up the house, two kids, and two dogs, and moved home to Forster.

I say home because I grew up here. I’d lived in Forster since I was 4 and left when I was 21, desperate to escape small-town life – only to end up back here six years later craving the small-town coastal life I had come to miss so much.

We arrived in March 2024 with no real plan other than giving it our all and building our own company from the ground up.

Who We Are

Jake’s the builder. He’s been doing this for years, on the tools and running bigger operations. He’s the main passion and drive behind Manning Homes. His attention to detail is impeccable and his passion for building quality homes is palpable.

I, on the other hand, am not from the construction industry. I come from a nursing and midwifery background. When our first baby was born in 2021, I had 13 months of maternity leave, during which we moved from Sydney to Young. This move was a turning point in my career. The shift work, the stress, doing it without family… I couldn’t see myself doing it forever.

When we moved to Forster, I initially thought I’d go back to midwifery, but instead commenced running the back end of the business: the accounts, the marketing, the client selections, all the bits and pieces that keep the business running (and sometimes forgetting the odd thing, like the car rego – mum brain is real after one baby, let alone three). What was originally Jake’s dream transformed into something we now both share and run together.

And then there are the kids, three kids four and under. They keep us tired, busy, laughing, and constantly surrounded by mountains of laundry, but most importantly they keep us going.

The Challenge No One Sees

If there’s one thing that pushes us the most, it’s time.
It’s just us. No big team, no investors, no office full of staff. Every single part of this business is handled by Jake and me, while raising a preschooler, a toddler, and a baby.

Some days flow, some days are a juggle, and most sit somewhere in the middle. But we’re so passionate about Manning Homes and we’re committed to what we’re building, so we take it day by day and get on with it.

Being away from Forster for years (and this being a brand-new town for Jake) also means introducing ourselves to the community, showing people who we are and what we stand for, and we’ve genuinely enjoyed reconnecting with people and meeting new faces along the way.

A Moment We’re Proud Of

Being finalists in the HIA Awards for our very first project here was honestly unbelievable. It was a big project for us, and seeing it recognised alongside some incredible outdoor spaces was pretty special.

We sat in that room looking at the competition thinking, “Wow… how are we in the same category?”
It was a pinch-me moment and has made us want to keep chasing more moments like that. Hopefully one day we can bring home a win!

What We Hope People Feel

When someone meets us for the first time, we hope it feels easy. Like talking to people you’ve already met. No awkwardness, no sales pitch, no trying too hard. Just normal people who genuinely care.

We want people to walk away thinking:
“They’re good people. And what you see is exactly what you get.”

Because that’s who we are – both as parents and as builders.

At the Heart of It All

Manning Homes isn’t trying to be the biggest.
We’re trying to be the right fit for people who value connection, honesty, and the feeling of walking into a home that finally feels like them.

So that’s us in a nutshell – a young family, a big dream, and a whole lot of passion ready to see where this thing called Manning Homes is heading.