Dream Homes Designed with Commercial Precision

With Family at the Heart of Its Business, this Leading Builder is Creating Beautiful Houses that Can Be Proudly Called Home

Mink Building Group is a proudly family-owned business, founded in 2011 by brothers Daniel and Brendan Minkus. Built on a foundation of trust, collaboration, and craftsmanship, the Sydney-based company has grown into one of the city’s most respected names in bespoke residential construction. Specialising exclusively in architecturally designed, high-end homes, every project undertaken is tailored, complex, and entirely unique.

“We both come from trade backgrounds. I’m a bit older, four years, and I was always in residential, while Brendan worked more in the commercial space. Bringing both of those experiences together has given us a unique advantage,” says Co-Founder Daniel Minkus.

From Concept to Completion

What sets Mink Building Group apart isn’t just the elegance of the homes they create, but the foundation of how they’re built. Every project is a custom job, crafted in collaboration with clients and architects from the ground up.

“We specialize in high-end architecturally designed homes,” says Minkus. “We don’t repeat designs. Each one is a one-off, and with that comes its own set of challenges and opportunities. Every house is different, and every project is unique.”

This dedication to bespoke construction means Mink Building Group carefully selects the projects they take on, often working on two to six homes a year, depending on their size and scope. As budgets increase, so too does the level of design detail and complexity. Currently, its average project cost ranges between $3 million and $6 million.

“We’re not a huge team,” Minkus explains. “We’re a family-run business, and we keep things tight, but we’re very efficient with our time and resources. It allows us to maintain the high standards our clients expect.”

Award-Winning Homes

While Minkus is proud of all its builds, a few standout projects reflect the company’s evolution and ambition. One early milestone was a knockdown-rebuild project that won an HIA (Housing Industry Association) award, Australia’s leading industry body for the residential building sector.

“That house was a full knockdown and rebuild, and it won its category with the HIA,” Minkus recalls. “It’s featured on our website, and it put us on the map.”

Another standout, though not yet professionally photographed, pushes the boundaries of what residential construction can be.

“There’s one we just completed, built into a steep cliff,” Minkus says. “It rises over multiple levels and is cut into the edge of the cliff. It’s quite a piece—one of our standouts.”

These homes are more than structures; they’re dream homes, or as Minkus puts it, “nice big trophy homes,” reflecting the aspirations of the families who live in them.

Generations United by Craft

At its core, Mink Building Group is a family business in the most literal and enduring sense. What began as a partnership between brothers Daniel and Brendan Minkus has evolved into a multi-generational endeavor founded on shared values, mutual respect, and commitment to excellence. 

The brothers are now actively mentoring the next generation, as younger family members begin to take on meaningful roles within the company. Whether shadowing experienced team members, assisting with on-site decisions, or contributing to day-to-day operations, these newcomers are gaining firsthand experience that will prepare them to carry the business forward.

“Our younger siblings are coming into the business and working alongside us,” Minkus shares. “They’re looking over projects, developing their skills, and hopefully they’ll want to stick around. Maybe even our kids one day. We want this to last more than one generation.”

Leadership that Stays on Site

For clients, working with Mink Building Group means direct access to leadership and a genuine partnership in bringing their vision to life. Minkus personally oversees nearly every project, a level of involvement that clients might not expect but sincerely appreciate.

“Probably the biggest thing clients value is how involved I am,” Minkus says. “Sometimes people think you’ll just sign a job and disappear, but that’s not how we work. I’m involved from start to finish, and I know what’s going on across nearly every job we do.”

That level of oversight fosters trust, which is particularly crucial in high-end custom builds, where attention to detail is everything. The company’s reputation for integrity and responsiveness has resulted in strong word-of-mouth referrals and long-term relationships.

Meeting Challenges with Ingenuity

Like many in the industry, Mink Building Group has faced its share of challenges in recent years, most notably the widespread material shortages and rapid cost increases that disrupted construction timelines and budgets across Australia. Rather than scale back operations or compromise on the quality of its builds, the team made the strategic decision to adapt. By bringing more work in-house, they not only preserved profit margins but also maintained greater control over project delivery and timelines.

“When the spike in materials happened, we had to take on more internally,” Minkus explains. “Things we would normally outsource, we started doing ourselves. That’s how we managed it without incurring a loss. We made it work in our favor.”

This agile response helped the company remain resilient during a period of volatility, reinforcing its reputation as a reliable builder capable of navigating even the most unpredictable market conditions. It also highlighted the value of having a skilled and versatile core team that can step in and take ownership of critical aspects of each build.

Beyond supply chain issues, another consistent challenge lies in translating ambitious architectural concepts into homes that are not only beautiful but also structurally sound, functional, and fully compliant with ever-evolving building regulations. As a builder focused on one-of-a-kind, design-led homes, Mink Building Group is often tasked with bringing bold visions to life on paper and transforming them into real-world spaces that meet stringent codes and standards.

“On paper, you can draw anything,” Minkus says. “But we must make sure it’s buildable and complies with all regulations. It still needs to function as a home and meet code, all while preserving the design integrity. That’s a big part of what we do.”

This often requires detailed coordination with architects and engineers, as well as early-stage planning to identify and resolve potential structural or compliance issues before construction begins. The team’s ability to bridge the gap between aesthetic ambition and technical execution is one of the defining strengths of the business, ensuring clients get homes that are not only stunning but also enduring, safe, and built to last.

Cross-Sector Collaboration

In addition to its core residential focus, Mink Building Group benefits from a strategic partnership with Aesthetic Building, a family-run commercial façade company co-owned by the Minkus brothers. This dual-business model provides the team with added flexibility, technical expertise, and access to a broader range of materials and methods that are not typically found in custom home building. It’s a unique advantage that enriches its residential work while also opening the door to select commercial opportunities.

“We have another company that handles commercial façade works,” Minkus says. “We collaborate across both businesses, and it helps us execute commercial projects and bring some of that knowledge into our residential builds.”

This crossover between sectors enables Mink Building Group to leverage innovations, efficiencies, and techniques from commercial construction, often adapting them to meet the bespoke demands of high-end homes. Whether it’s applying commercial-grade cladding systems to residential builds or streamlining procurement and installation methods, the synergy between the two operations creates a feedback loop of innovation and quality. It’s this kind of cross-functional thinking that continues to set the company apart and ensures they remain at the forefront of design-led, high-performance construction.

Technology that Builds Smarter

Behind the scenes, technology plays a key role in Mink Building Group’s project delivery. The company uses a software platform called Buildxact, which streamlines everything from lead capture and estimating to scheduling and tracking.

“It starts with a lead and runs through to completion,” Minkus explains. “We can track labor costs, materials, scheduling—it’s efficient and helps us stay on top of everything.”

This digital backbone ensures that, even as the business grows, it remains agile and organized, capable of managing complex timelines and budgets effectively.

Eyes on the Future

Looking ahead, Mink Building Group is focused on sustainable growth, continuing to take on ambitious projects while strengthening its relationships with architects who share its passion for design excellence.

“In the next three to five years, we expect good growth,” Minkus says. “We’ll continue building high-end homes and collaborating with architects who are designing the kinds of houses we love to build.”

Through craftsmanship, collaboration, and commitment to family values, the company is carving a lasting imprint on Sydney’s architectural landscape. As Minkus concludes: “We’re just trying to set an example, deliver great work, and build something that can go beyond us, something the next generation will be proud to continue.”

At a Glance

Who: Mink Building Group

What: An award-winning, family-founded construction firm specialising in architecturally designed custom homes, renovations, and extensions.

Where: Based in the Collaroy area on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Website: minkbuildinggroup.com.au

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