How it all started
A baby, an iPhone and A CRAZY IDEA.
In 2019, Jess was on maternity leave. Sleep-deprived, caffeinated, and apparently feeling extremely productive. Armed with nothing but her iPhone and a mission to prove that genuinely helpful people do exist in the building industry, she launched what would become The Home Chaperone.
Eventually Kris joined to handle the technical construction side of things, and they both still can't quite get over the fact that they married someone equally obsessed with building and design. Some couples bond over travel or fine dining. These two bond over floor plans and concrete pours.
Together, they make the ultimate new home building team. In essence, they are a Construction Coordinator, Client Liaison, Prestart Consultant, Contract Administrator, Sales Consultant, Executive Assistant, Sales Trainer, Carpenter, Site Manager, Construction Manager and Building Supply Company all rolled into one (or two).
This is Jess.
Jess is the face, the voice, and the reason The Home Chaperone exists. When she's not deep in building contracts or holding a client's hand through prestart, you'll find her constructing an epic grazing platter, chasing her two kids, or deciding whether the hour calls for an espresso or an espresso martini. (Spoiler: it's usually both.)
Jess landed her first role in the industry in 2010 and has never looked back. She's done more roles than you can poke a stick at, which means she has a genuinely rare insight into every single part of the home building process — from "what does a soil test even mean?" all the way through to "wait, why does this door open the wrong way?"
This is Kris.
Originally a chippy by trade, Kris has built and renovated hundreds of homes. He's the kind of man who heads up the construction team by day, and quietly queues at the Bunnings sausage sizzle by weekend. He lives for the footy, a cold beer, and caravanning. Ideally all at once.
Jess thinks he's the funniest man alive. He won't confirm or deny this, but he did marry the woman who said it, so...
This is Alyssa.
Alyssa is Jess's sister, best friend, and the sole reason everything actually runs. She handles all the behind-the-scenes business admin that makes Jess and Kris look far more effortless than they deserve.
True story: Alyssa recently packed up her family, hitched a caravan, and spent over a year travelling around Australia with her husband and two boys — leaving Jess completely, utterly, devastatingly in the lurch. The business admin descended into what can only be described as organised chaos (emphasis on chaos). Jess missed her terribly, both at home and at work.
Alyssa is back. Order has been restored. She is now only permitted to go caravanning on the strict condition that Kris and Jess come too — which, conveniently, suits everyone just fine.