78 | BUILDING Homestead Construction The advantages of concrete construction Karen Phelps Currently Homestead Construction is working on the redevelopment of the NZ Campus of Innovation and Sport in Upper Hutt. Building with concrete increases the efficiency of projects, reducing build time frames and resulting in an incredibly resilient end result. This is why Homestead Construction has chosen to specialise in this type of building method, says Homestead Construction project manager Zane Bull. A recent project and another the company currently has underway, illustrate the advantages of concrete construction. Erskine Island Bay, a development by The Wellington Company with Homestead Construction as the main contractor for the construction, was completed in July 2021. The project included a total of 78 two and three-storey townhouses designed by CoLab Architecture and inspired by the French-Gothic style of the original Erskine College and Chapel of the Sacred Heart buildings, which had inhabited the site previously. Zane says site access was the biggest challenge and was where concrete prefab panel construction really proved its worth. The right size panels were manufactured to fit up the narrow access road and rapid erection meant quickly allowing multiple contractors to work on the site simultaneously. “Once the roof is on and windows are in then we can get started on the interior immediately along with finishing the external claddings. This saves a lot of time compared to conventional timber construction methods. “It’s been especially beneficial in the tight labour market in Wellington currently as we have been able to cut down on labour hours,” says Zane. Currently Homestead Construction is working on the redevelopment of the NZ Campus of Innovation and Sport in Upper Hutt. It is constructing the new Athletes Village, 50 short-stay accommodation units in seven blocks and the shared amenities building that provide a central social space for those staying in the Athletes Village. All the new structures have been designed to match into the existing buildings on the campus. Each unit is self-contained with a bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, laundry, and living area. This includes units customised for higher accessibility, and customised hypoxic units for athletes doing low oxygen training. The amenities building has a large social space, cafeteria, bathrooms, and breakout spaces. This design and build project has seen Homestead Construction work closely with client Gillies Group, establishing high degrees of trust along the way, says Zane. Forward planning and procuring materials upfront has helped the project to progress smoothly even in the tight material supply market during the pandemic. On the basis of the successful project, Homestead Construction has secured the Gillies Group Work Base project in Upper Hutt, which will see it construct 43 industrial units. Homestead Construction was started in the 1970s by the Lawry family who are still at the helm of the business today. From generation to generation the family business has continued to develop its expertise in concrete construction. Homestead handles everything from feasibility, design and planning assistance, to precast concrete manufacturing and project management of multi-residential and commercial developments. Most of the precast panels are manufactured in Homestead Construction’s purpose-built manufacturing facility in Levin. Panels are then freighted to site and erected by Homestead Construction’s erection team and cranes, which is used to further improve efficiencies and shorten time frames on large-scale projects. Always Professional, Always Reliable, Always Efficient PROUD TO SUPPORT HOMESTEAD CONSTRUCTION * PARAPARAUMU * WELLINGTON * LEVIN www.brienelectrical.co.nz Freephone 0800 TEAMBRIEN Freephone 0800 832627 • Electrical Contracting and Project Management • Electrical Design & Planning Services • Air-Conditioning Install & Maintenance • Commercial Lighting & Switching • Electrical Maintenance and Periodic Inspections • BWOF and EWOF, IQP Accredited • Fire Alarm Systems & Emergency Lighting • Additions and Alterations • Full & Free Quoting for any Project GAS, HEATING, DRAINAGE & CIVIL DRAINAGE Mana Plumbing is proud to be working with Homestead Construction on another successful construction project.
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