90 | Landscaping done with a true passion for the art The landscaping contractor gets to see and participate in the full transformation from blank canvas to something fantastic, which is very rewarding. LANDSCAPING Groundcover Landscaping T T Richard Loader 07 850 1662 www.narellanpools.co.nz waikatosales@narellanpools.co.nz Bring your dream pool to life Proudly supporting Groundcover Landscaping www.leadingedgeelectrical.co.nz | 0800 453 234 Proud to regularly work with the team at Groundcover Landscaping 6216 Great South Rd, Horotiu, 3288 | T: 07 847 3443 E: drew@kiwitimber.co.nz | www.kiwitimber.co.nz Over the eighteen years that Graeme and Michelle Hopkins have been operating their Hamilton based landscape contracting business, Groundcover Landscaping, they have realised that residential landscaping, and working directly with the homeowner, is where their hearts lie. “You build rewarding relationships with the homeowners,’ says Graeme. “Many things can change along the way when working on a client’s landscaping and so an important part of that relationship is remaining flexible and agile.” As reputation has grown, so have the referrals and repeat business, and that has meant the team has evolved from just Graeme and his ute, to a team of eight landscapers doing the physical work, supported by a team of specialists within the office. Graeme looks after sales and Michelle takes care of business strategy, while an office manager, project manager and estimator work in their individual roles full time, making sure the wheels keep on turning. It is a winning formula that ensures communication is timely, people are on site when promised, and the jobs get done on time and on budget. Groundcover Landscaping is also a Registered Master Landscaper. There are not many in the Waikato area, says Graeme. He says it provides peace of mind for the client that they are working with a professional business; something he says is hugely valuable for clients. The team tends to operate within a 30-kilometre radius — Hamilton, Te Awamutu, Morrinsville, Cambridge, and sometimes out to Raglan. “Most of our work is close to home. There is a lot of work in the growing Hamilton area and lifestyle block subdivisions close to the city itself. We are landscape contractors with decades of combined landscaping experience which means we can advise clients on all sorts of landscaping solutions. On more comprehensive jobs we don’t do the design ourselves but instead have established very good relationships with a few key landscape designers who we refer the client on to.” Once the design process is worked through and the master plan drawn up, the client is referred back to Groundcover Landscaping’s estimator for a price. “Working with different designers is good for the team,” says Graeme. “Each designer has a different style and that creates a lot of variety.” The size and scale of projects can vary considerably from a tiny courtyard/townhouse garden with a deck or some paving, right through to a full project involving retaining walls, decking, fencing, gardens, lawns, planter boxes, and pergolas. “We do a lot of work around pools as well. The landscape construction side is quite a massive part of our business and means we have to have a large and varied skill set in the team. Some of the projects are extensive, and clients may prioritise certain elements and then return a year or two later as their budget allows. Also, they might get a design done for the property that includes a large vegetable garden area, pool and sometimes a tennis court and it will all be done in stages, but sometimes it might never all get done. Sometimes we might just prepare the gardens for planting, and the owner is happy to take over from that point.” Unlike many trades where no-one sees the project completed from start to finish, the landscaping contractor gets to see and participate in the full transformation from blank canvas to something fantastic. Graeme says the people who work for Groundcover Landscaping, along with the systems and process that have been put in place, must take credit for the ongoing success of the business. “We like to celebrate our successes as a team. We have a Golden Shovel award where everyone puts in nominations for other team members who have gone above and beyond, and the team vote on a monthly basis. It works very well.”
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