84 | Top franchise’s winning mantra – ‘we deliver’ Virginia Wright BUILDING Landmark Homes Taupo and Hawke’s Bay Clients always come first from page 82 Kelvin Lalich Builders On the renovation front, Kelvin Lalich Builders is back at a Waihi Beach home, completing a $1.3 million alteration to the house originally built by Kelvin Lalich Builders 20 years ago. “It is a great privilege to be asked to come back,” Kelvin says. “There is nothing wrong with the house and our clients have been happy with it for 20 years. Now we are fully recladding it, taking it from polystyrene to cellular concrete.” Commercial projects are on the upswing and while Kelvin Lalich Builders already completes about 75% of Morrinsville’s commercial builds, the sector is still growing. Kelvin Lalich Builders is currently working on a 2000sqm facility in Morrinsville for mechanical repair business Auto Super Shoppe. Kelvin is now looking forward to semi-retirement at Christmas and is keen to hand over the reins to quantity surveyor Jim Keith, qualified builder Dylan Comer, who has worked for the business for 20 years, and Kelvin’s daughter and office manager Vanessa Lalich. All three now have shares in the company and will take the helm as partners. It is important to Kelvin that the company continues to operate honestly and transparently, but he has some additional words of advice. “Always remember your clients come first,” he says. “That is what I’ve always told my apprentices and my staff. Clients don’t want to hear the word no, and there is always a way to work something out that is going to meet their needs.” Steven Painter owned ‘Elite Builders Taupo’ for eight years before he was offered the opportunity by Gerry Schumacher that he couldn’t refuse. Gerry was the Franchise Development Manager for Landmark Homes NZ and he approached Steven about purchasing the Taupo franchise. “At the time it included Whakatane and Rotorua and I reckoned it would be too big. Then he said what if I come in as a partner with you? I thought about it, did my due diligence and decided to take the plunge,” explains Steven. Now in its 45th year, Landmark Homes New Zealand is one of the oldest group home builders in the country and has built its reputation on building “exceptionally designed, and fabulously liveable homes” says Steven. He sees Landmark as neatly filling the gap between builders doing one-off, high-end builds and the big volume builders. “What I still like is you don’t have to be building 25 to 50 houses a year to be successful.” “Builders don’t normally hold franchises in high regard because of the impression that they’re volume based, with a ‘get them up and built’ mindset,” he says frankly. “What I liked about Landmark Homes was their Ready to Build plan collection had well thought out designs that are of a high standard. “We pride ourselves on delivering a highend, top-quality building experience, and as a general rule we don’t build cookie-cutter homes.” In their successful partnership Gerry is the Client Liaison Officer and manages the accounts and administration side of the business, while Steven is the Operations Manager looking after sales, construction, costings and pricing. Their approach clearly works as they have won Landmark’s Franchisee of the Year three years running. Steven puts it down to the way his valued team manage their processes and treat their clients and the homes they’re building as if they were their own, or, as he succinctly puts it, “we deliver.” Over the eight or so years they’ve been working together, Gerry and Steven have built their business up to the point where they’ve split their territory and sold Whakatane and Rotorua as a stand-alone franchise. At the same time they’re establishing a new franchise in Hawke’s Bay, where Steven grew up. The Hawke’s Bay franchise is already making steady grounds with two builds contracted and four more in the works. Steven attributes some of their success to the Showhomes they have built and use as a key selling tool. Building a new Showhome “What I liked about Landmark Homes was their Ready to Build plan collection had well thought out designs that are of a high standard.” WCL Group are proud to support Kelvin Lalich Builders SUPPLY • FIX • STOP • PAINT We are proud to be involved as a supplier to Kelvin Lalich Builders They operate on old school values of doing what they say they are going to do and they build amazing houses and commercial buildings. We wish them all the best for the future and look forward to growing our businesses together. Phone: 07 390 1228 or 0274 922 220 | Email: russell@pkfasteners.co.nz 11 Kent Street, Frankton, Hamilton 3204 | www.pkfasteners.co.nz UNIQUE FLOORING SOLUTIONS 07 378 4079 flooringfirsttaupo.co.nz 2 Ashwood Ave, Tauhara, Taupo 3330 YOUR LOCAL FLOORING EXPERTS Flooring First Taupo is delighted to be a valued supplier to Landmark Homes. We take great satisfaction in seeing our quality products complimenting Landmark’s fantastic designs. It is a privilege to work with one of Taupo’s leading building companies and we look forward to a long continued relationship.
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