18 | REGIONAL Chris Bell Construction and Project Management PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CONTRACTORS Established in 1973 T | (06) 758 1931 M | (027) 446 9669 39 De Havilland Drive, Bell Block Proud to work alongside Chris Bell Construction & Project Management • Residential & Commercial • Glass and Aluminium Balustrades • Frameless Shower Screens • Frameless Mirrors • Retro Fit Double Glazing • Frameless Glass Entry and Partitioning • Splashbacks • Pet Doors • Safety Glass • Glass Repairs P 06 75 79768 E glasscraftglazing@gmail.com W glasscraftglazing.co.nz T T Virginia Wright Success built on ‘old school values’ The biggest job they have done is a 44-bedroom apartment complex for Kainga Ora. “I’m extremely loyal and it goes both ways. And the opportunities I’ve been given over the years have been incredible.” When Chris Bell set up his company, Chris Bell Construction and Project Management (CBC), in 2006, he never dreamed that 20 years later it would be considered one of Taranaki’s most progressive and innovative companies with a staff of 40 at last count. Chris was 33 when he decided he was ready to do things his own way and it was time for a change. He left the company he had been working with for nine years to start working out of his mother’s car doing a small job for a family connection. He bought the ute he needed six months later and employed another qualified carpenter 12 months after that as the work continued to flow. Today, CBC employs a mix of skilled Master Builders, apprentices, project managers, an in-house quantity surveyor, and admin staff to keep it all running smoothly. Collectively, they are passionate about their job as they work together to deliver the highest-quality builds to their clients, regardless of scale or budget. “It was just natural growth, surrounded by some amazing people, as in staff and subcontractors,” says Chris. “Without them you’re nothing. I’m extremely loyal and it goes both ways. And the opportunities I’ve been given over the years have been incredible.” Seizing those opportunities with both hands probably helped, but equally important were what Chris refers to as the ‘old school values’ that underpin every job they do: turning up when you say you’re going to, delivering what you say you will, and, of course, always working to a high standard. Chris has a reputation for treating people well, whether it’s staff or clients. He says what he means, but he also means what he says, and he and everyone that works with him takes pride in delivering high-quality construction builds across Taranaki and the country. Chris Bell Construction and Project Management is primarily known for its high-end architectural builds, but the projects range from small-scale renovations to multi-million- dollar residential, commercial and industrial builds. Whether it’s a private client’s sumptuous home in Northland, a big warehouse in Masterton, offices in Tauranga, or one of the many sub-stations they have built, they will give it the same care and attention to ensure the project’s success and the client’s satisfaction. As far as Chris is concerned, the trickier, the harder, and the bigger the challenge, the more he enjoys it, knowing that while his company may be relatively small, they punch well above their weight. “The biggest job we’ve done is a 44-bedroom apartment complex for Kainga Ora, which we won off some of the bigger players. Some people said we couldn’t do it, but we took it on and delivered it on the exact date that we gave them about 16 months prior,” says Chris. Their architectural builds tend to have a commercial aspect to them: pre-cast concrete or in-situ concrete, or a lot of different structures in them, and the 600sqm house they have been building for the last two years is no exception, Chris says. “It’s on an existing commercial building, which is four storeys high, and the rooftop of that existing building is the front lawn for the house. “So we built the house on the section next door high enough up so that when you walk out of their lounge you walk out onto the roof of the existing building where we’ve built a pool and done the landscaping.” There’s no question of retiring, but Chris has now brought three younger shareholders into the company. “Two this year, and Joe Menzies, who’s my main guy, has been in for seven years; he’s been with me for 10. I’ll always be involved somehow in the industry, but it felt like it’s time to pass the baton on,” he says. With the permit just through for Chris to build his own house for the first time, he has little chance to think about everything that Chris Bell Construction and Project Management has achieved over the last 20 years, but one thing he’s sure of. “It’s been the most amazing journey – I’ll write a book about it one day. And just a massive thanks to anyone and everyone we’ve crossed paths with and who’s been part of that journey with us.”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=