66 | CONTRACTING Foundation Bricks and Blocks T T Rosa Watson Bringing a passion to bricklaying The company provides bricklaying, blocklaying and masonry repair services across residential and commercial projects. “The name reflects not only our heritage, but also the values we wanted the business to stand for: strong foundations, reliability, and work done right from the ground up.” For eight years, Foundation Bricks and Blocks Limited has been bringing high-quality craftsmanship to a variety of masonry projects across the Wellington region. The family-owned-and-operated brick and blocklaying business run by Matthew and Nicky Fahy, provides bricklaying, blocklaying and masonry repair services across residential and commercial projects. Services include structural blockwork, building foundations, retaining and boundary walls, brick veneer, feature and architectural brickwork, including heritage and restoration work. They also carry out maintenance, repair, and remedial masonry work. Matthew is an Irish-qualified bricklayer and licensed building practitioner with more than 25 years’ industry experience, including over 15 years based in Wellington. Nicky manages the administration, finances, and Health & Safety side of the business. The couple is passionate about the trade and enjoys training apprentices, sharing knowledge and helping develop the next generation of bricklayers. The business was started in 2018, with the name Foundation taken from the surname, Fahy, that is derived from the Irish Gaelic Ó Fathaigh, meaning “base” or “foundation”. “The name reflects not only our heritage, but also the values we wanted the business to stand for: strong foundations, reliability, and work done right from the ground up,” Nicky says. In the early days, the business was a oneman band, with Matthew working long hours on demanding jobs across Wellington’s steep terrain. As opportunities grew and the workload increased, they took on their first team member, who went on to become its first apprentice. This was a significant milestone and the beginning of the company’s commitment to training future bricklayers, Nicky says. Today, the business employs five permanent staff members. The company sets itself apart with a commitment to doing right by clients, taking pride in every job, building strong, long-term relationships based on trust, reliability, and workmanship that speaks for itself, she says. “The team is currently working on heritage brickwork at Turnbull House, working as a subcontractor to Naylor Love – a hugely rewarding project,” Nicky says. “This project is particularly special for our team, providing valuable learning opportunities and the chance to contribute to the preservation of an important historic building.” Another meaningful area of the company’s work includes sustainability-focused projects, such as the Living Pā at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington, delivered alongside LT McGuinness, and the upcoming Te Papa Biodiversity Research Centre in Upper Hutt. “Being involved in developments of this scale and significance is something we take pride in, reflecting the growing industry focus on environmentally responsible and technically advanced construction,” says Nicky. It has also been involved in several community projects, including Central Pacific Collective’s ‘Our Whare, Our Fale’ in Eastern Porirua – the first community-driven, Pasifika-led housing development of its kind in the country – working alongside Holmes and Southcoast Construction, and a similar project for Ngāti Toa alongside Switched On. “These projects combine structural blockwork and brick veneer with specialist feature walls inspired by Pasifika and Māori Pātikitiki design, which are an exciting and technically challenging element of the work,” Nicky says. “[The projects] demonstrate how masonry can extend beyond its structural function to support community-led design outcomes, delivering spaces that are both technically robust and culturally meaningful.” %HHé 3éG>JO /MJë? OJ >@ NëKKJMODIB &JëI?éODJI #MDêFN #GJêFN QDOC NHéMO KMéêODêéG é?PDê@ éI? éêêJëIODIB 6@ éM@ êJHHDOO@? OJ C@GKDIB >ëNDI@NN @IO@MKMDN@N OCMDP@ éI? Nëêê@@? QDOC +JêéG @RK@MON #ëNDI@NN NéPPS NJGëODJIN /@MNJIéGDN@? N@MPDê@ QQQ >H êJ IT '"5%+.Ć* -.13' 6"(/4*41"4
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