| 65 T T Sue Russell Country bungalow impresses judges Andrew and Hannah Gray entered the Waikato House of the Year competition in the ‘Builders Own Home’ category winning Gold and a spot in the National Top 100. House of the Year Awards: AJ Gray Building Ltd BUILDING Andrew and Hannah Gray established their building business in late 2016, beginning first with just Andrew swinging the hammer. Since then, Andrew has supported building apprentices through their study, and generally operates with himself and one other. The plan is to secure the right projects to enable him to employ another. Asked what appeals to him about being his own boss as a builder Andrew says its about being able to deliver top quality service and have control of the end product. He enjoys working with clients, knowing how much of an investment a building project can be. “The service part of it is very important to me.” As a small team, when major projects come along, that occupies the bulk of their time over the year, and usually one or two bigger architecturally designed homes takes care of the lion’s share of the year. “We do like the variety that comes from doing smaller jobs, such as renovations, additions, decking and the like. Even some maintenance work helps give the team plenty of useful learning.” The business is based in Matangi, just out of Hamilton. Andrew focuses primarily on Hamilton, Cambridge and the surrounding areas, although he’s willing to travel further afield for the right project. This year, the hard-working couple decided to enter the Waikato House of the Year competition, in the ‘Builders Own Home’ category and were delighted when they were announced regional category winner, given a Gold Award and a spot in the National Top 100. Their home is a beautiful example of a country bungalow, a style Hannah says she has always wanted to live in. “Andrew wanted a modern home and I wanted the older style look and feel so what we have is a home that functions as though it is new, but with the charm and character that we both love.” says Hannah. The couple explained to their architect that they didn’t want a mish-mash or compromise design; they wanted the home to be authentic in its style. No wonder the judges were so engaged in the home! The attention to detail is everywhere. One element Hannah says is an absolute favourite is an arch structure built across the entryway. “It really makes a statement and is testament to the meticulous craftsmanship and creativity that Andrew put into every part of our home.” Friends and family have given such positive feedback on how at home the house looks where it is settled in the country. Asked how they experienced hearing they had taken out the awards Hannah says it was quite an overwhelming moment. “We knew we had a beautiful home that we were so proud of, but to receive the praise it has and the awards at our first entry into the competition is just wonderful.” And its very much the case that a challenge has been set for future builds. “The judges commented to us on the night that now we’ve set the benchmark we have to keep that standard up on every build. They said ‘This is what we expect from now on from you!’”, says Andrew. Ahead, Andrew has a large renovation of a family home at Waihi Beach, to factor into next year. “But we’re actively looking to fill out the year with other projects”. “It really makes a statement and is testament to the meticulous craftsmanship and creativity that Andrew put into every part of our home.” LIMITED BUILDING A J Gray Residential Building Specialists Renovations | Additions | New Builds Garages | Decking 027 440 4508 info@ajgraybuilding.co.nz I N K . A R C H I T E C T U R E e: admin@inkarc.co.nz p: 07 823 1194 w: www.inkarc.co.nz
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