Business North December / January 2021

86 | Macreadie Builders Joel’s team - breathing life into the old T Richard Loader The team: from left, Jesse Birrell, Joel Macreadie and Travis McMoore - who completed a custom renovation in Kumeu 2019. BUILDING T ransforming the horrific others won’t touch into a timelessly elegant and beautiful home is what Joel Macreadie and the team at Macreadie Builders Ltd revel in—it is their happiest place. “I like the challenge of something extremely custom and perhaps horrific to start with, stretching our capabilities,” says Joel. “There are clients who want all sorts of unusual things done to their homes and that’s always a wonderful challenge for us. We tend to do a lot of things differently to achieve what a client wants for their home.” Large custom renovations and new builds have remained Joel’s passion ever since completing his building apprenticeship in The Mount, specialising in that kind of complex and challenging work. After moving to Auckland and working in a style of building quite different to what he was trained in, Joel decided in 2014 to establish Macreadie Builders with the objective of get- ting back to his roots and the love of breathing life into the old. Within six months Joel had taken on an ap- prentice, which he says was just a little scary knowing he was responsible for someone else. But the extra set of hands opened opportuni- ties for bigger and more challenging projects. “The first big project was a large extension/ alteration in Green Bay. After taking that first plunge so many more doors opened up. Sometimes it’s good to step outside of your comfort zone and we’ve never looked back.” New Lynn-based and operating in West Auckland bordering North Shore and the Inner City, Macreadie Builders is a true family business with Joel’s wife Jess looking after the administration, accounts and marketing of the business, while four year old Sophie Macread- ie is a frequent visitor to site meetings with her parents. “The team love Sophie and I think that she’s in awe of the team,” says proud dad Joel. “We have two female apprentices and she loves them to bits.” Proud of his two female apprentices, Joel says they bring a very different dimension to building and a departure from people’s stere- otypical perspectives of tradies. “It’s nice having the girls on site—you can still have a laugh. “They bring attention to detail and finesse on site—a rare but important skill to have on Contact us at: Roy Wykes (director) - 027 298 4188 contact@precisionearthworks.co.nz | precisionearthworks.co.nz Precision Earthworks and Drainage are proud to work alongside Macreadie Builders in streamlining the building process and helping clients visions come to fruition “A proud part of The Build Collective; a community of creators” Reliable and Professional Electrical Services in Auckland Proud to support Macreadie Builders RESIDENTIAL DATA COMMERCIAL SECURITY 027 403 1540 info@rivieraprenail.co.nz www.rivieraprenail.co.nz Exclusive supplier of quality Frame & Truss to ALBANY, NEW LYNN, WARKWORTH &WHANGAPARAOA Proudly supporting Macreadie Builders