100 | Business built on word of mouth Jackson Construction Northland works throughout the region on a variety of projects, including renovations and new builds. Jackson Construction Northland T T Lindy Andrews BUILDING Bo Jackson reckons there is a lot to like about building homes in Northland – mostly the people. Four years ago, Bo and his wife Kelly left Auckland behind, moving back to Whangarei where they bought a 1.8-hectare lifestyle block and a “doer-upper” – a relocated 1910 bungalow. A licensed building practitioner and a member of Certified Builders with more than 10 years’ residential and commercial experience under his belt, Bo also set about establishing Jackson Construction Northland. “We had a few family members and friends who wanted building work done, and it just went from there on word of mouth,” he says. One of those family members was 81-yearold Jim Fraser, a beef farmer living in the century-old house in which he was born. A wedding present from his mother’s family, the house was “messed around with” 50 years ago – the last time it had any love. “It was not in a good state,” Kelly recalls. Jim’s home represents months of hard work, with Bo making every effort to retain its character. “We kept the stained-glass windows, and all the joinery we either kept or matched,” he says. Situated right next to State Highway 1, the house was noisy as well as cold. The casement windows were removed and replaced with Metro RetroFit double-glazed windows with cedar frames. Polyester underfloor insulation was installed, along with Batts in the ceiling and exterior walls. A century’s worth of plumbing, ranging from old alkathene to galvanised steel and copper was replaced with all-copper pipe work. The old fireplace gave way to an energy-efficient wood burner and Jim now has a heat pump in his bedroom. The house could have told quite a few stories, says Bo, with its original backyard outhouse and cool store still in evidence. An old, dust-shrouded wall unit Jim had purchased from a hotel had been sitting in the garage for many years waiting to be moved into the home. Lovingly restored to its as-new glory, it now has pride of place in a homestead that boasts all mod cons, including expansive, screened-in verandas that offer a relaxing outdoor retreat almost all year round. Bo’s practical approach to cost and eye for detail are also on display in several new builds, including the Maunu homes Jackson Construction project managed and built for a “lovely client and her daughter”. While the building plans for the homes were very similar, they had slightly different internal configurations and the women put their personal stamp on each home with different interior design choices. Bo believes more innovation is needed in terms of making homes affordable. Alternative building methods such as YTONG autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) blocks, which offer high thermal and acoustic values, are easy to use and simplify building, he says. Developed in Sweden in 1929, AAC blocks are excellent for fire walls and will never decay. 021 059 9846 aucelectrical@gmail.com AdamTaylor Proudly Supporting Jackson Construction Northland WE’VE GOT YOUR ELECTRICAL NEEDS ALL UNDER CONTROL
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