| 109 T T Virginia Wtright Better late than never… Matt Brown Builders works within a 75-kilometre radius of Whangarei, from coast to coast, west to Dargaville and east to Ruakaka/Waipu. Matt Brown Builders “My ethos is to give my team in the company varied work so that in the hard times, like now, you can adapt to do any type of work. We can do everything from site works through to landscaping, and all the building in between.” BUILDING Matt Brown of Whangarei’s Matt Brown Builders came late to the industry, but given that his father had been a builder, he was already familiar with the basics when the idea of home ownership tipped the balance and he decided to enter the trade and get qualified so he could work on his own house. Having completed his apprenticeship when in his early 30s, Matt worked his way up in different companies to become site supervisor, running a team of seven on high-end, residential architectural builds, until 2017 when he set up his own company. Matt Brown Builders works within a 75-kilometre radius of Whangarei, from coast to coast, west to Dargaville and east to Ruakaka/ Waipu. Over the years he and his team have completed group home builds, renovations, insurance work, spec builds and architectural homes, keeping the skill set varied and creating a diverse workload. “In earlier times, the skill set of a carpenter was very broad and they carried out a lot of work you would now see subcontractors undertake instead. “My ethos is to give my team in the company varied work so that in the hard times, like now, you can adapt to do any type of work. We can do everything from site works through to landscaping, and all the building in between,” says Matt. Generally speaking, Matt runs the whole job from start to finish, offering fair rates and a good work ethic, by which he means his team is consistently on site. “We run a tight schedule and work with the same quality tradespeople we’ve been working with for a number of years and who are available when we need them to help keep that schedule on track.” Matt believes great communication between clients and their builders is of the utmost importance and lies at the heart of every successful build. Sharing accurate timelines is the key and involves combining regular forecasts on where the schedule sits, while still remaining flexible. “A house is generally a person’s biggest purchase, so you want to make sure you take care of them during the building process, including adapting to changes along the way to achieve their vision. ‘Teamwork makes the dream work’ is a motto we throw around because we’re building people’s dreams and we’re all on the same team to get it done,” he says. Matt loves a good challenge, as can be seen in his most recent architectural build in Whangarei, which combines the advantages of a modern home with an eclectic mix of materials and features adding their own distinctive beauty. “We re-used some of the rocks on site, weighing up to five tons, to build the retaining wall. “We had the big kauri doors from the Kaihu Pub, which we refurbished and used as internal sliding doors, and leadlight windows from an old church, which needed careful handling as we installed them in the internal kitchen scullery. It all works well together,” he says. Matt sees Whangarei continuing to develop steadily, despite the current tough economic climate, and he is looking forward to times improving, keeping a steady stream of work coming through as a result. Heating, Cooling and Solar Specialists 0800 482 263 www.hubands.co.nz 15 Kioreroa Road, Whangarei HEATING, COOLING & SOLAR SPECIALISTS PROUDLY CELEBRATING 38 YEARS IN BUSINESS 1982 2020 NORTHLAND’S 38 Preparation is the key to the best finished paint project. The team of professional tradesman and brush hands are able to provide your home with all painting and decorating needs. 021 437 226 alan@specialisedpainting.co.nz GET IN TOUCH
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