| 87 T T Hugh de Lacy Family firm nears 50-year milestone The quality of work is evidenced in this high-end period alteration and addition. Stehr Brothers BUILDING It’s coming up to 50 years since the construction company that is now Stehr Brothers was launched in Auckland as DA and OJ Stehr by Don Stehr and wife Ola, who teamed up with younger Don’s brother Wok in 1985, and both are still active in the company. With a long history of high-value buildings behind it in both the residential and commercial sectors, Stehr Brothers has a well-earned reputation for tackling any type of construction project and completing to a high quality standard. Don and Ola started the business in 1976, and younger brother Wok started his construction career with it before heading off to Norfolk Island to start his own company. The original business initially specialised in small developments, such as building a couple of units behind existing houses, but on Wok’s return to New Zealand in late 1985, the brothers teamed up under its current brand as 50/50 partners, with Don serving as financial director and Wok as construction director. Today Stehr Brothers works from its own one-hectare premises on Kimptons Road in the Auckland suburb of Brookby, where it has a 150m2 office and conference block, backed up by a 200m2 workshop and storage area. With a current staff of 12 the company has an inventory of plant that includes diggers, excavators, a traxcavator, tractors, transporter and trucks, giving it the capacity to take projects all the way from site preparation and foundation construction to building completion. The quality of its work is evidenced in a succession of challenging projects, including the reconstruction and replication of an 1898 Herne Bay villa built of plastered blockwork that doubled the size of the house while retaining all its century-old charm. “That was a wonderful project, and we were particularly proud of the outcome,” Don says. “We’ve also built some high-end homes in Auckland in the $4m-$6m price range that are fantastic properties that really show what we’re capable of. “On the commercial side one of our most satisfying projects was building a 4000m2 logistical warehouse in Takanini two years ago, and more recently a 1500-seat series of four grandstands, also in Takanini, on the Sikh Society’s sports-ground.” More mundane jobs have included specialised garages to house classic car collections, animal housing sheds, watertight restorations and lesser residential builds. “Over the years we’ve showcased our versatility no less than our quality, and that continues to hold us in good stead despite the market at the moment looking a bit depressed.” The company survived through the recent skilled labour shortages, and Don says these are becoming a thing of the past as the tightening construction sector sees some builders shutting up shop and their staff looking for new employment. “We’re blessed in having a very loyal team led by efficient site managers, and that ensures we attract work – and workers – even during the tight periods.” He says there’s nothing that Stehr Brothers can’t build, and customers take reassurance from the company’s flexibility and the high quality of their finish. Proud to be supporting Stehr Brothers Ph 09 479 8901 | www.alliedexteriors.co.nz | 19A Triton Drive, Albany Allied Exteriors Ltd Auckland wide •Exterior Plaster and Painting Specialists •All Work Guaranteed
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