112 | BUILDING GN Carter Builders Elevation Builders Locals building for locals The firm has plenty of work on the go. T T Virginia Wright Solving moisture issues for Auckland homeowners T T Russell Fredric Generations of the Carter family have been building in Opononi for 60 years – locals enjoying building for locals. Graeme Carter, generally known as ToeJoe, is literally doing renovations on houses built by his father John, who had retired by the time ToeJoe set up his company, G N Carter, some 15 years ago. He was not long back from 10 years’ building in the UK, after 10 years’ building high-end architectural houses in Auckland, where he was trained by his Uncle Graham. “The whole family’s building orientated. My uncle’s retired, but still working with us consulting on products and methods and systems, trying to not just future-proof the business, but to keep building affordable here in Northland where the socio-economic environment is trickier than Auckland,” says Graeme. To illustrate the point, he cited the kitchen they had changed in Auckland because the client didn’t like the colour they had originally chosen, whereas: “Up here, we change the kitchen because the old one’s rotted through the floor.” He’s pleased to be bringing the same level of quality and respect into the building they are doing in their hometown of Opononi, and Northland in general, as they would for any city-based architectural builds, starting with the basics, which he finds can be sadly lacking in some cases. “To ring up and say we’ll come and do it for this amount of time on this day for this amount of money and then come and do it, it’s that simple,” Graeme says. “Our thing with G N Carter is having morals and principles and respect for our industry, and our customers’ money. When I pay a mechanic I want to be able to trust that he’ll choose good parts and do a good job, no matter what, and that’s what my customers know they’ll get from me, and for a fair and reasonable price.” Water ingress remediation has become a major part of the workload for West Auckland company, Elevation Builders, helping homeowners uncover and resolve issues often hidden deep within plaster-clad homes. Owned by Tony Gordon and based in Te Atatū, the business works across a broad mix of residential projects throughout Auckland, comprising new homes, renovations and remediation work. Its workload is now split almost evenly between new residential construction and water ingress remediation. Elevation Builders collaborates closely with Moisture Detection Company (MDC), a specialist business carrying out invasive moisture testing and investigative work on properties suspected of having water ingress problems. Much of the remediation work centres on plaster-clad homes built during the 1990s and early 2000s, particularly properties with compromised cladding details, problems around joinery flashings, concealed gutters, and even moisture wicking up from the ground where the cladding is in contact. Problems can emerge from a combination of design flaws, cladding and flashing weaknesses and poor weatherproofing, Tony says. “Once water finds a way in somewhere, it just wants to keep going there.” The process typically begins with invasive testing undertaken by MDC, where probe systems are used to test moisture content and assess the condition of framing timber behind the cladding. This enables the team to identify both the source and extent of any damage before remediation work begins. Elevation Builders then carries out repairs and preventative work designed to stop future water ingress, while restoring affected areas of the building. Experience has become one of the company’s biggest points of difference in the Exterior Painting, Interior Painting, Roof Painting, House Washing Services, Minor Gib Stopping Phone: 021 021 668 68 www.dedicatedpainter.co.nz FREE ONSITE QUOTE Where quality meets community. neweraroofing.nz N EW ROO F I N S TA L L AT I ON S R E S I D E N T I A L R E - ROO F I NG COMME R C I A L & I ND U S T R I A L ROO F I NG ROO F MA I N T E N A NC E & R E PA I R S Whether it’s ToeJoe himself, or his foreman Daryn Slee (generally known as Sparrow), doing it right and being honest about it, is the principle they build by. Sparrow’s history includes 25 years’ building multi-million-dollar homes in Central Otago, and between him and ToeJoe they are training two local apprentices aged 17 and 20. “We take on guys who really want to do it. They want to learn and chase the knowledge, not just turn up. We want to know that when they leave here, wherever they end up, the boss says ‘Who trained you? You’re just what I need’,” says ToeJoe. Opononi is a village where news travels fast, and ToeJoe wants that news to be good when it comes to G N Carter, whether they have completed a new build, a small renovation or a complicated one like they have just finished for a retired builder, who is a recent arrival in Northland, ToeJoe says. “He sat and watched other builders for two years before deciding to go with us. We turned a 108-square-metre house they’d relocated up from Auckland into 254 square metres with three people and a dog living in it the whole time, and we shook hands at the end. “I want people to know we’re here to do the best job possible with the money they’ve got, and that whatever we build for them, that’s their dream, and we’re proud to be part of it.” ToeJoe and G N Carter Builders are about building, renovating or extending houses for people, especially families, to live in and make their home, whether it’s big or small. He enjoys knowing that he is adding to Opononi’s legacy as the Carter family has been for 60 years already and plans to be for the next 60. “Up here, we change the kitchen because the old one’s rotted through the floor.” remediation sector, particularly after years of investigating recurring moisture issues across Auckland homes. “We find people have often called others before us, or had professionals try to sort out a leak, and we’ll still end up solving it afterwards,” says Tony. Working alongside MDC has also strengthened the company’s technical understanding of how moisture behaves within buildings, and how different cladding systems perform over time. Recurring patterns are often visible once enough homes have been investigated. “You begin to see common factors and causal issues behind what’s creating the problems.” The scale of the issue across Auckland remains considerable, particularly among plaster homes with internal gutter systems. Tony estimates a significant percentage of affected properties still require investigation or repair work. However, not every homeowner contacting the business is already dealing with major damage. Many are seeking reports, assessments or clarification after concerns are raised during property sales or inspections. Tony says invasive moisture testing is increasingly being requested by banks and insurance companies as part of due diligence around plaster-clad homes. Having a track record over a number of years showing the house has been monitored with the probe system can help to lead to more positive outcomes for longevity and resale of properties. The work can also provide reassurance and practical options for owners uncertain about the condition of their property. “For some people it’s life-changing, because they just couldn’t see a way forward.” While remediation has become a specialised part of the business, Elevation Builders continues delivering new residential builds and renovation projects across Auckland, with the diversity of work helping keep the company adaptable in a changing market.
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