Business North July / August 2021

94 | Early contractor involvement key Karen Phelps BUILDING Rucon Construction R ucon Construction likes to get involved early in projects to ensure the all-impor- tant ‘buildability’, says company owner Dan Russek. “Getting involved early allows us to spot any potential problems. Sometimes a design looks good on paper but it hasn’t been thought through thoroughly with the site specifics in mind. It’s about a holistic approach, which is why early contractor involvement is so impor- tant,” explains Dan. This has been demonstrated on a current project the company is working on – Harbour Hospice in Takapuna. The project was an early contractor involve- ment tender, which Rucon Construction partly won due to its construction methodology that saw the build programme halved reducing hassle for the client. The project involves two buildings and will see Rucon Construction basically reduce the buildings to a shell then reconstruct them. Dan says that hospital projects are no- toriously challenging by nature due to the number of people involved and the technical nature of the buildings. Past experience by the Rucon Construction team has seen the project progress smoothly, he says. “The methodology we came up with saw us complete twice as much work off-site in the time frame than originally anticipated. This has eliminated the need to complete noisy or dusty works around patients. Instead we will simply be completing finishing works while nine patient beds are operational to complete the final six rooms,” he explains. Aspects were fast tracked through smart planning. For example although typically window spaces are measured on site, windows or- dered taking approximately two weeks to be delivered then installed, Rucon Construction instead got the items pre-made off-site then built the walls to suit the windows thus short- ening the build time. The decision was also made to complete many works in-house such as demolition, framing and cladding to further enhance pro- ject efficiencies and give greater control over time frames. Dan expects work to be finished on the IPU building by mid-November and the second building by the end of 2022. Although not a large contract by dollar value for Rucon Construction it has been one of the most challenging. They are the types of projects Dan actively seeks. “We love challenging projects as with challenge comes reward. They require more thought and team unity and there is a real sense of accomplishment by all involved when completed,” he says. Shaye’s Tiny Homes ‘Small but big’ homes Sue Russell T he history of how Shaye’s Tiny Homes came into being is just as intriguing as the wonderful ‘small but big’ homes the business designs and builds. “It started about eight years ago when I bought a little bit of land and knew I wanted to build my own home and I wanted it to be small,” says world-class champion springboard diver Shaye Boddington. At that time, Shaye and her then partner had a six month settlement wait on the land and during that time the idea of building something on a trailer was born. With a background in design from Univer- sity and with a vision to build their first home together their first tiny home came to life. “I had always been interested in how spaces make people feel and to this day I design with the thought in mind of how a person will feel in this space,” Shaye explains.” Having lived in the home this fledgling ex- perience in tiny home design and construction offered fertile ground for Shaye to see where improvements could be made. So, she built a second home and the rest is history. Today, Shaye’s Tiny Homes has built upward of 50 tiny homes, across a range of plans which have evolved over time. Given that for 80% of her clients, this Tiny Home will be the first they have lived in, Shaye takes care to listen carefully to how they live. “With my own experience of living in one, I can honestly pass on what it feels like and is like on a practical level.” The streamlined approach to construc- tion also brings efficiency benefits, as Shaye explains. “We have 20 people in the team and the workshop is set up to build six tiny homes, and trailers at a time. Each set of homes takes about three months to complete and each one is on a trailer so it is fully transportable. This can make a difference in terms of not needing a permit or consenting processes.” And what’s been especially satisfying for Shaye is that the concept of living ‘tiny’ has moved into mainstream thinking, as the sector has established itself. Priced at between $150,000 - $200,000 Shaye says her Tiny Homes are becoming a serious option of choice for those wanting to not get trapped into the rental market and to be living in their own home, with their finish- ing touches. Track forward eight years from that first home and Shaye and daughter Hazel live in a beautifully crafted home, completed with living walls and roof-top gardens, measuring 8m x 3m. The home is full of timber sourced from the swamps of the Far North and through careful design, doesn’t feel in any way small. “It’s interesting how tiny home design really works. While the heart is saying ‘I want to live tiny’, the head needs spaces that feel big enough to live well in and that’s the great chal- lenge of designing these homes. Everything is very consciously designed.” “Getting involved early allows us to spot any potential problems. It’s about a holistic approach, which is why early contractor involvement is so important.” (09) 217 4110 | info@oceanselectrical.co.nz | www.oceanselectrical.co.nz The friendly teamat Oceans Electrical specialise in electrical solutions for all your residential, commercial and industrial needs. Contact us today Proud Supplier of Air Conditioning & Ventilation Systems for Harbour Hospice Development 35F Constellation Drive, Rosedale, Auckland PHONE: +64 9 476 9474 admin@airmark.co.nz www.airmarkgroup.co.nz PHONE: +64 Making themost For ideas and information about our windows and doors talk to MDAluminium on 09 836 6922 NICK BROAD 027 472 9494 09 825 0088 nick.broad@placemakers.co.nz NEW LYNN | 17 - 18 Clark Street