102 | HAMR Homes T T Sue Russell Award-winning builders with a family vibe A beautiful kitchen is the centre of the home, with oak floors, while the high raking windows and ceilings add to a sense of openness, drawing the outside landscape in. BUILDING HAMR Homes derives its name from the first initial of owners Mum Hannah, daughters Amelia and Maggie, and Dad Richard Warwick, while youngest daughter Anabelle joined the business in 2012. The Whitianga-based company has gone from strength to strength, witnessed by an impressive array of Master Builders House of the Year awards spanning more than a decade, including multiple gold, gold reserve, regional and three Top 100 awards. “My wife and I look after all aspects of the business, and we have a small but fantastic team of builders and subcontractors working with us. These days I’m more overseeing the projects. We started the business in 2009 and it has evolved, responding to market influences. These days we aim to have two teams of three on the ground,” says Richard. The company recently finished quite a “cool project”; an extension to the Whitianga Social Services building. “We really enjoyed this project because it was a community project, so had a different feel to it. The facility is very important to the district and it felt great to be a part of its development. I priced the work up for them and did an in-depth proposal to present to Trust Waikato and the Lotteries Commission for funding.” Working throughout the Coromandel, Richard says, the teams get to build in some amazing locations, often presenting with ground and access challenges to overcome. Richard says new developments in the beach areas are quite busy at the moment, although Whitianga itself has slowed down somewhat. There’s plenty of variety of projects across his desk at the moment, including two alterations requiring resource consent, due to their proximity to sand dunes, an extension to a home, and they are just getting underway with a spec house. Richard is also very proud of the fact that they have a fabulous project entered in this year’s House of the Year Awards. Located at Rings Beach, between Kuaotunu and Matarangi, the home, which is owned by Craig and Natelle Lidgard, sits very comfortably in its beachside environment. “It was designed to blend in beautifully with the surrounds and not compete with the stunning location of native bush and the Pacific Ocean. On a sloped section, it embraces both one and two levels. With three spacious bedrooms, three bathrooms and three living areas, and plenty of outdoor living space, it’s the perfect home for family living and entertaining.” Clad in vertical pine weatherboards, the home has a timeless feel. Inside, a beautiful kitchen is the centre of the home, with oak floors, while the high raking windows and ceilings add to a sense of openness, drawing the outside landscape in. “It was a great privilege to build this home for my sister and brother-in-law. Every part of the home speaks to quality in its design, materials and construction.” The home was built through Cyclone Gabrielle and its impact, which required an adaptive approach, Richard says. He’s currently working on a design-andbuild for a 60sqm minor dwelling, which he’s enjoying. “It’s certainly not just about big builds for us. Creating a design for a smaller home also comes with its challenges, and we put the same amount of design thinking into these projects as we do all others.” Since the company was formed, this new home will be its 37th new build, not taking into account renovations and alterations, something Richard says he and the team are extremely proud of. He is also a strong advocate for schools to encourage students to consider a career in the building trades. “I think schools generally haven’t understood that a builder needs to have a huge breadth of knowledge, from constructing foundations right through the finishings. Buildings possess a really wide skill set, and it’s an extremely challenging and very satisfying career.” Richard also serves the building sector outside the company with involvement at governance level on the Auckland Master Builders executive board. His goals are to help the industry be better and support other builders – doing good for the sector he’s proud to be a part of. “I’ve been building for 30 years now, and I think it is important to give back to an industry that has supported me well during my career.” He says entering the annual Master Builders Awards is something he would encourage all builders to consider. “It’s an amazing experience, and you become part of something bigger than just your own company. We’ve certainly benefited from entering over many years. The awards are an excellent showcase of what this industry is capable of achieving.” Proud to Support HAMR Home Building Contractors 1 Moewai Road Whitianga 3510 | 07 866 4958 | 021 782 108 thomassenroofing.co.nz | info@thomassenroofing.co.nz
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