50 | DEVELOPMENT McCore Group: Barrack Road T T Karen Phelps Barrack Road - a model of efficiency McCore Group is delivering 42 townhouses for a private client on Barrack Road, Mount Wellington. McCore Group’s major residential project on Barrack Road, Mount Wellington, is shaping up to be one of Auckland’s most efficient and collaborative multi-unit builds in recent years. The company, founded in 2017 and now regarded as a significant player in the region’s construction sector, is delivering 42 townhouses for a private client intent on retaining most of the development as long-term rentals. The client’s long-term outlook has helped shape the project’s quality focus, which sits at the heart of McCore Group’s broader philosophy, says one of the directors Mike Gibson. “The build is commencing well. We have a brilliant delivery team; it’s almost a unicorn project. We all want to deliver it efficiently and collaboratively and the productivity has been through the roof,” he explains. The Barrack Road build has come with an unusually heavy resource consent process. It took months and included what Mike describes as the most onerous set of conditions McCore Group has faced on a project. Despite this, construction began smoothly in early 2025. The scale of the work is extensive. Within the first 12 months all 42 units are expected to reach roof-on stage supported by significant civil works including tanks, pipes and retaining walls. The units range across two and three storeys with a mix of brick and James Hardie cladding systems. “Because the job’s been so smooth there has been a visible show of reward for the team’s efforts. Every day the job looks different, every day they can see progress, which reinforces the effort and empowers the purpose to keep driving forward. It’s like a positive feedback loop and everyone has great morale,” says Mike. Targets have been introduced to motivate the team further. When these are reached, the entire group celebrates together. Subcontractors are also encouraged to increase on-site staffing through McCore Group’s coordinated approach. Up to 60 contractors a day are already on site, alongside a core team of around six staff. The next milestone is to reach 100 people on site each day. “We control opportunities for subcontractors to do their work and open up more work pockets to help them be on site and work Independent Truss PS1 Specialists | Fast. Flexible. Trusted. We provide independent truss design PS1 certificates for residential and commercial projects - giving you the freedom to work with any truss fabricator. Buildablelayouts.co.nz 0800 LAYOUTS / 021 790 675 sales@buildablelayouts.co.nz advice on truss designs Free 3D truss & DWG files available Fast turnaround 3-4 days Coordination with structural & mechanical services Wall frame detailing for builders 36+ years of industry experience panelisation software reseller quickly and efficiently. This encourages them to send more staff as they can do more work each day,” says Mike. The project has not been without its challenges. Unforeseen asbestos pipes, drainage constraints and the requirement to upgrade a Watercare pipeline several kilometres along Mt Wellington Highway have added layers of complexity. The upgrade, while straightforward in terms of replacing pipework, involved intense planning due to traffic management, existing services and residential proximity. Hydro-excavation was required to navigate multiple assets safely. Mike says the development remains on programme for completion in August 2026. “We are on track if not ahead of schedule and despite some in-ground challenges are tracking well to budget,” says Mike. “The successful delivery of Barrack Road will demonstrate that McCore Group can easily deliver large-scale projects on time and on budget, reinforcing its capability when supported by a strong team.” Founded by Michael Wang, Matt Borg and Mike Gibson, McCore Group has grown from modest enabling works contracts worth $100,000 to an annual turnover of around $40m. Mike says such rapid expansion is rooted in people development and a flat organisational structure that allows swift decision-making. With approximately 30 managers and more than 100 skilled tradespeople, it uses its in-house workforce to strengthen programme certainty, coordination and quality control. Its approach to Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) has also been central to its success. Mike explains that assembling an expert team early in the design process provides clients with better buildability advice, robust cost planning and long-term facility value. The company’s pipeline includes recently completed work at Arvida Peninsula Club in Whangaparāoa and ongoing repair projects for Arvida Parklane in Auckland. “We’ve been incredibly fortunate as a company over the last few years to have the support of our clients during the economic downturn. We’ve had to be nimble to keep moving forward, but we’re very grateful to our clients for keeping us busy.” The power of the written word. New Zealand Business News, delivered to you.
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