| 113 T T Sue Russell Broad scope on offer in Northland Ashwood Construction, based in Kaiwaka, Northland, works over an area extending from one coast to the other. Ashwood Construction BUILDING A proud Northlander these days, Lee Branford owns and operates Ashwood Construction Ltd, based in Kaiwaka, Northland, and works over an area extending from one coast to the other, north and south. “I’ve been based here for seven years, and before that we were in Puhoi,” Lee says. “Northland has a whole mixed bag of building happening, from the busy centres like Mangawhai on the east coast, to Waipu to the north and around Kaiwaka. I tend to concentrate on renovations and new builds, but will pretty much put my hand to anything” Working with Lee are three others – one apprentice and another qualified builder. The size of the business tends to fluctuate, with six engaged last year. “We’ve been up to 10 of us,” Lee says. “When we first moved up here I was still doing work down in Auckland, but it got to the point where it wasn’t working so well, so now I concentrate on our own patch. I have aspirations to grow it back to six, which would mean we can split into two crews when the work calls for it.” The aim, he says, is to eventually take a slightly back seat from the day-to-day physical building activity, to concentrate on supporting the teams on-site and securing new projects. Lee brings a wealth of experience to the table, having first picked up the tools and gaining his qualifications in the UK. He says the region he works over offers a wide scope of building forms, from sophisticated high-end, extensive renovations, to the beach bach-type dwelling and everything in between. “We’ve certainly had some really engaging projects cross our desk, including the ‘bunker bar’ at Te Arai Links Golf Course, north-east of Wellsford. “It was an engaging project, literally digging down to build a bunker, then covering it over, and it sits beautifully in its space.” A massive renovation in Matakana of a 1960s’ bach was another enjoyable build. “We actually only kept the floor and the rafters, everything else was new. The client was absolutely stoked with the cedar cladding, and there’s some smart design elements, including the Louvretec systems.” Word of mouth has been how the bulk of work has come, and that’s something Lee is very proud of. It matters, he says, because someone has seen their work, or engaged them previously, and recommends their quality and service. Regarding the apprenticeship pathway, like many, Lee believes that before being fully qualified, a tradesperson should be capable of building a home from the ground up. With that in mind, he says his apprentice is fortunate to have the diverse building experiences that come the company’s way. “We do everything, from earthworks up, so it’s fertile ground for anyone wanting to learn really well and understand fully all aspects to building systems.” Lee also feels that taking up a trade is a valuable career path for the right person. “When I was at school there was a big push for people to go to university. I was always drawn to building, and by the age of 21 had my own business. “It’s set me up well, and now I’m well established my business is supporting several families and helping to grow the next generation of builders, which is very satisfying.” We’re the electricians your builder trusts. Konnect Electrical delivers high-quality electrical work — from north of Kaiwaka to Mangawhai, and across the North Shore to the CBD. Proud to work alongside Ashwood Construction, delivering high-quality electrical solutions you can trust. info@konnectelectrical.co.nz www.konnectelectrical.co.nz Call Jesse 021 151 3071 New builds, renovations, extensions. No matter the project, we offer a full range of aluminium joinery solutions and we'll help navigate the process at every step. rodneyaluminium.co.nz | 09 425 7367 Windows & Doors
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