| 105 T T Sue Russell Strengths combine to deliver top services Most of NZ Builders’ work is centred around Auckland Central and the North Shore. NZ Builders BUILDING In 2017, Blake Cooper joined Auckland-based NZ Builders, teaming up with Jesse Bird, who had established the company two years earlier. They each brought complementary skills to the table; Jesse as a builder in the high-end residential sector, bringing project management capabilities, and Blake, having spent seven years in London working on super-prime residential projects before returning to New Zealand and working in commercial project management. This year marks 10 candles on NZ Builders’ birthday cake, a milestone both say comes with a real sense of pride and satisfaction with how the company has grown into what it is today. “In the last seven years we’ve gone from myself working part-time, Jesse full-time and Josh as apprentice to a team of 18 staff on the tools, three project managers including Jesse, and a full-time QS,” Blake says. These days, Blake manages the front-end setup of each project, from initial pricing through to onboarding, contracts, and getting everything ready for internal handover, before Jesse and the delivery team take over and run the build. It’s a system that plays to each of their strengths and ensures the client gets the best service possible. Praising the quality of their long-term loyal clients, Blake says the future is positive. “My role focuses on development and overseeing the commercial side of the business -pricing, sales and project setup, while Jesse leads the delivery side. He’s hands-on and keeps the whole team accountable.” While most of NZ Builders’ work is centred around Auckland Central and the North Shore, the company has recently moved out of their Birkenhead base and into new headquarters in Hillcrest/Wairau. It’s a practical, tradesbased hub that includes architects, plumbers, concreters and their own team—designed to encourage collaboration and community. One more space is even available for the right like-minded person to join them. Typically there’ll be up to 4 substantial projects on the go at any one time. With the creation of the Small Works Manager role, NZ Builders has promoted one of their own foremen into the position, reinforcing their focus on growing talent from within. Alongside the major projects, there are usually 5 or 6 smaller jobs underway too—ranging from decks and maintenance to post-handover tweaks. “We work very hard on the business and are constantly assessing ways to enhance its performance and deliver even better service to our clients,” Blake says. NZ Builders currently has five apprentices on board, and two of them will be fully qualified by the end of the year. Blake reflects that it’s incredibly important to have a competent, engaged training pathway, with a mentor who supports the process and a company structure that allows learning on real projects. “The quality of the training environment makes a huge difference to the outcome and experience for our apprentices. While BCITO provides a solid pathway and meaningful support, we also encourage all our apprentices to go through the Master Builders Apprentice of the Year challenge. “It really pushes them out of their comfort zone and we see a huge boost in their confidence once they’ve had a go at it. And a big shout-out to Jeremy, our BCITO training advisor, who’s truly passionate about developing our team and guiding them along the way.” NZ Builders has been engaged to construct a range of beautiful homes for fantastic clients, and they’re very proud of the work they do. “We cater for all levels of ambition. While we’re known for our high-end architectural projects, we also really enjoy working on practical extensions that help families grow into their homes. It’s not just about the big flashy builds. We take just as much pride in the smaller jobs and always aim to do them well.” Blake says there’s a solid pipeline of residential and commercial work ahead, testament to the strength of client relationships and repeat business. Proud to support NZ BUILDERS Phone: 0800 N E TILING (638 454) | Web: www.neweratilingnz.co.nz 11 Anvil Rd, Silverdale 09 426 7664 sales@troake.co.nz www.troake.co.nz Proudly working along-side NZ Builders • CEILINGS & PARTITIONS • INSULATION • FIXING • STOPPING • PAINTING COMPLETE FLOORING SOLUTIONS COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL trustflooring.co.nz BNH Trust Ad 257 X 60.indd 1 28/10/25 4:17 PM
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