Business North October 2021

| 95 BUILDING Ensura Building Services Restoration and repair keeps the team busy Sue Russell A modern bathroom complete with a deep bathtub adds a splash of luxury. W hangarei company, Ensura Building Services has been supplying reme- diation, renovation and alteration services to the residential and commercial sector and to insurance companies for a dozen years. In 2018 Dughall Aitken and Jeremy White took over its operation, seeing the potential to scale the business. The company now operates across the Far North, throughout Auckland and Taupo and has six staff in the office in Whangarei and three in Auckland. The challenge of employing more staff has become more pronounced since COVID struck, coinciding with an increase in demand for their services. Dughall says that the blend of insurance, commercial and private work makes for good variety and a solid amount of work on their books. “We also carry out ACC work converting people’s houses to be wheelchair accessible.” In July 2020 a one in 500 year storm devas- tated the Whangarei region, with hundreds of insurance claims requiring attention. It kept the team at Ensura Building Services very busy for several months. There also been a number of fire reinstate- ments including a complete rebuild of a house in Ruakaka. Post COVID, access to reliable supply of materials is beginning to have an impact. This is an issue being grappled with industry wide. “This has resulted in multiple price in- creases for all products and uncertainty as to whether timber especially will be available when needed,” Dughall says. Dughall says he’s pleased with where the business is positioned at this time, but plans ahead are definitely to grow bigger. We have a solid workload ahead and growth will be very much a case of crawl, walk then run. Ensura Building Services employs three apprentices ranging from first to fourth year. “We see the importance of training the next generation of carpenters,” Dughall says. Dughall says working mainly with renova- tions, alterations and remediation work calls for great problem solving capability. “Not every builder wants to do the type of work we take on, but we get great satisfaction from reinstating a damaged home, or remod- elling an older home. “Seeing the transformation from the before to the after photos and the smiles on the owners’ faces.” Ensura’s approach to large renovations is one of transparency and operating an ‘open book’ contract where they disclose the actual costs and their margins. “This way home owners feel a lot more con- fident that they are getting value for money,” Dughall explains. The company also offers a unique 5 point guarantee covering pricing, timing, communication, quality and trust. “Not every builder wants to do the type of work we take on, but we get great satisfaction from reinstating a damaged home, or remodelling an older home.” NZ’S LEADING WARDROBE COMPANY HAS THE BEST WARDROBE SYSTEM FOR YOU ▪ Wardrobe Systems ▪ Wardrobe Doors ▪ Book Shelves ▪ Entertainment Units ▪ Office Areas ▪ Laundry Storage ▪ Garage Storage Custom Designed 0800 80 30 50 innovativeinteriors.co.nz Are you building a new home? W e specialise in plumbing solutions FOR THE BIG JOBS PLUMBER Ph: 435 6906 Email: c.rule@xtra.co.nz Call Craig for a Free Quote 0274 968 343 • Reasonable Rates • 25 Years Experience Russell Dahlberg: 027 441 1809 admin@dahlbergelectric.co.nz PO Box 4227, Kamo, Whangarei 0141 All your new house installations