86 | Jones Cooper Builders T T Russell Fredric Still going strong with a 75-year legacy BUILDING David Reid Homes Southland Dream home advice PRESTON PRE-CUT LTD MANUFACTURERS OF ROOF TRUSSES AND WALL FRAMES Ph: 03 218 3647 • Brent Cell: 0274 15 1963 30 Mersey St, Invercargill • Email: prestonprecuts@xtra.co.nz • Prenail Frames • Roof Trusses • Loose Timber NZO SG • Claw Beams • Laminated and LVL Timbers Suppliers of: • Residential & Commercial Painting • Decorative Finishes • Airless Spraying • Wall Paper Hanging • Quality Guaranteed Brendon on 0225 995 366 bjmarrah@hotmail.com Free Quotes Proud to partner with David Reid to provide quality designer homes for Southlanders 10A ONTARIO STREET GORE PHONE 03 208 5841 or 0274 054 773 office@billsheddanplumbing.co.nz www.billsheddanplumbing.co.nz PLUMBING HEATING AND DRAINAGE Master Plumbers Drainlayers Locally owned and operated | www.tonicinteriors.co.nz Suspended Ceilings andWall Systems 53 Eye Street, Invercargill 9812 Tony de Vries After eight years of being a franchisee of David Reid Homes Southland, Andrew Wheeler can offer some wise advice for people looking to plan their dream home. Before purchasing the franchise in 2015 with his brother Nathan, who has since returned to building, Andrew was a lawyer so has an eagle eye for detail when it comes to design, costings and contract information. “I would say don’t be in a rush. It’s doing your due diligence, seeing show homes, seeing different things that you like and cutting out photos of things that you like. Image boards always helps us in the design phase,” Andrew says. “Your dream home should really be what you want it to be; sometimes if you ask too many people that can leave clients with decision fatigue in what to do. I guess it’s just spending that time and going and touching and feeling and seeing what you like so you can form your own opinion.” David Reid Homes is well known for building in and towards the higher end of the market and part of the due diligence encouraged by Andrew is to get advice early. “Part of the benefit of working with us is that critical cost advice during the design phase. Sometimes designers aren’t 100% up with what the costs in the market are so quite often you’ll see clients with plans they can’t necessarily afford. “We work with clients at that up front stage, making sure that what they’re designing is within their budgets as well.” The start of the process to determine the initial costing involves the client to disclosing their budget and obtaining an outline of the preliminary design and specification details, including the square metres, heating and the level of materials, fixtures and fittings. “We’ve had instances of clients who’ve spent $40,000 on getting plans done [elsewhere] then getting it consented and then sending it out for pricing then they couldn’t afford what they want. There’s a lot of wasted money there so a lot of the benefit is that time we spend with clients in the design phase giving that critical cost advice.” From its plan range, David Reid offers seven styles of homes with several design options available within these, but many people use these for inspiration to create a bespoke home to suit their needs, lifestyle and personal design preferences. Because David Reid Homes Southland is not a volume builder and Andrew is essentially its sole operator, he has the ability to be involved throughout the process right through to completion and sees developing good relationships as central to his role. “You get to know some people pretty well.” Andrew does, however, have a lot of practical assistance from his father Richard who is a retired bricklayer/stonemason and who is a go to person for numerous odd jobs on and off site. T T Russell Fredric With a 75 year heritage and numerous high profile buildings in its extensive portfolio, award winning Gore firm Jones and Cooper Builders continues to make its mark in the south. Led by Peter Cooper, the company undertakes a diverse mix of commercial, residential and rural new builds and renovations, working in partnership with clients, architects and subtrades to achieve an enduring result. During the past two years, Jones and Cooper has been the main contractor for two significant Gore District Council projects. One of these involved the deconstruction and rebuilding into the district’s new library of much of the former James Cumming Wing community centre which was originally built when Peter’s now 101 year old father, Fred, was managing director of the company. The other project is nearing completion and also involved the gutting of an existing building that has been repurposed for the council’s Maruawai Centre, comprising the town’s visitor centre that includes the relocated Hokonui Moonshine Museum. This project was managed by Signal Management and construction involved taking the building back to its structural bones, Peter says. “We basically stripped the building out, reroofed it, reclad it, strengthened it, fire rated it and altered it. “Everything [on the walls] has been relined with MDF behind the Gib board to fix the displays to it. There’s an amenity block as well with toilets, office and showers and an office area, and an area at the back has been enclosed for the distillery.” While this was a fairly straight-forward job completed over eight months, the rebuild of the Gore District Libraries building, adjacent to the council’s civic administration building, also incorporated the redevelopment of the James Cumming Wing community centre and was an 18 month, $8 million undertaking. Started in October 2021, it was also tendered through Signal Management. Given the family history, Jones and Cooper were “pretty pleased” to win the tender, Peter says. “We wanted to be involved because we built the original James Cumming Wing in 1972 and we have renovated it once already in 1995. It was in serious need of strengthening and maintenance so [the council] were going to have to spend half of the rebuild cost just to keep it the way it was.” The library had previously operated longterm from a dedicated building in the town’s heritage precinct but was forced to close following the discovery of black mould in it several years ago. It temporarily moved to the James Cumming Wing then to a local church building during the recent rebuild. Starting the rebuild during the covid pandemic was especially challenging due to material shortages and “prices going through the roof”, Peter says. “We had to order everything before we started basically, that was when you couldn’t get Gib [board] or anything.” About 60% of the work involved deconstruction then bringing the main structure up to the appropriate standards before the actual modernisation started. “We wanted to be involved because we built the original James Cumming Wing in 1972 ...”
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