| 113 T T Hugh de Lacy Workforce, community key for pair Waghorn Builders has held a series of “Resilience Breakfasts” over the past few years featuring guest speakers including Mike King, Waghorn Builders BUILDING Waghorn Builders grabbed its business start-up opportunity in the wake of the 2010-2011 Canterbury earthquakes, and that experience helped drive its sensitivity to the needs of both its workforce and its community. The company was founded in 2011 by twin brothers Luke and Jake Waghorn, who started out working for their uncle Steve Waghorn, one of the first 25 contractors in the region to be engaged by the Earthquake Commission (EQC) to take on quake repair work. They went on to complete no fewer than 3500 projects for the EQC, most of them house lifts and ring foundation replacements, and the company grew to more than 75 staff by the time the brothers were 21. Now sitting comfortably with an average 50 staff and around 35 contractors, delivering commercial and residential new builds and renovations while also specialising in asbestos removal, the twins were able to get where they are without borrowing in the early days. “In the early days it was a struggle to get good staff, but over the course of the last 13 years we’ve developed a crew of solid tradesmen, some of whom have been with us for 10 years or more. We’re comfortable with the processes and systems we have in place, backed by a crew that have a great culture and care for the Waghorn brand.” As the quake repair work petered out Waghorn Builders quickly expanded into new commercial and residential builds, many of them large-scale. Current projects include a 95-room six-storey commercial hostel refurbishment on Lichfield Street, Christchurch, which has taken close to four years at a cost of more than $15m. Another is an 18-apartment new residential development on St Asaph Street with a price tag of about $6m, while the rebuild of the Odyssey House rehabilitation centre was worth $3m. The growth of the company was not without its personal pain, with no fewer than three suicides occurring among the workforce over the years. “We found there was a gaping hole in the mental health space, and there’s a real need for discussion around the topic and what can be done to mitigate the pressures on people where there’s a lack of avenues they can reach out to for help when they need it,” Luke says. Accordingly, Waghorn Builders has held a series of “Resilience Breakfasts” over the past few years featuring guest speakers including Mike King, Zac Guildford and Lance Burdett. And in 2017 Jake Waghorn raised $26,000 for the Heart Kids Foundation, the most ever, while taking part in the Battle of the Rebuild charity boxing event, while Benji, one of the Waghorn Builders project managers, involved in the same event the following year. Look No Further For A Professional, Efficient Commercial Scaffolding Service In Christchurch. - Residential Sca olding - Commercial Sca olding - Edge Protection Get A No-Obligation Scaffolding Quote 0800 434 266 diamondscaffolding.co.nz For all your roofing needs in Christchurch. 021 041 3750 jamie@cardroofing.co.nz cardroofingchristchurch Nulook Canterbury proudly supports Waghorn Builders Ltd www.nulookcanterbury.co.nz For all your concrete needs • Proudly supporting Waghorn Builders • Additions • New Houses • Landscaping • Earthquake Repairs • Brick & Block Work PH: 021 294 8132 NORTH CANTERBURY BRICKLAYING
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=