108 | Client-centric approach Tom’s beautiful own house built on the hill in Port Chalmers illustrates the complexity of new builds they also like to take on. T T from page 106 Connor Jones Group BUILDING As a result, they are steadily completing a variety of commercial projects for construction companies Apollo Projects, Hawkins, SBS Bank and the Emersons and Speights Breweries, all on time and on budget as 2024 comes to a close. The Dunedin office includes an office administrator, plus Tom, who concentrates on running the business, with Chris taking care of quality control. There is also a dedicated quantity surveyor, an engineering manager, and a dedicated project manager. The engineering workshop is staffed by four fabricators and of the 16 carpenters, four in Invercargill and 12 in Dunedin, three are apprentices. Connor Jones Group’s apprentices consistently rank in BCITO’s top 5% in the country, which Tom puts down to them being rotated around quality builders doing different types of projects, and to the low ratio of apprentices to builders. Tom and Chris take care to avoid the disconnect between the office and the site, which can arise when a successfully tendered contract goes out to a foreman, who may not be party to the way the contract was put together. It will be an important part of successfully running the six residential projects they are looking forward to next year. They are no strangers to residential projects, whether renovations or new builds, and the recently completed Chambers Street renovation is typical of the complex projects they enjoy. “It’s an extension outwards and upwards on a site in Dunedin that has no access and is on a hill,” says Tom with a laugh. “That’s where we always land ourselves and we find it quite exciting to do jobs out of the ordinary rather than a rectangular grouphome build on the flat somewhere.” That job came out of work they had done previously with architectural designers Eco Workshop. They were one of three builders recommended to the clients to have discussions with early on. “It’s a really good thing for them to recommend, because during the design phase we can identify areas that could cause issues or be really expensive. So the clients, Charles and Manon, brought us on at the early drawing stage because they could see that we had the depth of knowledge to deliver what they wanted to do on an old Dunedin villa, and they liked our energy,” says Tom. Tom knows that clients may not understand the construction process and likes being able to identify early on how expensive it could be to achieve an idea. As he explains: “Rather than going yes and then at the end when you price it up it costs $60,000 more than anticipated and takes them by surprise, we talk budget very early on and can quickly identify if they’re unrealistic and offer more affordable solutions if there are any. If people don’t want to talk about budget it’s a warning sign.” Tom’s own house built on the hill in Port Chalmers illustrates the complexity of new builds they also like to take on. “Gnarly foundations, stunning views, Marrakesh plaster walls and intricate timber finishings, including locally grown Tasmanian Oak. Nothing was standard and we loved the challenge,” he says. From educational projects and commercial projects, to the trickiest residential builds and renovations they can find, the Connor Jones Group team is united in their belief that it’s the client that counts. It may trickle down from the top, but the buy-in from all the staff is a testament to the loyalty that goes both ways. That’s one of the reasons they have made this year’s Deloitte Fast 50 index and are looking forward to the trip to Auckland to see where they are placed. Scaffolding Specialists 027 730 0022 | alisha@excelscaffolding.co.nz www.excelscaffolding.co.nz Choose Excel Scaffolding to meet your scaffolding needs. Big or Small, We Scaff Them All!! 0800 272 233 | USGenquiries@unitedscaffolding.co.nz | unitedscaffolding.co.nz Proudly associated with Connor Jones Group INVERCARGILL | QUEENSTOWN | DUNEDIN | CROMWELL | CHRISTCHURCH | AUCKLAND | WELLINGTON Connor Jones Group We’re proud to support Canterbury - Dunedin - Queenstown - Nelson
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