| 29 Quality, consistency key to success Richard Loader Arrowtown-based builder AJ Saville Ltd specialises in high quality architectural builds. Central Otago: AJ Saville Ltd REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Operating a high-end residential building company in a region dominated by beautiful high-end architectural homes, Allister Saville has no doubt success is measured by the feedback from the last job. Allister’s Arrowtown company, AJ Saville Ltd, is a multi-award winning Queenstown building company, specialising in high quality architectural builds. “You have to be consistent in your trade, and consistently batting above the industry standard. Put quality before time and sometimes cost. “Quality will always carry you through to your next job and that is what people will be most proud to tell their friends and family. But they will also remember the bad stories as well.” A few years ago Allister read a book by Sir Tim Wallis that left an enduring impression. Sir Tim outlined his business principles, which included making your first loss your last, selecting top people, engaging the best accountancy advice, making employees feel like they have a stake in the business, not letting mistakes frighten you — they build judgment, being honest and always keeping your word. Allister uses the words as his guiding principles in a competitive industry. In 2001, while still a young company, AJ Saville was engaged to build its first high-end home in Millbrook. Twenty years on and the company is about to commence its 67th Millbrook home. “We’ve done some quite substantial highend homes outside of Millbrook, but Millbrook has been our mainstay. “We have four houses in progress there at the moment, with three in Arrowtown. Not that long ago a million dollars was a big sum for a house in the area but now most houses wouldn’t be less than $1.5 million,” says Allister. For Allister and his team the attraction for building high-end homes is about the thought and pre-planning that goes into the project and then seeing the result emerge from the ground. “With some of these homes you’re thinking about the roof and finishing while you’re still doing the floor. “And we get to use some pretty special, cutting edge finishing materials, which you wouldn’t otherwise come across. “Sometimes we get to build the impossible. We’re part of that old equilateral triangle with the owner and the architect. If we can get early contractor involvement that helps and it becomes a three-way partnership.” Reflecting on the present climate that is underpinned by Covid and on-going supply chain disruptions impacting on the availability of materials Allister says now is a very good time to have forged solid relationships with suppliers and subtrades. “Time and waiting will be the next hurdle we have to get over. You have to plan very well to meet demand otherwise you will have houses without roofs or windows if we can’t get on top of the supply chain. “You need to be ordering windows as soon as you break ground really. “The same with steel; as soon as you have been awarded the job order your reinforcing. “Communication is the key to this. If everyone is on board and communicating there should be no problem.” 03 445 4979 8 Nancy Place, Cromwell www.CLTL.nz o ice@centrallacquertech.nz Central Lacquertech are proud to be associatedwith AJ Saville Builder 28 McNulty Road, Cromwell 03 445 0310 Cromwell Showroom Regionwide Service P R O U D S U P P L I E R S T O A J S A V I L L E B U I L D E R C R A F T S M A N S H I P I N H O M E A N D C O M M E R C I A L I N T E R I O R S
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