84 | Diversity drives success Jackson Crooks Building is all about quality and efficiency. BUILDING Jackson Crooks Building Andrew Allen Building Features and style set spec home apart T T Alexia Anderson T T from page 83 Invercargill-based company, Allen Building, continues to cement its reputation in Southland with a new spec home that blends smart design and quality materials. Located within the Waikiwi subdivision, one of Invercargill’s areas of substantial growth, the home’s design presents a modern style, while also injecting timeless character, something which Allen Building has become known for. Owner-manager Andrew Allen says the suburb stood out immediately as a strong location for a spec build for a range of reasons. “The appeal of Waikiwi to build spec homes was the relative affordability of bare land, along with the fact it is a quickly developing suburb with many new homes in it, and zoning for very good schools and proximity to good facilities.” Allen Building’s Waikiwi build reflects a thoughtful balance of modern style and timeless character, a combination that the team does well. “The home we are building in Waikiwi is very modern, but we are trying to build it with some old-fashioned character,” Andrew says. To do that, Allen Building has incorporated a range of elements into the home, including vaulted ceilings and high windows to enhance natural light and space, along with four generous bedrooms, two bathrooms, and an additional toilet. A key feature is the ability to section off one end of the home, which allows the owner or occupier to contain day-to-day use of the house to one area, leaving three of the bedrooms, bath and toilet segregated. Smart design choices further elevate the home above others in the market. “This balance keeps us agile – we’re not cornered into one area, which allows us to scale up for bigger jobs while maintaining strong client relationships across rural and residential sectors.” One large dairy client has farms in Mossburn, Orepuki and Clydevale, and soon after starting out in business, Jackson secured the Bupa NZ retirement villages contract in Southland. “I like to target everything because it interests me and I get a kick out of different projects.” Last year was a busy one for Jackson, who completed his own first-home build on top of running the business. His new home in Gore really showcases what Jackson Crooks Building is passionate about – sustainable building methods and thermal efficiency. With a 400mm insulated floor slab and complete underfloor heating as the main source, the entire home is heated through water, rather than a fire and heat pump – significantly reducing electricity bills. There are also thicker walls and higher ceiling insulation, topped off with quality joinery in the kitchen and bathrooms. Patina abodo cladding (carbon neutral) and a sleek black roof will bring in extra thermal gain throughout the 200sqm home. Jackson Crooks Building is all about quality and efficiency, delivered through both the speed of their workload, and the smarter use of building products they have access to. They keep right up to date with technology, using a Trimble robotic total station, which shaves weeks off projects through ease of layout, “optimising our workflow, saving the client thousands without compromising quality”. As part of NZ Certified Builders, the company adheres to high standards, while the team also brings fresh ideas, like using digital project-management tools for real-time updates that keep clients in the loop and projects on track. This year, Jackson Crooks Building Ltd will be presenting a handful of projects and prices at the Southern Waimumu Field Days site 462, with some live demos on how they build better as well. “This home uses a high vaulted ceiling in the living area, with high windows above the kitchen and electric openers to allow light and air flow,” Andrew says. The split gable design captures morning sun, providing a solution to the common challenge of townhouses on compact sections that struggle to capture natural light. As with every Allen Building project, there is a team behind it, committed to using robust materials and local partnerships. “We have chosen only reputable, high-quality materials for this build, and in every instance possible, sourced locally made products,” Andrew says. “All of the timber framing and weatherboard has come from Niagara in Kennington, for instance.” For Andrew, sourcing local materials is not just about supporting the community. It’s about achieving “a far superior product, and far superior service”. Andrew’s career, which spans almost a decade across residential, commercial, and maintenance work, shapes every project the business takes on. He says it is helpful to be able to combine all of those different processes, styles of construction and material types and get the best result from all of them when managing a build. Allen Building operates with a small, highly skilled team of four. “This home uses a high vaulted ceiling in the living area, with high windows above the kitchen and electric openers to allow light and air flow.” Kieran Corcoran 027 699 9044 Shannon Black 027 345 2200 Concrete Masonry | Tiling & Waterproofing Clay Brick Veneer | Architectural Plaster Systems & MASTER BRICK BLOCKLAYERS With professional tradespeople servicing Southland, Central and West Otago, we are your one point of call for residential, commercial or industrial projects. Rhys Harvey 027 736 9085 Email: arearthworksltd@gmail.com
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