76 | Strong logistics critical for sticking to schedule The new Tewa Banks subdivision in Arrowtown is the latest project for the company, in conjunction with Breen Construction. Straightline Roofing T T Aimee Wilson “When a project has a schedule, there is a certain amount of trust that each contractor will get the work done. Putting the roof on is the key part but it can be pandemonium.” CONTRACTING Daniel Rule and his team at Straightline Roofing have the joy of working in some of the most picturesque locations throughout Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago. Whether it is helping install a new enclosed chairlift at Soho Skifield, providing a wintering barn in Southland or Canterbury, or constructing a remote DOC hut in Milford South, the Cromwell-based business gets the pick of the bunch when it comes to projects. “We’re lucky with some of the places we’ve been to that are insanely cool,” says Daniel. Daniel has been established in Central Otago for 20 years and currently employs a team of eight, which has a good reputation for “getting in and getting it done”. There are plenty of examples of their work around the Southern district, and the company works in both the residential and commercial markets. Recently responsible for roofing the new Trusstech factory in Cromwell, the business is picking up more large-scale work with reputational companies as the Straightline name becomes widely recognised. The new Tewa Banks subdivision in Arrowtown is the latest project, in conjunction with Breen Construction, and is an example of a ‘time-critical’ project with tight deadlines. “When a project has a schedule, there is a certain amount of trust that each contractor will get the work done. Putting the roof on is the key part but it can be pandemonium,” Daniel says. Weather, of course, plays a big part in determining the exact timing of the work to be completed, he notes. With 90% of his work being word of mouth, as Daniel says, “You’re only as good as your last job.” After a successful job with NZSki at Remarkables last season, he was able to then secure the Soho Skifield chairlift project. Roofing requires strong logistics, so Daniel’s work in long haul transport for many years has given him a leading advantage in the industry. Growing up on a sheep and beef farm in Southland also gave him some great skills in early life, and he initially trained as plumber – the roofing business came as a bit of an accident. His parents were building in Cromwell and were struggling to get anyone to finish the roof, so Daniel jumped in to sort it, and 20 years later he hasn’t left. He says Cromwell has always been a tradie town, but with huge growth in the area and new big companies coming in, there are only so many jobs to go around. Staff retention is a big challenge, and he is having to plan well for the future – building a business of value is an important strategy. The current national champion of the New Zealand Boat Marathon Commission, along with Mike Borthwick, Daniel knows how to work hard and play hard as well. And he makes sure his staff are enjoying themselves on the job as well. “You need a thick skin and broad sense of humour because there are some real characters in roofing.” 0800 VERSATILE www.versatile.co.nz Versatile Homes & Buildings - Cromwell Address 32 McNulty Road, Cromwell Phone 03 445 0790 Phone: 03 983 5500 waterfordpress.co.nz Your Business, Your Industry, Your News. DO OUR READERS KNOW YOU EXIST?
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