82 | CONTRACTING Concrete specialists with committed team The team carries out the site excavation and preparation for buildings and sheds. The growth continues for Wagener Construction, as the Invercargill-based company expands into Queenstown, and with some big projects on the go it’s a long way from its side-hustle days. Wagener Construction was started in 2022 by husband and wife Hunnter and Annabelle Wagener when they returned to their Southland roots from Australia, where Hunnter had a concreting business. He began a building apprenticeship when they first moved back, and was doing concrete work on the side. Then in early 2023 the couple decided to take the leap to full-time concrete work. Now the team has expanded to nine, with a second crew based in Queenstown. They have two diggers and two tip trucks, one of each in Invercargill and Queenstown. The team carries out the site excavation and preparation for buildings and sheds. As a licensed building practitioner, Hunnter, together with his team, can go from site excavation through to constructing ready-to-stand frames. Then they go back to do the paths and driveways as the build progresses. Hunnter has been in the industry for nearly two decades, during which he has gained wide experience, including working on the Toowoomba Bypass Bridge in Queensland, JJ’s building at Lornville, and lots of residential jobs, such as a recent driveway with blackand-white concrete borders and a white concrete diamond shape in the centre. Another exciting project on the go is laying the concrete foundations for the Invercargill Museum (Te Unua Museum of Southland) rebuild, alongside Naylor Love. The museum closed in 2018, due to earthquake safety issues, and the project is expected to be finished in 2026. It will also include a new specialist enclosure for the tuatara, as well as a dedicated museum collection storage facility. Hunnter thrives on the fast-paced environment and variety that the concrete industry offers. “There is great job satisfaction, and it is rewarding each time the job is completed. You have got to get it absolutely right; you’re not ripping up concrete.” His passion and commitment to quality is evident, as is the team’s. They have an experienced digger operator in team member Chris, alongside his son Kobi. Hunnter’s brother Mitchell is also on the team, as well as Hunnter’s best mate Dan, who he has always worked alongside, including in Australia “The team and work environment is a big focus for us,” Hunnter says. They are regular contributors on Facebook and Instagram, too, with a bit of chat and humour thrown in, so give them a follow. The biggest difference Hunnter noticed coming back to work in New Zealand was doing a lot more work for people’s own homes. “It feels like a lot tighter community, which adds to the rewarding side of the job and relationships with clients.” As Wagener Construction owns and operates small to medium machinery, the company is able to manage most jobs completely in-house. Talk to us today, the feature profile experts Phone: 03 983 5500 waterfordpress.co.nz PROFILE YOUR PROJECT... Cell: 027 430 1012 Email: admin@mcgregorconcrete.co.nz Free phone 0800 225 850 • Phone plant 03 225 8503 MCGREGORS ReadyMix Concrete &Gravel Wagener Construction T T Emma Bailey
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