Business South June 2021

84 | BUILDING Central Otago - Christie Brothers Building Award-winning firm sets the standard T Kelly Deeks W hile employers around the country struggle to find the skilled labour they need, award-winning Central Otago construction firm Christie Brothers Building is building the type of homes that have builders lining up to join the firm. Matt Christie started his construction career in Dunedin, completing his apprenticeship with the building division of Ferguson Engi- neering which worked on residential and farm projects, then becoming a sole trader. Brad Christie got an apprenticeship in Queenstown where he worked for a year before going home to Mosgiel and getting into residential building, and before starting Christie Brothers Building, was a foreman at Jennian Homes. About 10 years ago, Matt and his former employer went to Wanaka to build a first new home for Matt and Brad’s parents. Brad would take his annual leave from Jennian Homes and come and help on site. While working in Wanaka, the brothers got an idea of where they wanted to be and what they wanted to be building, and in 2015, they 021 0234 9924 Rhys@evolvedecorators.co.nz Residential / Commercial new builds & repaints Architectural new builds • Wallpapering • Cedar Proudly supporting Christie Brothers Building Contact Will Widdison 021 500 315 willwiddison1@gmail .com NEW BUILDS ■ STRUCTURAL MASONRY ■ BRICK & STONE VENEER T to page 86 “We’ve worked our way up to 20 staff, it’s a good team and we’ve been pretty lucky with them. We advertised the odd time, but now we just get builders ringing us. They want to be building these places we’re building.” joined forces and took their business to Wana- ka to chase the high-end architectural market, which they have well and truly caught. “The market is going crazy now,” Brad says. “We’ve worked our way up to 20 staff, it’s a good team and we’ve been pretty lucky with them. “We advertised the odd time, but now we just get builders ringing us. “They want to be building these places we’re building.”