90 | BUILDING Absolute Homes T T Rosa Watson Keeping up with the Darfield boom Darfield is fast catching up with Rolleston in the number of builds under construction, and is also close to Christchurch. 0800 25 65 35 info@vipelectricalsolutions.co.nz www.vipelectricalsolutions.co.nz Proudly supporting Absolute Homes Ltd 147 Blenheim Road, Christchurch In reaching its sixth year in business, Darfield-based home building company, Absolute Homes, has a lot to celebrate. Over its first five years in business, the family-owned business has grown to 26 staff and has completed more than 100 builds across the Canterbury region. Darfield is experiencing a boom in housing development, with Absolute working across several key subdivisions, including Darfield Estates, Torlesse Estate, Ryelands and Kersey Park. The team is also supporting clients building in the new Landsbrough development, located just out of town on Kimberley Road. And marketing manager Jade Jenkins says there’s no sign of things slowing up in the rural village. “There’s 40 jobs we’ve started on this year, which is quite a bit.” The team celebrated the business milestone with a cake at the company’s new premises, which are centrally located on the town’s main street, and were still being fitted out. “Everyone got to see it for the first time,” Jade says. They officially moved into the new premises in May, which Jade says is an exciting step. The Absolute Homes team includes project managers, carpenters and management. Behind its success are owners Chris and Ange Cawthray, who have grown the business with an ambitious mindset and approach. Chris, a licensed building practitioner, trained and worked in the New Zealand building industry before working for 15 years in the United Kingdom, gaining valuable knowledge and experience in running his own construction business. Ange is a qualified accountant supporting the business as business and financial manager. Having purchased sections in Darfield prior to starting Absolute Homes, the couple saw an opportunity in the town to start their own housing company. “It was a risk that paid off,” Jade says. With Absolute’s range of standard builds, there are options to go more up-spec, including features such as tiled floors and showers, with clients able to customise designs to what they want. From the company’s set plans the in-house architect finalises drawings with the client. A show home is currently being built at the Earlsbrook development in Lincoln, which Jade understands is the biggest show home village in New Zealand. They also have a show home in Arbor Green in Rolleston. Darfield is fast catching up with Rolleston in the number of builds under construction, and is also close to Christchurch. Buyers are drawn to the location by the larger section sizes and rural feel, Jade says. “We’re quite spoilt in Darfield, because all the sections are actually quite a decent size. It’s kind of how Rolleston was 10 years ago. Land is still relatively affordable, so you are getting bang for your buck. “So, you are seeing a lot of people move here from Auckland, just to upsize. They’re getting a lot more house and land from what they’re selling up in Auckland. “I just think everyone’s seeing the value of Darfield. It’s not too far from the city if they’re having to commute each day. It’s getting a good buzz about it.” She says while the town is rapidly growing, it still has the rural village feel that people are seeking. “Eventually, if you have growth, it does go in that direction (of Rolleston), but at the moment people are moving here to get that country feel. It’s still got that country rural village feel. But who knows what that’s going to look like in a few years’ time.” She says the investment in new premises and in building a strong team shows the company’s confidence in future opportunities. “We wouldn’t have done this if we hadn’t anticipated this to last, hopefully for another 10 years. “There’s definitely a lot earmarked for Darfield and developments that are coming. It’s just a matter of time for the infrastructure to follow, and obviously the population grows.”
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