92 | Clients’ budget a key factor From architectural designs to durable farm homes and even dairy sheds they have built it all over the years, along with ongoing maintenance work and numerous renovations. BUILDING Jackson Crooks Building T T Virginia Wright Ph: 03 218 8919 • Email: admin@insidesystems.co.nz • 121 Eye Street • PO Box 1133, Invercargill • Plumbing • Drainage • Air Conditioning • Heating • Ventilation Concrete Masonry | Tiling & Waterproofing Clay Brick Veneer | Architectural Plaster Systems Kieran Corcoran 027 699 9044 Shannon Black 027 345 2200 With professional tradespeople servicing Southland, Central and West Otago, we are your one point of call for residential, commercial or industrial projects. & MASTER BRICK BLOCKLAYERS PROUD TO SUPPORT JACKSON CROOKS BUILDING QUALITY WITHOUT COMPROMISE Property Development & Subdivisions GPS Earthworks Rural Contracting Effluent design, consenting and construction Civil Construction 3 Waters Installation and Maintenance 027 943 2423 | GEORGE@RUTTERCIVIL.NZ | WWW.RUTTERCIVIL.NZ 032080441 gore@levelelectrical.nz levelnz.nz/electrician-gore Electrical Contractors Solar PV HVAC Service & Maintenance When Jackson Crooks finished his building apprenticeship in Gore, he initially went sideways and set up Crooks Screening, working with gravel screening and supplies for a year or so before going back into building and surprising himself with how much he enjoyed it. He also likes being his own boss and the responsibility that comes with it, so he changed the company name to Jackson Crooks Building and took on whatever projects came his way. “I was doing little bits and pieces like the odd bathroom, and concrete work, then we got a couple of big renovations in Gore, which led on to our first big house build, a dairy shed and multiple renovations,” says Jackson. Five years later they are a team of eight, including Jackson, with a steady variety of work flowing in, and a primary focus on custom new builds suited to Southland and Otago’s conditions. From architectural designs to durable farm homes and even dairy sheds they have built it all over the years, along with ongoing maintenance work and numerous renovations. New-build clients usually come to Jackson Crooks Building with a section, but not necessarily a clear idea of what they want to build on it. “That’s when we float ideas with them and try and nail down features that they like,” says Jackson. He works closely with architects, Arch Draft, and through them has ready access to at least 20 sets of plans for houses that for whatever reason haven’t been built. That gives the clients something to work off, and even if they want changes it speeds up the process. “It makes it much more efficient. If you like the look of something, you don’t have to spend the time doing a full design so it’s a win for everyone.” Jackson is very conscious of budget, and aware that clients tend to think things will cost less than they do. He is honest and up front from the start, having no wish to delay the conversation until it’s too late to do anything about it. “Everyone’s different, but we work closely with them to come up with a design and a budget, and we can show them finished houses we’ve done to give them ideas as well,” he says. A recently completed home in Gore is one they often go to, Jackson explains. “We got on really well with the client during and after the build, so they can meet them and have a good look at the level of finish: fully tiled bathrooms, a high-spec kitchen with a stone bench, underfloor heating throughout the house, energy-efficient with a full wraparound deck. We worked with them and kept it affordable, so it’s simple but modern, and sellable, which was one of the key things they talked about.” With builders that also do Gib-stopping and painting in the team, Jackson knows he can count on a quality finish, especially when combined with the one thing that all his team have in common – the attention to detail that lifts his builds out of the ordinary. When they are not building one-off houses, Jackson Crooks Building is busy in the rural sector building dairy sheds or pole sheds, pouring concrete or doing the constant maintenance needed to keep farms operational.
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