Business South March 2021

90 | Canterbury - Ferg Waddell Homes Delivering value for home owners T T Kim Newth Ferg Waddell: “I have low overheads and am very focused on finding ways that I can deliver real value into the build for the home owner.” ”I do what I can to give maximum value for money: a lot of the standard items in our builds would be treated as extras by other housing companies.” BUILDING A s residential land prices continue to soar in and around Christchurch, city home builder Ferg Waddell remains committed to doing his very best for clients whose budgets are increasingly under pres- sure. Ferg Waddell Homes has helped many – from first home buyers to those planning their second or third new home – to achieve their dreams in recent years. Before launching the business that carries his name in 2017, Ferg had another building company that completed many group housing contracts in Christchurch. A Registered Master Builder, Ferg has 30-plus years of building experience under his belt. Now running his own business, he sees many advantages in being able to work directly with clients on every project, from start to finish. “I work from home and have no staff. I contract everything out - over the years, I have formed some very strong relationships with my suppliers and trades people. “I have low overheads and am very focused on finding ways that I can deliver real value into the build for the home owner. “I’m flexible and very competitive with pric - ing. What’s in the contract is crystal clear so there are absolutely no surprises over what’s covered. ”I do what I can to give maximum value for money: a lot of the standard items in our builds would be treated as extras by other housing companies.” Clients are kept fully informed on the build- ing process and guided on how to achieve a home that best fits their requirements and budget, without compromising quality. Ferg Waddell Homes builds throughout Canter- bury, from Selwyn to North Canterbury. Ferg is proud to have his name on his business. “It’s my reputation and that means so much to me. Having my name out there shows my clients that I’m there to do a good job. I’m picking up a lot of work purely by word of mouth because of my track record to date.” Prospective homeowners can browse a range of home plans, with the flexibility to customise. Working closely with clients and carefully considering their priorities and their budgets is an essential part of the service. “Often people want to bring their own ideas into the plan and we are happy to accom- modate their choices and work with them on options.” Every Ferg Waddell build carries the Regis- tered Master Builder 10-year guarantee, giving peace of mind to the client and an assurance of quality. Last year, the company completed five new homes ranging from a five-bedroom 384sqm house for a developer in Rolleston to a 167sqm three-bedroom home for a first home buyer in Halswell. Regardless of home size, Ferg says he can offer a considerably lower square metre build cost than average. Valuations of these newly completed homes are also showing an instant capital gain being achieved for the owners. With three new homes under construction so far in 2021 and more signed up ready to go, Ferg is anticipating a busy year ahead. “What does concern me though is that cost of land is increasingly putting a new home out of reach for first home buyers, who are typically looking for a 500 to 600 square metre section on which to build a three- or four-bed- room home. “We have already reached a situation where you simply won’t find that type of affordable section in Rolleston. People are left with the choice of a small city apartment or having to accept living further and further out of the city, somewhere like Leeston.” Along with land values rising, so too are the costs of materials and labour, which he sug- gests will add further pressure as companies pass these costs on to the market. He suggests councils and central govern- ment may need to consider working together to develop land so as to make it more afforda - ble for first home buyers. Vision KITCHENS Ph: 03 344 2566 www.visionkitchens.co.nz Specializing in quality construction of all types of cabinetry, which include kitchens, vanitys and wardrobes Visit our showroom at 16 Edmonton Road, Hornby South, Christchurch Proud to support Ferg Waddell Homes 31 Sonter Road, Wigram, Christchurch Phone: 03 348 3401 | Email: sales@westlake.co.nz www.westlake.co.nz Ferg Waddell Homes Preferred supplier of Frames, Trusses, Structural Steel & associated Timber Products. WESTLAKE are proud to support: Prenail Frames • Truss Design PS1• Trusses • Steel Beams • Posi-Struts • Timber We’re proud to work with Ferg Waddell Homes to create beautiful and functional spaces