Business South March 2021

| 97 Canterbury - Gareth Davis Builders Contemporary home breaks new ground T Richard Loader The contemporary two storey 300sqm home involved building on a tight section width wise, necessitating complex and sharply angled rooflines. BUILDING W ith the completion of a $1.5 million home in Christchurch’s leafy suburb of Merivale, entry into this year’s Master Builders Awards awaits in the wings for North Canterbury building company Ga- reth Davis Builders Ltd. Designed by Christchurch architectural practice Objects Ltd, the contemporary two storey 300sqm home involved building on a tight section width wise, necessitating com- plex and sharply angled rooflines. The owners, who are nearing their 70s, took the opportunity to future proof the home by installing a lift from the entrance hallway to the upper level. The building company’s managing director, Gareth Davis, says a complex rib-raft founda- tion was used which was a significant compo- nent of the project’s overall cost. “An under floor ducted heating system meant trenches had to be formed in the foun- dation adding to its complexity. We also had to include a lift pit with a hydraulic ram that goes 4 metres into the ground.” The home’s design called for three different types of exterior cladding and Innowood’s vertical shiplap cladding system was selected as the primary material covering about 60% of the home. A relatively new composite timber material, Innowood’s cladding system is pre-finished. The system provides a dynamic look with clean, straight lines in a sleek and durable finish for a conventional timber look. “This was one of the first homes in Christchurch to use the material, so there was quite a bit of publicity around that. “We used plaster over panel and some aluminium cladding for the rest of the home to achieve the modern look. “A lot of glass was used as well, contributing close to $100,000 of total build cost.” The lower level includes garaging, laun- dry, kitchen, dining and lounge along with a snug—a separate lounge/library area—along with a bedroom and en-suite. The grandness of the upper level is accen- tuated by a high-piched ceiling following the rake of the roof. At the apex the celing stretch- es almost four metres. “It was quite a challenge to build because of the ceiling height. “We needed scaffolding to get all the fram- ing up and there were often various trades working at the same time.” The master and second bedroom is comple- mented with an office and upper level lounge that leads onto a large entertainers deck, also accessed by the master bedroom. Completed over a 12-month period, Gareth says he and his team look back at the project with absolute satisfaction. “My passion for building probably comes down to the customer satisfaction at the end of a job and that makes it all worthwhile.,” says Gareth. “It can be quite a daunting task at the start with projects like these but you get to the end and think wow, look at what we have achieved. “You look at the plan and what you have done and you just feel amazing.” Gareth established his business towards the end of 2012 after building in Australia and the United Kingdom for six years following completion of his apprenticeship. Based in North Canterbury, Gareth Davis Builders undertake projects throughout the Canterbury region. HARTNELLCOOLHEAT 36 Brisbane Street, Christchurch & 18 Albert St, Rangiora Phone: 03 366 3952 03 313 8014 www.hartnell.co.nz S E R V I C I N G C A N T E R B U R Y F O R O V E R We are an award winning air-conditioning heating and ventilation company for a range of both residential and commercial clients. Proudly working with Gareth Davis Builders Ltd