14 | One-stop solution The Smart Alliances team can see projects through from initial design consultation, planning, resource consenting processes, to construction and delivery. Tasman: Smart Alliances T T Sue Russell REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Blenheim multi-disciplinary business Smart Alliances has brought together a group of highly skilled engineers, resource managers, environmental planners and architecture/design personnel under the one roof, with the aim of offering the region a one-stop-shop solution for developers large and small. It’s the variety of projects they take on, given this capability, that sets the business apart from many, as Practice Manager, Debbie Stone explains. “We are a small team with complementary skills and experience. Directors Richard Evans and Derek Wong Nam, Engineer and Architect respectively, lead the team and given the nature of our expertise, we see projects through from initial design consultation, planning, resource consenting processes, to construction and delivery. “It’s great to have this capability with a lot of interaction between colleagues as they work on shared projects.” One benefit for developers taking projects to Smart Alliances is that all the development elements are under the same roof. This provides a seamless, efficient and very cost-effective outcomes, where there is minimal delay beyond what is absolutely necessary. One key service Smart Alliances offers clients is an upfront accurate estimation of all the foreseeable professional costs the project will incur through its various stages. “This is a tremendous help to developers who need the certainty of end to end project costs before committing what can, depending on the project, be quite significant sums of money.” Asked how business has been Debbie says, given the scope of work they get involved with, when one sector is slowing up a little, as is the case with residential work at this time, this is offset by an upturn in commercial work. “We service a large area, including Kaikoura, from Blenheim.” And working in the beautiful Marlborough Sounds comes with its share of challenges as well. “At times there isn’t a lot of space to work on in terms of the site and a lot of engineering goes into projects. “We do structural, civil, and geotech work as well. Everybody that builds needs some form of Geotech done on their site. This is normally our starting point” One main focus for the directors and the team at Smart Alliances is a work/life balance and team culture, something Debbie says is aided by the fact that this is locally owned and operated company. “We can make in house . We very much steer our own ship and have ownership of our projects to the benefit of our clients.” Weekly meetings with the leadership team and mid-level managers keeps projects ticking along well and all key staff aware of projects are at. Debbie describes the way projects are managed as a bit of a jigsaw puzzle, given the array of disciplines that come together to see projects through well. Community engagement is also a priority. An example is Smart Alliances funding and coordination of a portacom given to the charity ‘Foster Hope’, to use as their base. “We thought this work was tremendously important to the community and the team in the organisation have real compassion for the cause so helping in this tangible way was very rewarding for us.” Adventure Racing in Kaikoura is another cause, along with such worthwhile charities as Riding for the Disabled and the Westpac Chopper just to name a few “In the directors we have very supportive leaders who understand we all have commitments and lives outside work.” Debbie says the key reason Smart Alliances has garnered such a strong reputation is that they genuinely want to offer clients the very best possible outcome at a reasonable cost. “We know this matters, given the nature of many of the projects we take on. We’re all very loyal to this wonderful region we live and work in and the clients we work with.” “We do structural, civil, and geotech work as well. Everybody that builds needs some form of Geotech done on their site. This is normally our starting point” Smart Alliances is the ideal choice for anyone looking to build a home in the Kaikoura region. With their expertise in engineering, architecture, and resource management, they have the knowledge and skills to bring your vision to life . , , ,
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