| 93 T T Hugh de Lacy Pump sheds a focus Pump sheds for the purification of water supplies have been a major item of work for Versatile Homes North Canterbury, Versatile Homes & Buildings - North Canterbury BUILDING One of 30 Versatile franchises nationwide, Versatile Homes North Canterbury grew from the original business launched in 1976 from a small office in suburban Christchurch. It was acquired ten years later by Gillian and Bill Gee who grew the franchise into an industry leader boasting over 40 years’ experience. And Versatile North Canterbury certainly lives up to the original franchisor’s name, with homes, garages, farm buildings, sleep-outs and car-ports all part of the building services it offers. The franchise’s territory extends from north of the Waimakariri River to just south of Kaikoura, and inland to the Southern Alps. Pump sheds for the purification of the Hurunui District Council’s water supplies have been a major item of work for Versatile Homes North Canterbury, a diversification away from its usual business. The company has produced between 20 and 25 pump-sheds over the last four or five years for the district council. “The significance of the pump-sheds to our franchise is that they provide us with regular income while getting our name out into the community,” says Catherine McNee, who is a director of Versatile Homes North Canterbury in conjunction with her husband Adam Brennan. “The dimensions of all the pump-sheds are different, ranging in size from just 6m by 3.6m up to 16m by 10m, and they’re a vital element in the upgrade of the district’s water supply.” The Hurunui council’s work has indeed spread the company’s name throughout North Canterbury, and today it builds between five and 15 houses a year, plus 50-odd other buildings of various types and sizes. Catherine and Adam acquired the franchise nearly four years ago and inherited a team with more than 30 years’ experience in the building industry. Catherine has recently taken up the home sales role while Adam oversees the running of the business. The couple recently split the growing business into two parts, each with its own sales staff, the first comprising the core business of building garages and farm structures, and the second building homes and handling the wide variety of other projects, including the pump-sheds. “I came aboard to focus on the home-building side of the business, and we have a new salesman, Kevin Moore, who manages other projects that include garages, farm buildings, carports and sleep-outs. “New home builds have taken off in the past five years, while the building side of the business is always busy, lately handling inquiries for a Menz Shed in Kaiapoi and forest camp accommodation in Hanmer Springs. Versatile Homes North Canterbury sub-contracts a range of tradespeople for its building work, all of whom have long associations with the company. Versatile operates a state-of-the-art factory in Christchurch which builds, manufactures and distributes componentry for the vast array of building types on offer. “The factory supplies all our framing, roofing and cladding, and we receive support and expertise built on Versatile’s 40-plus years in the industry, in the form of designs and plans, quantity surveying and pricing, marketing, research and development,” Catherine says. Phone Mark: 027 229 4421 Website: dyerdecorating.co.nz Email: dyerdec@xtra.co.nz 2301799 Proud to support Versarile Homes & Buildings General Cartage, Containers & Swinglift, Log Cartage, Hilab Crane, Bulk, Daily Freight P.O Box 171 | 279B Flaxton Road | Rangiora PHONE 03 313 6026 www.transportrangiora.co.nz operations@transportrangiora.co.nz admin@transportrangiora.co.nz • New Builds • Renovations • Decking • Foundations • Sheds 027 348 8178 hjohnston@outlook.co.nz
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