| 93 Keystone Building Complex builds all in a day’s work T T Rosa Watson BUILDING The Keystone Building team enjoy the complexity of architectural builds, and take their time to get it right. A Mapua-based building firm is cementing its reputation for building highend architectural builds with quality, flexibility and client satisfaction as its point of difference. Keystone Building, owned by Mike Stephenson, has a team of seven multi-skilled and qualified builders working across the Nelson/ Tasman region, with around 60 to 70% of the firm’s work in new builds, mostly architecturally designed homes. The team enjoy the complexity of architectural builds, and take their time to get it right, Mike says. “With complex builds we can be a year, year and a half planning before we start getting the design right and pricing it correctly for the clients. We do all of our own work. We do have some of our own plans, but generally speaking, we get recommended by architects, or clients have recommended us to people.” The firm could come in at any point in a project. “We can literally get handed consented plans by someone looking to price and build it, or we can be there right from the start, even looking at the land, advising them right the way through. It’s just whatever suits the individual clients.” Being a small firm, it is able to offer that flexibility and the ability to fit what the clients need, he says. The firm’s portfolio does not stop at architectural new builds – it takes on a wide variety and size of jobs. “We still do a lot of renovations and extensions and small stuff like bathrooms and kitchens,” says Mike. “We do high-end architectural builds and then more affordable houses. The smallest house we’ve built is an 80-odd square metre house we built at Wairoa Gorge near Brightwater. The biggest is about 300sqm.” A new build at Mapua this year is the first spec house the company will carry out, which could be an area it explores further, Mike says. “If it goes well, we might add that to the other work we are doing.” The team, which works in two crews, can turn their hand to anything, he says. “We like to do different things. It keeps the skill set of the team current. It keeps them engaged.” The firm prides itself on “going the extra mile”, building beyond the minimum building code requirements. This can mean adding that larger stud, or using galvanised nails and not brights, because they will last longer and grip better. While the current market is “pretty tight”, things are looking up, he says. “I’m a little bit more optimistic this year than last year. This year we’ve seen a reasonable amount of work come through. The building industry’s very circular; it rises and it falls. Hopefully we’ve moved to the bottom of the latest drop and it’ll start coming up again.” Although there are no apprentices with the firm at this stage, Mike is always keen to take them on, seeing it as a way to contribute to the future of the industry. “We try to be mindful of the next generation of builders coming up.” Over the years, the firm has formed solid relationships with local contractors in the region that are still going strong. “There’s really good contractors (in the region) and we tend to use the same people because we’ve worked with them all for a long time and know they’ll do a good job.” ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST ADVANCED GARAGE DOOR SYSTEMS Proudly supporting Keystone Building F R E E Q U O T E S Motueka • Tasman Painting • Spray Painting • Wallpapering • Waterblasting CHRIS TOLSON 021 755 017 Email: chris@tolsondecorators.co.nz Manufacturers of: Quality Kitchens • Vanities • Custom Furniture • Timber Joinery Shop Fittings & Counters • Stairs & Pre-Hung Doors 38 Beach Rd, Richmond Phone 03 544 1789 Mobile 027 249 7551 www.prestigejoinery.net.nz KEYSTONE BUILDING
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