104 | Signature Homes Nelson is building 34 houses for the Tākaka co-housing project, with a mix of two and three bedroom homes, either single or two-storey. COMMUNITY Tākaka Cohousing - Signature Homes Nelson Rachel Graham For the team at Signature Homes Nelson getting involved in the cohousing project in Tākaka has been a hugely rewarding experience. With the project Signature Homes is building 34 houses, with a mix of two and three bedroom homes, either single or two storey. The neighbourhood, the first of three, is now under construction in Tākaka. Shane Trench, the General Manager of Signature Homes Nelson, says knowing they are helping 34 households get into homes, all in one go, is a great feeling. He says it has also been great to see some of those people pop into the show homes in Richmond so they can a sense of the quality they will get. Shane and his team started working with the team behind the Tākaka Cohousing project midway through last year, and broke ground on the build in June of this year. He says being involved at the early stages allowed them to offer advice about the most cost-effective designs and assist with the first steps. The homes were priced up and contracts sorted just before Christmas 2021, with a fixed price guarantee. Shane says they have held their pricing even in the current difficult environment, which is a service Signature Homes is very proud of. Dominic Mold, one of Signature Homes Nelson’s New Home Consultants, has been involved in the Tākaka project from the very start. He says it has been great working with a group with a real vision for what they were creating, and who were keen to get others onboard with that vision. Part of that vision is to make thoughtful decisions about the products being used. “Through the specification process we were careful to select products that aligned with the group’s core values,” says Dominic. “To be environmentally friendly, have a low carbon footprint, and use as many local products and people as possible. Just really carefully considering the types of products. For example, the paint is eco-friendly and produced in Motueka, and we’ve got things like lighting produced in Nelson.” Dominic says Signature Homes offered advice to the cohousing trust to help them manage the budget and keep as closely aligned to their vision as possible. Shane Trench says the people behind the project have also been great to work with, including Simone Kidner, James Goodhue and the whole Tākaka Cohousing trust. He says the group also clearly appreciated steps by Signature Homes such as the Save the Trees initiative. Save the Trees is a not-for profit organisation which Signature Homes provides support for throughout the country. Save the Trees plants 44 trees for each house built by Signature Homes to offset its carbon footprint. Shane says it is a way for Signature Homes Enjoying being part of Tākaka journey to show it is a good corporate citizen and doing its bit for the environment. “This was probably the first large-scale project that allowed us to offset our carbon emissions in one fell swoop,” says Shane, “and we’re very proud of that. “It really just speaks to the efficiency of everything about this project.” Shane says they are now keen to get involved in more community housing projects and are currently in talks about other projects. “It’s been a real pleasure to be involved. It’s great to be part of a partnership, a team with a collective vision who are all rowing the waka in the same direction.” “This was probably the first large-scale project that allowed us to offset our carbon emissions in one fell swoop and we’re very proud of that. It really just speaks to the efficiency of everything about this project.” Oakleys is a proud supplier to Signature Homes Get in touch with us today and discover why the experts at Oakleys Plumbing Supplies are the preferred supplier for many of Nelson-Tasman’s most reputable building and plumbing companies.
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