86 | T T Hugh de Lacy Professional rugby to successful builder “We’ve built our reputation on delivering quality builds on challenging projects,” says Scott Cowan. Scott Cowan Building BUILDING A professional rugby career set Scott Cowan up to become a successful Queenstown builder, thanks to a team manager who urged him to take up a carpentry apprenticeship after selection for the Otago B team made rugby a promising option. Scott went on to play half-back for Otago’s top team, then for the professional side the Highlanders for three years, topping it all off with stints playing in Italy for the Vianana club, then in Siberia, Russia. Scott completed his apprenticeship with Dunedin company Dean Wooltorton Building, and on his return to Queenstown in 2017, he started up his own business with good mate Scott Yardley, who then went on to form his own company, Yardley Building Ltd. But it’s as Scott Cowan Building that Scott Cowan runs his own business building houses and apartments in Queenstown, where the buoyant market has him with work booked out two years in advance. Scott Cowan Building has a staff of eight, and Scott found the best way to develop a team of qualified builders was to bring on apprentices, of whom he presently employs three, while three other staff have completed their time and are staying with the company. About 80% of Scott’s work is in Queenstown with the rest in Alexandra, and the company generally completes two or three houses a year. Sites carrying Scott Cowan Building’s houses include the big sub-divisions of Jacks Point, Shotover Country and Hanley Farm, while work is about to start on an upmarket architectural house of four bedrooms and attached self-contained flat in Kent Street, Queenstown, worth between $3m and $4m. “It’s on a 372m2 section and it’s a tricky complex to build, but we’ve built our reputation on delivering quality builds on challenging projects,” says Scott, who personally oversees every build. Getting into building was a natural development for Scott whose father, Paddy Cowan, was also a carpenter, and Scott spent much of his youth out on his dad’s building projects. Born and raised in Mataura, near Gore, Scott boarded at Otago Boys High School where he soaked up that rugby-mad institution’s coaching that opened the doors to professional sport for him. Though his own company is booked up with work well in advance, Scott says he has noted a softening in the Otago building market for both houses and apartments, but there’s still plenty of work to be had, and the return of rising house prices is likely to take up any slack in the market over the next year or two. The crazy level of demand of a year or more ago has settled down, and the materials shortages that were the bane of the Covid pandemic aftermath have since disappeared, Scott says. Scott Cowan Builders is a member of the Master Builders Association, and Scott’s a licensed building practitioner who keeps the accent on quality and client satisfaction. Scott’s passion for rugby has been undiminished by the years, and two of his staff are following in his builder-cum-rugby-player footsteps. Toi Roberts-Matson is Queenstown born and raised and plays his rugby for the Wakatipu club, while Welsh-born Chris Thomas came to New Zealand on a rugby scholarship before settling here with his partner. Needless to say, Scott Cown Building staff take a keen interest in the fortunes of their local teams. Andrews Electrical Jeff: 0274 339 989 Jordan: 0273 080 506 Email: jeffer@xtra.co.nz • New homes & renovations • Dairy sheds - new & servicing • Smart houses • Monitoring systems • 24 hour professional service PLACEMAKERS QUEENSTOWN PROUDLY SUPPORTING SCOTT COWAN BUILDING PLACEMAKERS QUEENSTOWN | 1 GLENDA DRIVE, QUEENSTOWN (03) 450 9000
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