92 | T T Ange Davidson Shopfitting is a major part of the DLB repertoire. BUILDING Derek Lester Building Diversity key for Dunedin company Diversity is the key in keeping business buoyant for builder, Derek Lester, whose Dunedin based building company includes a team of four full time signwriters plus a team of six on the tools. Derek Lester Building (DLB) has diversified into light commercial, shopfitting, architectural new builds, renovations, and signwriting to ensure there’s always work on the go. “We have a one-stop shop. We have insulated ourselves so that when there are changes to the economy, we have work to go on with. If people aren’t building new houses, they’re building shops,” laughs Derek. “We even went to work constructing the polycarbonate ‘sneeze screens’ during Covid which helped to pay the wages.” Shopfitting is a major part of the DLB repertoire, and recent work includes the new Spotlight store in Christchurch’s Northwood. Other shopfits include Hallensteins, Glassons, Moochi, Swanndri, and Cosmic stores – work that takes the crew to locations all over New Zealand. “We deliver high end retail shop fit outs, installation and project management for some of New Zealand and Australia’s largest chains, individual proprietors, and iconic international brands. We have the experience to come up with very practical solutions to ensure projects are completed on time and within budget,” he says. Light commercial new builds include a spa and restaurants in Dunedin bring together the crew’s skill in both construction and shopfitting. Closer to home DLB were involved in the retrofit of a dental suite in Dunedin which took 10 months to complete. As project manager, Derek had around 20 sub-trades on the go and his full crew on deck. “The dental suites are a repurpose of the old Chipmunks building on Princess Street and I’m pretty pleased with how it turned out. There are heaps of glass walls and manifestations, or signwriting, on the windows which we were able to do in-house,” says Derek. “DLB Signage offers a full sign service with over 35 years’ experience in the signage industry. We manufacture all types of signage, including wide format print, cut computer generated graphics, sign fabrication, installation, traditional hand painted signs and everything in between.” Another locally based job has been the wayfinding signage for a new hall of residence at University of Otago. Renovations are a big part of the work plan as homeowners take advantage of the capital gains in home improvements. “We’re seeing a lot of people who have lived in their house for 10-20 years, their kids have left home and they’re ready to put something back into the house. There’s so little land available for new builds in Dunedin that renovations make good sense,” he says. “We believe that successful construction projects, whether they’re renovations or new builds, are built on great communication between the client, architect, sub-contractors and the builder from the initial design phase, right through to handover.” “We take pride in building, renovating and installing both residential homes and commercial properties that delight our clients, year after year. We hire only the very best multi-skilled tradesman available to ensure a high standard of workmanship is maintained throughout the entire process,” says Derek. “With over 25 years of experience, we are proud of our proven record of quality workmanship, professional project management, and great staff with a passion for perfection.” PLACEMAKERS DUNEDIN & MOSGIEL PLACEMAKERSDUNEDIN & MOSGIEL 50 BURNS ST & 34 CARNCROSS ST (03) 466 4617 PROUDLY SUPPORTING Proud to support Derek Lester Building Specialising in • PAINTING • WALLPAPERING • SPRAY PAINTING • TEXTURE COATING Talk to us today, the feature profile experts Phone: 03 983 5500 waterfordpress.co.nz PROFILE YOUR PROJECT...
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=