| 91 G.J. Gardner Homes Otago Specialising in new builds and renovations • No job too big or small David 027 371 1130 tier1builders.co.nz Tier 1 Builders Dunedin | Central Otago • Mobile Scaffolding • System Scaffolding • Shrink Wrapping • Safety Nets • Temporary Fencing • Propping M: 021 2284 051 A: 377c Kaikorai Valley Rd, Dunedin A: 19 McNulty Road, Cromwell E: sales@protrade.net.nz www.protrade.net.nz PLACEMAKERS DUNEDIN & MOSGIEL PLACEMAKERS DUNEDIN & MOSGIEL 50 Burns St & 34 Carncross St Phone: (03) 466 4617 Email: orders.dunedin@placemakers.co.nz PROUDLY SUPPORTING BUILDING T T Kim Bowden Award winner showcases company’s ability The three-bedroom, two-bathroom home was based on a G.J. Gardner plan, but altered to suit the clients. G.J. Gardner Homes Otago has been recognised with a Regional Gold at the Southern House of the Year competition for a home that showcases the flexibility of group-home building. The 187sqm Dunedin home won the New Home $500,000-$750,000 category, with the judges praising its combination of architectural form, practicality and craftsmanship. For franchise owner, Daniel Johnson, the House of the Year recognition is less about the accolade itself than the confirmation it gives customers that the team can deliver a quality home. “It’s not a ‘look at me’ – it’s that we can do a good-quality home for you,” he says. “It’s getting noticed for what our team puts into it, the hard work that everyone does, and the good standards we hold.” The three-bedroom, two-bathroom home was based on a G.J. Gardner plan, but altered to suit the clients. An expansive open-plan kitchen, dining and living area forms the centre of the home, with generous glazing and vaulted ceilings creating a sense of space and light. Dark kitchen cabinetry, timber flooring, a large island and a scullery combine practicality with a more refined finish, while large sliding doors open onto a sheltered deck. The home also includes a dedicated workshop with acoustic separation, internal-access garaging and a separate bedroom wing. The owners, who moved south from Auckland for the build, are delighted with the result, Daniel says. “They love the house. They’ve built a great house that they’re happy with.” The house also demonstrates the breadth of what the G.J. Gardner franchise can offer, Daniel says. While standard plans provide a straightforward building option, franchises can also deliver more individual and high-end homes. “People have this concept that we can’t do anything else – and we can,” he says. “We can do an architectural house as well.” Daniel says the difference comes down to the resources a bigger operation can bring to a one-off build. “Great contractors, great buying power, and trusted builders,” he says. “You know there’s not a house not finished.” Daniel has owned the franchise for four years, having previously worked as a builder. “I wasn’t a businessman when I bought the business,” he says. “I bought the business as a builder and have the knowledge of a builder.” That experience remains central to how he operates the franchise, with a builder as project manager and Daniel personally checking homes before final handover. After close to 25 years as a contractor, Daniel says his experience gives him a strong understanding of the people he now relies on to deliver projects. “I know how hard it is to be a contractor, and I know how much effort everyone goes to,” he says. “No one goes to work to do a bad job – it’s just knowing the people that can do it as well. It’s about the relationship with your subbies.” The franchise has seven staff in its office, and contracts builders for its projects. It services an area from Palmerston to close to Gore, with offices in Dunedin, Balclutha and, most recently, Mosgiel, which opened in recent months, giving the business a physical presence in an area where Daniel sees potential for growth. “The advantage of it is actually just being seen,” he says. The power of the written word. New Zealand Business News, delivered to you.
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