92 | McKain Quality Construction Proud to supply McKain Quality Construction Locally owned family business for over 70 years J.A. & G.D. Trudgeon Ltd 03 308 8432 or 0274 33 22 59 greg@trudgeonpainting.co.nz Proud to be associated with McKain Quality Construction BUILDING Keeping standards high Nick and Danielle: Renovations make up roughly 60% of the company’s work, with new builds accounting for the rest. T T Kim Bowden “We’re not a franchise or anything like that. We’re just trying to be local – locally owned, locally operated.” For Ashburton builder, Nick McKain, entering the Master Builders House of the Year competition isn’t about winning work – his company, McKain Quality Construction, has plenty on its books. The firm received a Regional Silver Award in the New Home up to $500,000 category for an 184sqm home in Hampstead, and Nick says a prime motivation for taking part is keeping his business and team sharp. “It’s not because I need all the advertising or the promotion of it,” he says. “We’ve actually found that it’s a great way of keeping your standard high and keeping your staff excited.” The judges praised the home’s combination of comfort, sophistication and value for money, highlighting its practical layout, light-filled interior and connection to a north-facing, covered outdoor area. Nick describes it as a “carefully designed spec-style home for a bloody good price”. The home was part of a subdivision McKain Quality Construction developed itself, allowing the company to manage everything from the subdivision and civil works through to landscaping and the build. “There’s no middleman. We are the middleman,” Nick says of the project. “We’ve literally done everything on it.” It is an approach the company has used before, although finding suitable land can be difficult when competing with larger developers. “We’re only a mum-and-dad builder,” Nick says. “We’re not a franchise or anything like that. We’re just trying to be local – locally owned, locally operated.” The company has 14 team members, with Nick and his partner, Danielle, working alongside 12 staff. Office administrator, Ashleigh, works with Danielle in the office, while three apprentices are currently part of the construction team. Nick says the office side of a husband-andwife building business is just as important as the work on-site. “The business doesn’t run if you don’t have it,” he says. Renovations make up roughly 60% of the company’s work, with new builds accounting for the rest. The business works across Mid Canterbury, “from the ocean to the mountains”, with farm buildings and rural properties also featuring prominently in its workload. The company is already booked through till this time next year. “It’s a great problem to have,” Nick says. Nick’s growing involvement with Master Builders is a key part of his professional life. Currently vice-president of Master Builders Mid Canterbury and set to become president in November, he sees the organisation as a practical way to stay informed and connected. He turns to Master Builders to stay on top of regulatory and planning changes, build relationships with the local council and swap ideas with other builders facing similar challenges. Through Master Builders’ regular meetings with council – held for members as a group – he gets early notice of rule changes that affect how and where his clients can build. “I have found Master Builders the best place for me to get the latest information on what’s happening and network with other builders, who have got the same problems and the same issues to help each other out,” he says. The role has also taken him beyond the tools and into governance courses and committee work.
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