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The Prestige Building Removals crew on the move on a wet Auckland night.

HE ENTHUSIASM THAT PRESTIGE BUILDING Removals staff have for their work quickly becomes evident when they reach for their phones and begin scrolling through photos of recent jobs. There are pictures of brightly lit trucks working the highways in the small hours, hi-tech trailers perched in remarkable situations and houses re-positioned with spectacular views.

The pedigree of the Hamilton-based company goes back almost 50 years. Pat “Paddy” O’Sullivan owned and ran the business for 47 years before retiring and selling to Jason Barnes.

“I bought the business three years ago. Paddy retired in his early eighties, and we kept the same name, re-branded and then started investing in state-of-the-art equipment,” says Jason.

“Paddy mainly worked locally, and we have expanded to cover pretty much all of the North Island.”

Moving houses is typically a very specialised niche of the transport industry. But PBR takes a diversified approach with Jason’s background as a property developer seeing PBR buying and selling houses while sister company Advantage Designer Homes builds new transportable homes.

And there’s also A1 Civil & Demolition – another sister company – that carries out site works while three full-time mechanics at PBR Mechanical provide workshop service for the company fleet as well as some outside customers. In total there are 28 staff working under a PBR umbrella and six more at ADH along with building sub-contractors.

PBR has grown rapidly in those three years with plans for continued expansion.

“At the moment we’re doing about 400 building moves a year, but I see that growing to about 800,” says Jason.

Jason blends his experience as a property developer with a background in the transport industry.

He gained his truck license shortly after turning 18 and worked firstly for Tulloch Transport and then Strait Freight in Christchurch. His property development ventures began on a smaller scale while he was still driving.

The purchase of PBR completes a full circle move back into the transport industry.

“It all came from being a property developer and thinking outside the square. We had sites as well as old houses and new houses, so it made sense to be able to move them ourselves as well,” says Jason.

The ADH side of the operation builds new transportable homes at Horotiu. They are suitable for first homes, baches and farm worker accommodation.

“We are trying to look after the affordable housing side and we have a lot of demand for it. I’m a property developer and we have kind of filled in the triangle – we are building, developing and transporting,” says Jason.

“It’s sort of a one-stop shop that covers all the bases. We are set up quite well.”

The removal business he bought from Pat O’Sullivan has become a key part of Jason’s overall business model.

“Paddy was going for a long time, and he obviously did a good job because the repeat business side of things is huge for us.

“I hear people say; `Paddy moved a house for us’. I get that all the time.

“I know Paddy has been watching what we’re doing. He said to me recently; `Jason, my mind wants to be involved but my body

Above: PBR’s “White Knight” is a 2020 Peterbilt 389. Below: 2008 Freightliner Columbia and 2021 Kenworth T610 SAR “Sharp N Ready” are also part of the PBR haulage fleet.

won’t let me’. He’s a very nice guy with a very good name in the industry.”

The truck fleet at PBR comprises a trio of Kenworth’s, one Peterbilt and a Freightliner Columbia and Coronado.

Two new Western Stars are on order and another rebuilt truck will soon go on the road as a heavy equipment transporter. The fleet also includes four “gear trucks” to carry jacking plant and tools to support the house hauler crews. And there are also winch tractors, smaller trucks, and utes for piloting work.

All of the big trucks are high horsepower 6x4 tractors custom equipped with the latest hardware for heavy haulage work.

“After buying a truck we spend another $100,000 on the rear end by putting the push-pull hydraulic rams on them and then adding all the lights and signs that are needed.”

Jason says the American trucks are well suited to the work.

“The Kenworth’s and Western Stars are pretty much set up for this work and for going off-road.

A pivotal part – literally – of the operation are three TRT developed and built ESS (Electronic Steering System) trailers which PBR has added to its fleet in the space of two years. With two-axle and single-axle clip-ons the trailers can then go to seven-axle configuration.

“We were the first ones in the North Island to put an ESS trailer on a couple of years ago and have the biggest fleet of ESS trailers in the country,” says Jason.

“We have three of their trailers at the moment with two new ones arriving soon and another two in December. We’ll have eight truck and trailers by the end of the year.

“We have a very good relationship with TRT. Their specialised gear enables us to do what we are doing.

“They [TRT] will come out to sites and watch the moves happen. They are always looking for further improvement. They see what we do, what we struggle with sometimes and they have refined a house trailer that is really good to use.

“They want to know from us what works and what

Jason Barnes bought Prestige Building Removals three years ago and has invested in the latest house moving equipment to expand the business.

doesn’t. They build the trailers with the very best gear, and we have had next to no downtime since we’ve been using the ESS trailers. They have been amazing.”

While no modern transport business is simple, building removals is especially complex as it involves permits, builders, and many other specialised services as well as the equipment and piloting expertise to complete the move.

“We set the system up in stages. We start with an architect on plans and foundations and then look at the methodology of the move we are doing. Some are two-piece moves or three-piece moves and roof drops,” says Jason

He says building removal is a field requiring a lot of specialised knowledge and equipment. And the logistics to make sure the expensive equipment is being used to its fullest.

“You need to be able to make it all come together. Sometimes we have four buildings a night going out.

“That’s where the planning comes in so you are using your gear to the fullest and your logistics side is completely planned and the guys know what they are doing.

“This industry changes a lot but we have enough jobs in the system to be flexible and change things with our workload. We can swap and change if needed and we run really efficiently with the day crews getting the houses prepped up in the air during the day before the moving crew goes off and drives at night.

“Whenever we look at new equipment it’s about being specialised. If we were going to invest in something it needed to be specialised and suit what we are doing.

“The ESS trailers are a huge opportunity for us going forward. We have been able to move bigger buildings and get into places that others couldn’t get into because of the steering and the ability to manoeuvre them.

“Making that investment has been huge for Prestige. It has opened doors for us.”

The high-spec trucks in a clean white livery and the sophisticated trailers are a big part of PBRs public profile.

“Even though they are mostly moving at night people call us and say; `We saw your guys lifting a house or loading and they start to talk about a job.’

“People are intrigued about the trailers. When they see a building on them it creates a lot of interest.”

In another interesting truck project PBR transformed an Isuzu fire truck imported from Japan into an all-purpose “gear truck”

“We converted it to take all the jacking plant for lifting houses and all the tools. It’s got a Hiab on the back, it can be a pilot truck for the rear, and having been a fire truck it’s got an inbuilt water blaster if we need to wash down the roads. We created something that is a one stop shop.

“You also try to be versatile with our gear and get the most out of it.”

About 70% of PBRs work involves relocating older and new houses with the remainder being a mix of commercial buildings and classroom shifts.

PBR has a close working relationship with BuiltSmart Transportable Buildings and provides the transport for new iwi and Kainga Ora housing and the Ministry of Education classrooms being constructed at BuiltSmart’s Huntly base.

On the residential side, Jason says the issues affecting the real estate market and building industry pressures have boosted demand for house removals.

“It’s got busier,” says Jason.

“With new builds taking so long and materials going up in price we are finding more people investing in old houses. Getting one done up can be a faster process and it can be a lot of fun as well if you have that forward vision to create something quite cool.

“And on the eco side we are recycling. Rather than demolishing houses we are re-homing them. And most of those houses are

native timber and they don’t make houses like that anymore.

“People are doing up some of the old state houses and they look amazing now.”

Jason says moving a home can be an emotional experience, and not just for the owners.

“You are moving lives. For some people it’s their whole investment.

“It can be a bit daunting and sometimes it’s hard to say to people `we’re going to cut your house in half,’ because they can get a bit freaked out.

“We have to say `don’t stress, we are going to put it back together’.

“If they have been cut in the right place they go back together and once the house is down and the chippies have been there for a couple of days, all of a sudden, it’s back to normal.”

Jason says his staff also get excited about turning clients’ dreams into reality and says there’s a lot of satisfaction in planning and executing a move.

“There is pride in the skills involved with getting a house from A to B and for them seeing a completed job knowing `hey we did that’.

“We have clients who buy an old house, do it up and send us photos because they are so excited.

“Some jobs don’t all go perfect trust me. Things happen, but it’s about how you deal with that and make it right.”

“Winter is our worst time. We have to work twice as hard in

PBR at work moving new relocatable buildings from the SmartBuilt facility at Huntly.

winter because we are getting stuck and winching the whole time. We have it all against us in winter.”

Jason says the chance to preserve history is also a source of satisfaction.

“The preservation side of things is also important – moving older homes and buildings and giving them another life. A bit like the big church we moved out of London St [Hamilton] and took to Te Kowhai and turned it into a café.

“We were saving history. It’s given Te Kowhai a bit of a landmark and we brought the church back into its natural environment, which was surrounded by residential housing rather than a big city.”

In another recent move a well-known 116-year-old heritage building at Tamahere known as ‘The Monastery’ was shifted 800-metres in one piece using two Kenworth T 610 SARs and winching tractors to a new site where it will be restored.

Jason says PBRs capabilities are built on its people and its equipment.

“I believe your company is only as good as your staff. So, we invest a lot in our staff and give them the best tools to get the job

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“There are no complaints about the tools we have at Prestige. They are working with some of the best gear in the industry.”

Jason believes hiring the right people is about attitude as much as experience.

“We spend a lot of time talking with them [applicants] to make sure they are the right person. We want to know about them. Personality is a big thing and what their goals are going forward in life.

“It’s what they can do to help us and what we can do to help them. We give ongoing training, we put them through to get a truck license and do the over- height and forklift courses.

“We invest money into people who want to learn. The policy is `we will invest the money into you, but if you leave within a year or two, you have to pay it back’.

“We have good systems and good people which makes a good working environment. It’s important. Everyone has bad days and you’ll get that anywhere you go. It’s how you deal with it.”

A good example is a recent house relocation to Tauranga. After positioning the house there seemed to be no way to get the truck

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Left: Shane Tukaki is enjoying his move into driving house removal trucks. Above: Hayley Hatcher runs the PBR office in Hamilton. Opposite page: Luke Joyce (left) drives “Sharp N Ready” and his father Rangi (right) is PBRs Field Manager bringing 27 years of house moving experience to the company.

and trailer off the property.

“When we got told about the positioning of the house we thought it would be back in and go around. The front of the house was facing the road and there was a big block wall above the road and we couldn’t get the trailer out.

“I told our team to think outside the square and work out how to go over the wall.

“They got a digger, mounded some dirt up to build this thing and were able to run one truck onto another. They rode straight over the top of the wall and onto the other trailer.”

“The video actually made it onto the Top Gear magazine website. With specialised gear and thinking outside the square you can do that.

“I was very proud of them. The client was over the moon and the whole street was out watching the whole thing.”

Playing a key role in the PBR operation is house moving veteran Rangi Joyce. Rangi’s title is Field Manager and he’s referred to by Jason “as my main man.”

Rangi is PBR’s frontline trouble shooter when it comes to planning moves and he also plays a key role in training with nearly 30 years of house moving experience to pass along to newer staff.

“I go out to check out the sites, measure houses and look around onsite and offsite to see if anything like trees need to be removed,” Rangi says.

“We are looking to isolate problems so they’re not there when we put houses on site.

“I survey the entries and whatever else makes it easier to get a house off site and on to a new site at the other end.

“I’ve also got to make sure the permits are in place; we’ve got the right pilots and enough people onboard to do the job. It’s a team effort.”

Rangi worked with Craig Walker at Kumeu for nearly 25 years and joined PBR following a short stint at Forde Brothers.

“I’ve been here for two and a half years, but I’ve been moving houses for 27 years,” says Rangi.

“Every job is different. It’s not a boring job. There’s always something new.”

Rangi says it’s exciting to be working with modern high horsepower trucks and the latest technology.

“The innovation on the trailers these days is just outstanding. With the rams and the remote controls, you can make them dance. They are unreal.

“The trailers have grown a lot. In the old days you had threeaxle castor steers and these days we have four-axle ESS trailers with two- or three-axle clips-ons that can make a seven-axle hydraulic trailer. It’s a lot more stable and responsive.”

Rangi says there’s no substitute for experience in building removals.

“I’ve learned my way of doing things from the seven different house moving bosses I’ve had down the years,” he says.

“No job is ever the same and there’s always a challenge in it.”

Rangi’s love for building removals has passed to his son Luke who drives PBR’s newest truck. The high-spec Kenworth T610 carries the name “Sharp N Ready” but its registration plate `BGMAHI’ is a clear indication of its job description.

Rangi couldn’t see himself in a more routine trucking role.

“I love house moving. It’s been in my system for a long time and with the modern trucks and trailers and all the lights there’s nothing like towing a house down the highway. It’s pretty amazing.”

PBR driver Shane Tukaki is working at BuiltSmart in Huntly when NZ T&D catches up with him. He’s checking out new relocatables and later that night he’s moving a house from PBRs Horotiu storage yard to Te Awamutu.

It takes horsepower and the latest trailers to re-position a house with a spectacular outlook.

Earlier this year the PBR crew had to think outside the square to get their truck and trailer off a tricky site in Tauranga.

Shane followed his father into truck driving and has a 36-year driving career, but house moving is a new role after joining PBR about two years ago.

“I worked for Tony Galbraith doing freight and then for Alexander’s and Calven Bonney driving tankers,” says Shane.

“After I first started here I thought; ‘what the hell have I let myself in for’. But now I love it.

“It’s challenging and each job is a bit different but you’re always using the same gear and the same procedures.

“And every job has a lot of work behind the scenes. The other night we were moving a house into a no-exit street in Rotorua and we had to knock on every door at 10.30pm to ask people to move the cars parked in the street.”

Oversize driving is still something that Shane is getting used too.

“The pilots still have to remind me sometimes to drive down the middle of the road rather than between the lines. I’m still used to driving between the lines.”

Shane says most motorists are understanding of any delays they may encounter when a house is being moved.

Malcolm Whitehead-Clarke looks after compliance, Health & Safety and new builds for Prestige Building Removals.

“Nine out of 10 people are really good on the road when they see the pilots. There’s always the odd one who wants to play chicken with you.”

Jason introduces two more staff when we return to the PBR office in River Rd. The company moved to the location in early 2020 and being very close to the busy Fairfield Bridge Jason says a lot of people know where they PBR is located because of the amount of time they are stuck in traffic on River Rd.

Hayley Hatcher runs the office admin and is likely to be face that greets anyone calling at the PBR office. Jason describes her as “an all-rounder who makes things happen.”

“She’s been with me a long time and she knows all aspects of the business. I couldn’t do without her,” he says

Hayley says she likes the variety of her roles.

“I do accounts and payroll and I also look after the marketing, website and Facebook which I really enjoy,” says Hayley.

Also at the office during our visit is Malcolm Whitehead-Clarke. He runs the Health & Safety, fleet management and compliance aspects of the PBR operation.

“Every job has its challenges,” says Malcolm.

“We have to find the solutions to make it happen. If we don’t plan it right here [the office] then it becomes a headache out there.

“My role is Health & Safety and compliance. I also order the new gear and keep check on the new builds. And anything that goes wrong out the road comes back to me.

“I’m hands on when it comes to ordering new gear and I do site visits whenever I need too. At the moment we are giving an older truck a full refurb and makeover ready to go on the road to transport heavy machinery.”

Malcolm has been in the transport industry his whole working life but is relatively new to the removals game.

“I’ve been here two years and I love it. I do some driving and piloting.

“It’s a solutions game. People come to us with all sorts of ideas and sometimes it’s too much. But nine times out of 10 we’ll find a solution for them.”

Building removal involves planning as well as the ability to solve the unexpected problems. Jason doesn’t only rely on his staff and modern equipment to get the jobs done.

“Having really good pilots is very important. They know the roads and they know the widths and heights we can go under.

“We work with Michaela at All-Sized Piloting and with `Boof’ from AB Piloting who are very experienced pilots. They are a big part of our business because they get us where we need to go.”

Going places figures prominently in the future of PBR with new trucks and trailers, new job vacancies and more work on the horizon.

“There will be more people and more gear is getting built,” says Jason.

“As we are growing, our systems have to stay caught up with us because a lot of people grow a business but their systems aren’t there to support it. That’s where a lot of problems can happen.

“We are investing a lot of time into systems that work.”

Along with seeing the business grow, Jason hopes there will still be time to enjoy the hands-on challenges of building removal.

“I still like to jump in a truck, and I probably get to do it once a month. The guys seem to enjoy seeing me do it,” he says. T&D

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