Builders & Contractors Magazine, Issue #111

Issue #111 - 2018

SAFETY IN DESIGN Building

The New Zealand Safety Council’s mission to keep the industry accident free

what we need How to build the housing we require

THE NEW NATIONAL BRICK AND BLOCKLAYERS ASSOCIATION

Future-proofing the building industry

Tackling invisible building costs

STEEL STANDARDS UP FOR REVIEW

group CONSTRUCTION

DEMOLITION

WA S T E

SPECIALISTS IN DEMOLITION, CONSTRUCTION & WASTE REMOVAL • • • • •

DEMOLITION - RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION - RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL ASBESTOS REMOVAL WASTE REMOVAL (SKIP BINS) CONCRETE CUTTING & CRUSHING

Operating for over 20 years in the Waikato & Central North Island

Ph 07 849 9997 E info@ap-group.co.nz www.ap-group.co.nz 2 | B&C - Issue #111

www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

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5 reasons to do the training The PAL card is valid for three years The PAL card is internationally recognised The PAL card meets all “Best Practice” & “Worksafe” requirements ELearning option available for the theory component.

On completion participants receive a PAL card, log book and an operator handbook

Taking franchising to new heights!

Exciting new franchise options available throughout the North Island franchises@accessman.co.nz www.accessman.co.nz

! w o N Act www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

Issue #111 - B&C | 3

Contents, Issue #111 - 2018 Page: 14

Page: 64

Page: 19

Contents

Welcome

- publisher's note No matter how secure a sector, company or contract may seem, there is always an element of risk – that is the nature of business.

While avoiding any and all risk is near on impossible, you can mitigate it by gaining knowledge to apply to your processes.

And this issue of Builders & Contractors can help you do just that. Inside are articles on tackling invisible building costs, the seven biggest cashflow mistakes tradies make, managing a small construction site, solving problems with bespoke engineering, and how the new national brick and blocklayers association is helping its members.

Throughout the magazine, features provide insights into successful companies and organisations, and the people working in them.

As always, we thank all our columnists for their expertise, along with the views, opinions and predictions of all those who contributed, to help you manage the risks your face each and every day.

5:

Ford’s Ranger Raptor is one stylish workhorse

6:

The 7 biggest cashflow mistakes tradies make

8:

Monier’s latest high-tech roofing product

10: Can you avoid liability for your

company’s debts by going into liquidation?

11:

Events diary – find out what’s on near you

12: Marcus Beveridge and Tina

Hwang discuss builders’ disclosure obligations for residential contracts

12: Minister for Building and

Construction, Hon Jenny Salesa, talks about future-proofing the building industry

13: Should you try ‘DIY’ recruitment,

or pay an agency?

14: Embracing innovation at the

Commercial Project Awards

14: Fewer tradies are being killed

or seriously injured at work

15: How to build the kind of

housing we want and need

Builders and Contractors, a national trade newspaper targeted directly at New Zealand's building and construction industry.

For some time we were aware that, although the building and related trades were generally covered individually by some trade journals, there was no amalgamated news link for trades as a whole, especially on a nationwide basis.

Published Quarterly/Nationwide Distribution

Readers: Construction/building industry

leaders and decision makers: government & trade organisations, site safe members, business owners and professionals in the industry.

Nationwide Distribution: Mailed directly to a carefully maintained list of decision makers and subscribers for 25 years.

FREE distribution maximises readership 4 | B&C - Issue #111

This void has been successfully filled by Builders & Contractors. Distribution is by way of various outlets: PlaceMakers, Mitre 10, Builders Hardware, I.T.M., Carters, Site Safe Members, Home Ideas Centre, timber companies, hire companies, together with our database direct mail drop to architects, draughting professionals, consulting engineers, building consultants, designers and local Councils. By these means we aim to reach one of the most powerful buying groups in the industry.

15: Construction starts on New

50: Practice makes perfect - managing

Zealand’s highest residential building

16: Tackling invisible building costs 16: Searching for NZ’s top

carpentry apprentice

17: Construction sector productivity

is being compromised by delay and uncertainty

19: The Frame and Truss

Manufacturers’ Association national conference beckons

24: How Capital Precut delivers its

competitive edge

26: Jones and Sandford Joinery

look to deliver continuous improvement

31: The many reasons why

you should make use of Master Plumbers

34: The DCC building services

team’s mission to build a world-class small city

42: Safety in design 44: Project management at Pace

a small construction site

55: Keeping the capital asbestos-free 56: Green Way’s innovative

deconstruction solutions

58: Nikau Group’s proven ability to

remove hazardous materials

60: Established systems prove

a winning formula for Paul Smith Earthmoving

64: Steel standards are up for review 67: Concrete NZ seeks a closer

partnership with the Government

70: The new national brick and

blocklayers association

72: Dr Troy Coyle joins HERA as

its CEO

74: Improving indoor air

quality control

78: Solving problems with

bespoke engineering

79: Misco Joinery’s dream

kitchen formula

Does your company have any exciting projects or products you would like to feature in an upcoming edition of Builders & Contractors?

Please contact us to discuss: Editorial/Production: Angela Barltrop 120 Maces Road, Bromley Christchurch 8062 PO Box 19607, Woolston, Christchurch, 8241 Phone: (03) 376 5120 Email: production@markat.co.nz

Sales Manager: Stewart Smith

120 Maces Road, Bromley Christchurch 8062 PO Box 19607, Woolston, Christchurch, 8241 Cell: 027 222 1736 Email: stewart@markat.co.nz

Disclaimer This publication is provided on the basis that The Job Agency T|A Markat is not responsible for the results of any actions taken on the basis of information in these articles, nor for any error or omission from these articles and that the firm is not hereby engaged in rendering advice or services. A-Mark Publishing expressly disclaim all and any liability and responsibility to any person in respect of anything and of the consequences of anything done, or omitted to be done, by any such a person in reliance, whether wholly or partially upon the whole or any part of the contents of this publication. Advertising feature articles are classified as advertising content and as such, information contained in them is subject to the Advertising Standards Authority Codes of Practice. Contents Copyright 2017 by A-Mark Publishing (NZ) Ltd. All rights reserved. No article or advertisement may be reproduced without written permission.

www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

Tradies' Toys

FORD RANGER

RAPTOR

Ford has unleashed the first-ever Ranger Raptor – an off-road pickup loaded with toughness and performance.

The exterior color palate offerings include Lightning Blue, Race Red, Shadow Black, Frozen White, and Conquer Grey.

Contrasting Dyno Grey accents helps to accentuate the vehicle’s look even further.

Hailing the Raptor as its first "performance ute for NZ" the extreme version of the Ranger has been designed off-road performance in mind.

Providing an abundance of space, the 1,560mm x 1,743mm tray has been designed with the weekend explorer in mind, while the 2,500kg towing capacity also accounts for dirt bikes or jet-skis, as well as traditional work needs during the week.

Powered by a two litre twin-turbo diesel that makes 157kW/500Nm, the Raptor is larger than a standard Ranger in every dimension.

The vehicle is noticeably bigger from every angle, standing at an impressive 1,873mm tall, 2,180mm wide and 5,398mm long, with wider front and rear tracks at 1,710mm. Ground clearance is increased to 283mm, while the approach angle of 32.5°, ramp over angle of 24°, and departure angle of 24° are all designed to deliver superior off-road ability.

But it’s the Ranger chassis that has been significantly toughened for the Raptor, incorporating new geometry for larger suspension that allows greater wheel travel.

Magnesium paddle shifters give manual control over the 10-speed automatic transmission, and an ingenious Terrain Management System (TMS) offers six modes for various driving experiences, which can be selected via a dedicated five-button switch located on the steering wheel.

Inside, the Raptor offers harmonious colours and durable materials suitable for both off-road driving and everyday use.

The seats are specially designed for off-road high speed performance support, allowing the driver to engage in enthusiastic handling, while also providing superior on-road comfort.

The Raptor will go on sale later this year at $84,990, which is $15,350 more than the current flagship of the Ranger lineup, the Wildtrak.

At the front, a new grille takes styling cues from the world’s first factory-built high performance off road truck, the F-150 Raptor.

A frame mounted front-bumper system is designed to offer desert durability performance and a distinctive presence.

The front bumper also includes new LED fog lamps with functional air-curtain ducts, which help to reduce air resistance of the body.

The distinctive flared fenders are required for the long travel suspension and oversized tires. www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

Issue #111 - B&C | 5

News

The 7 biggest cashflow mistakes tradies make

By Daniel Fitzpatrick

It’s a familiar story and it goes Mistake 2 like this: Not billing everything out on time, or at all A few people haven’t paid you or you’ve had a couple of slow months.

Your bank account is looking empty and you still need to pay staff and suppliers.

Often, especially on complex jobs, bills are sent out months later. Or some details are forgotten, so not everything is billed. Or worse, the job is not billed out at all.

Things are getting stressful; the heat is starting to rise and the business is feeling a little out of control.

Make sure you have a good system for your team to record all details including extras (materials and labour) on the job.

It’s bothering you to the point you’re waking up in the middle of the night with your mind racing. Worried if there will be enough money to pay everyone this week. Then you have trouble getting back to sleep again — now you’re tired — it’s going to be a long day.

Then make sure you invoice everything on completion.

Thing is, every tradie business goes through cashflow problems at some point.

It’s part of being in business.

But if the situation keeps coming up often, then it’s a sure sign cashflow management is a weakness in your business that needs fixing.

Having coached a lot of trades businesses with cashflow problems, I see many of them making the same mistakes. These top seven mistakes are the ones which cause the most damage and stress. Not necessarily in this order.

Mistake 1 Letting clients pay you when they want, instead of when they should Giving too much credit for too long can be dangerous and is one of the biggest downfalls for trades.

Many have gone broke because their biggest client didn’t pay them. Or at the very least, have been sweating it out with strangled cashflow at the end of the month looking for enough to pay bills and the bank, while waiting for overdue amounts to come in.

How much have you lost in money and time through late payers and bad debts?

The fix is to set expectations right up front with clients, have strict credit terms, take deposits at the beginning of jobs, progress payments on big jobs, and be prepared to stop work if the account is not paid on time.

Only when you are paid can you say the money is yours.

6 | B&C - Issue #111

Pay special attention to cashflow when your trade business is growing. If you aren’t getting paid all you’re due, you are going to feel the squeeze. And it’s not going to be pleasant.

Mistake 3 Not allowing enough margin in your jobs It doesn’t matter how big your jobs or sales are - if you’re not making enough money to cover all your costs, overheads and profit on top, you won’t ever have the cashflow you need.

This is all about quoting the job with good margins at the start. And then controlling it.

So there is healthy profit at the end of each job.

Mistake 4 Not understanding what is yours I call this your cash position which is simply what you would have left if all your receivables were collected and all suppliers, wages, credit cards, bank, and taxes were paid.

Is there some money left? Or will you have to chip in the difference from your back pocket?

Unless you have a positive cash position (money after everyone is paid), you won’t have good cashflow. It’s math.

Also, you want to be improving this figure over time, so check this calculation at the end of every month to make sure you’re on the right side of things.

Mistake 5 Surprise tax bills you didn’t see coming

the IRD. You have to pay it all back and that’s stressful.

If you are caught short? Don’t bury your head in the sand. Phone the IRD and make an arrangement. If you don’t, the penalties and interest charges are brutal.

Yes, I have seen some businesses who left it too long. The extra costs were almost as much as the original amount!

Mistake 6 No cash buffer Construction is cyclical. In other words, it has highs and lows. In the good times, it’s important to be putting cash away for when times are not so good. If you have been around a while you’ll have already been through this cycle a number of times. It’s all part of the fun.

Have enough in the bank to cover your overheads for a few months if things get tight. But the bigger buffer you can accumulate, the better.

Mistake 7 No planning Many tradies wing cashflow and it gets them into trouble.

Completing a budget and cashflow to know what money you need to pay to who and when is essential to running a good business.

It’s an easy template which I give all my clients. It only takes 15 minutes.

Make sure you keep in touch with your accountant and know what is due and when.

Then put the money aside in a separate account early so it's there when you need it.

Think of it like this. If you are in the middle of the road and a bus is about to hit you and you only have one second to react, this means you have big problems. But what if you have a whole 10 seconds? Way more options - you can wave it down, move to the side, or simply get the heck out of the way.

Remember it's not your money. So if you spend it, you’ll have problems with

Same with cashflow in your business. If you have time and you can see what’s going to

Unexpected tax bills (due now) will kill cashflow dead, believe me!

www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

Daniel Fitzpatrick. happen, you have a greater level of control of the situation.

Poor cashflow is actually the main reason businesses fail.

So be proactive.

If you need a hand with your business and cashflow, book a time with me and let’s chat about how I can help. http://nextleveltradie. youcanbook.me/.

Daniel Fitzpatrick Next Level Tradie www.nextleveltradie.co.nz

Tilt panel prop specialists Shisham pioneered the square push-pull props... call them tilt panel braces, props, push pulls, whatever you like. Since 1977, over 80,000 Shisham push-pull props have proven themselves in the field. During that time, panels and loads have grown as architects and builders continued to push the frontiers in tilt slab construction.

You'll find Shisham has improved the prop designs, expanded the range, and adapted their approach to meet every challenge faced.

Reassuringly, many things have stayed the same, simply because they were right in the first place, and they're still right today. Things like our trademark reinforced 16mm steel foot are often copied, but never bettered.

And the prop is still square instead of round, because kilo for kilo, square is safer than round.

How do we know this? Shisham has the only purpose-built prop testing rig capable of testing units up to 16m in length until destruction. All Shisham's components are continuously batch tested under a quality control programme, and as an additional check, component testing is run by accredited NATA laboratories. The end result?

With Shisham, you've got a product proven nationally and continuously over many years.

with delivery of the props to your site with all consumables required. Need a crane? No problem – we can organise that too! It really is the complete propping package.

To ensure we cover every propping project's needs, Totalsite also stocks the traditional heavy duty builders prop ranging in size from 1.0m through to 4.8m extended, used traditionally in vertical and horizontal shoring and propping. Totalsite’s galvanised prop can also be modified to be used as a lightweight panel prop by fitting 2 swivel feet and another locking nut. Parts are also available.

Leading features of the square-shaped props include being smaller, lighter and easier to use than a round-shaped one. They're also more stable and stackable which makes transportation in between sites easier. Heavy duty swivel foot with detailed adjustment.

Lifetime warranty. Galvanised. All genuine parts available. Each prop is individually certified, and the versatility and strength of these props are proving popular within the construction industry in New Zealand.

Totalsite Supplies stocks a range of Shisham props from the Mini Trench 1.0m – 1.7m (35kN – 25kn) which is the smallest in the

range, right up to the huge Hercules prop 6.5m – 11.0m (100kN – 35kN) designed to suit the new frontier in high load applications. With the Hercules, you have a more versatile and cost efficient way of erecting panels than ever before. No more wasted labour bolting soldiers together!

Totalsite Supplies is the only supplier of the Shisham props in New Zealand. We can supply the entire package with their large range of parts and accessories from shims, panel sealants, burke bars, anchors, brackets and backing rods. Our service can include propping plans for your next project along

Supplying

Panel Props

Huge Range of Props for Every Application

Prop Consumables Propping Plans Technical Advice Hiab Delivery to Site Buy & Hire Options

Need a lightweight prop specifically designed for temporary support in lightweight walls and formwork? Then look no further than our very own ‘Chippy Stick’. This lightweight prop is specifically designed for temporary support in lightweight walls and formwork in the building and construction industry. Made from Duragal steel, these props are corrosion resistant, trustworthy and easy to use. The swivel feet and height adjustment make them easy to position and fix into place.

Totalsite Supplies really is the one stop shop, not just for propping, but also a large range of other construction and height safety equipment, temporary fencing and much more. With branches in Christchurch, Timaru and a warehouse in Auckland, we are well positioned to ship directly to your site quickly. Whether you want to purchase or hire we can offer great advice to help you get that next propping job done on time and on budget.

Free On-site Technical Advice

Freephone

0508 88 5656 Dean 021 228 5282 www.totalsitesupplies.co.nz

www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

Issue #111 - B&C | 7

The change is Elemental A new and innovative roofing product from Monier sets a new standard in high-tech materials for the discerning buyer wanting the very best.

Monier (monier.co.nz) is bringing significant change to the roofing market with Elemental, its revolutionary new premium product.

This remarkable new roofing system is made from composite materials developed from the aeronautical and automotive industries – where lightweight, strong, durable products are paramount.

A recent article in Builders & Contractors Spring 2017 edition, from RANZ CEO Graham Moor, highlighted the worrying trend that, “We’re having products coming into the roofing market that don’t have a standard attached, or there isn’t a standard available for some of these products, and that’s a problem for the consumer, ultimately”.

He says RANZ’s concerns regarding this issue is not about being anti-imports, or anti-competition, it’s about being able to ensure that anything used in the New Zealand market is fit for purpose and people know that a product can perform in a New Zealand environment.

No such concerns exist for Monier consumers, as the Elemental series of products have gone through rigorous testing to achieve CodeMark (30073) certification for the NZ market. This seal of approval gives the New Zealand building industry confidence in specifying Elemental without having to ask themselves, ‘Will this product perform?’ in our often harsh environment where corrosion and environmental considerations are top of mind.

Elemental tiles have been created to not only be extremely strong but also aesthetically beautiful. The slimline look and flat profiles have contributed to them being specified in many high-quality building projects.

Monier NZ’s general manager, Mark Winnard, says he is excited about the launch of such an

8 | B&C - Issue #111

innovative new product, in an industry that has historically been very conservative. He says it shows the depth of skill in Monier’s research and development team and the willingness of the company to push the boundaries in terms of new products in the strive for excellence.

“It’s an amazing product,” Mark says. “It looks like traditional slate, but is much more robust underfoot and being lightweight makes it an easier product for installers to handle."

With a contemporary aesthetic in mind, Elemental provides the perfect low-pitched roofing tile solution (designed for pitches as low as 10 degrees). It comes with a 30year performance guarantee and has been independently tested by the CSIRO to AS 4046 standards in addition to being certified

by Codemark (30073) for peace of mind.

Don’t be deceived by its good looks, the Elemental series is tough.

for highly corrosive zones where many metal based roofs rust.

Winnard says he can see Elemental will be popular in the NZ market because it can be specified for use in our toughest geographic areas (and that includes all coastal lines and places like Rotorua with geothermal activity). He says that discerning industry professionals will immediately appreciate Elemental’s attraction.

The composite material will not corrode, is dent resistant, has built-in long-lasting UV colour coating to retain its integrity and durability, and its unique fixing system ensures high performance in high wind zones.

Suitable for both residential and commercial applications, Elemental has been developed to withstand all elements, including hail, heat, salt and storms. It’s the perfect choice

Elemental tiles come in a range of sizes: • Elemental Slate (326mm x 300mm) • Elemental Square (750mm x 750mm) • Elemental Shingle (450mm x 350mm) • And the new Ultra Panel (1500mm x 750mm).

The innovative Ultra Panel is the largest tile that Monier has ever made, and will push the boundaries for designers wishing to push the envelope past products currently available on the market.

www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

Elemental - Shingle.

Strong and beautiful – the way of the future brought to you by Monier Roofing.

For more information visit www.monier.co.nz.

30073

STRONG & DURABLE: THE NEW ELEMENTAL™ SERIES

MIDNIGHT

Introducing Monier’s Elemental™ series; An innovative range of lightweight roofing products.

Elemental™ is a premium and durable product that won’t rust, is dent resistant and can be customised to suit any Kiwi home. It’s perfect for both modern and classic roofs with a pitch as low as 10°* and boasts durability with a 30 Year Performance Guarantee and is CodeMark certified. Elemental is available in a range of six contemporary, made to order colours.

STRONG STREAMLINED LIGHTWEIGHT 10

LOW PITCH

*Slate can reach a pitch as low as 15° with Underlay

To request your sample of Elemental™ visit monier.co.nz or call 0800 666 437

www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

Issue #111 - B&C | 9

News

Liquidation is no easy option

By Geoff Hardy, Auckland commercial lawyer

When the Government appointed Messrs Hunn, Bond & Kernohan to enquire into the causes of the leaky building syndrome in 2002 (they were called “The Overview Group on Weathertightness”), they took it upon themselves to investigate and report on all the failings of the construction industry in New Zealand.

In their otherwise excellent report (issued in two parts on 31 August and 31 October, 2002) they offered the following comments: “It is understood that [the Companies Act] offers little… protection to a homebuilder/buyer consumer in the event of the vendor company… being put into voluntary liquidation by the directors.

“There is currently nothing to stop the unscrupulous… builder from liquidating their company… to avoid claims and action from dissatisfied purchasers.”

Since then I have lost count of the number of times I have heard a Minister of Building and Construction express disgust at the ease at which a builder can simply wind up his company and escape liability to his creditors while setting up business under a new company the very next day.

It is a very popular misconception and it is frequently parroted by the news media. So entrenched is the belief that this strategy will work, that accountants routinely advise their builder clients to put their companies into liquidation as a means of “cleaning the slate” and unsurprisingly, many builders take that advice.

The only problem with that theory, is that it is a complete fallacy.

Since the early 1990s our courts have consistently ruled that the people who run companies can be equally as liable as the companies themselves, for wrongful acts and omissions committed in the course of the company’s business activities.

Homes Resolution Service (“WHRS”) against a number of respondents, including a small building company, it is virtually automatic that the owner/operator of that company is joined as a respondent as well.

In WHRS Claim no. 734 known as ‘Heng v Walshaw’, adjudicator Green, when issuing his decision on 30 January 2008, went so far as to say (at paragraph 297) “In the case of a one man building company it will be an almost insuperable hurdle for a director to avoid personal liability for defective work”.

Why does the fallacy persist, if that is the case? One reason is that directors and officers of large companies (as distinct from small-medium enterprises) do tend to escape liability when their company goes under.

That is because personal liability usually stems from the director or officer being actively involved on site, either on the tools, or in a supervisory capacity.

Geoff Hardy, Auckland commercial lawyer.

The courts talk of the person being “in control” or “personally assuming responsibility”. In a large development or a large construction company, the senior people tend to be more remote from the action, and they delegate to project managers or site supervisors. Ironically, that means the big guys tend to get off the hook while the little guys don’t. And it is the large, spectacular failures like Mainzeal that attract all the publicity.

so it can’t do anything without some human being doing it for it. When that person volunteers to be the action man/woman for the company, I imagine it would the last thing on their mind that they are offering to expose all their personal assets to risk, in the course of simply doing the company’s business. And yet the courts routinely find that they did.

Our law on personal liability lacks clear guidelines on when you will or won’t be personally liable. The courts come up with all

"

I have lost count of the number of times I have heard a Minister of Building and Construction express disgust at the ease at which a builder can simply wind up his company and escape liability to his creditors while setting up business under a new company the very next day.

"

A limited liability company does protect shareholders from having to contribute more money if the company can no longer pay its debts, but it does not protect the directors and senior managers from liability if the company does something wrong and they were responsible.

sorts of justifications for it, but in reality they tend to find senior people personally liable in situations where they and the company are effectively one and the same, and the creditor the insolvent company owes the money to, deserves a lot of sympathy.

The principle is best illustrated in the context of leaky home claims. When a homeowner is bringing a claim in the Weathertight

It is pretty tough on the small business proprietor, because after all, a company is a fictional entity that you can’t touch or feel,

10 | B&C - Issue #111

www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

Outside of the leaky home context, putting a company into liquidation may sometimes be an effective ploy simply because it creates an obstacle that the creditors can’t be bothered trying to overcome. It’s not an obstacle in a WHRS case because that is a low-cost, informal system where the personal liability of an owner/operator is simply assumed.

In the courts or in an arbitration, however, the creditor would have to spend a lot of money in the hope of persuading the Judge or Arbitrator that the case law points to personal liability on the facts of their particular case. Nevertheless, when their only other option is to pursue a defunct company, they will be more motivated to do so.

Liquidation isn’t exactly a cure-all either.

No matter how friendly the liquidator may appear to be, they have a duty to the creditors to bring in as much money as they can. That means that if you want to take the business assets like the vehicles, the tools, the plant and equipment, office furniture and appliances, computer hardware and software, etc. and put them into your new

company, then you will need to pay a fair price for them.

You also need to be wary of the liquidator’s powers to claw back benefits that you extracted out of the company at an undervalue, in the years leading up to the liquidation. And if the company can’t pay all its debts, you might find yourself facing an action for breach of your director’s duties, and you might struggle to get credit terms from your building materials supplier for a while.

Finally, you need to know that if your company was insolvent, our phoenix trading laws limit your ability to trade under the same business name in the future, and you might ultimately be banned from being a company director if you leave too many failed companies in your wake.

So tread carefully, before regarding liquidation as the easy option.

Geoff Hardy has 42 years’ experience as a commercial lawyer and is a partner in the Auckland firm Martelli McKegg. He guarantees personal attention to new clients at competitive rates. His phone number is (09) 379 0700, fax (09) 309 4112, and e-mail geoff@martellimckegg.co.nz. This article is not intended to be relied upon as legal advice.

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NZIQS CONFERENCE 2018 THE BUILDING OFFICIALS INSTITUTE OF NZ’S ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND EXPO 2018 13-16 MAY, THE DUNEDIN CENTRE, DUNEDIN The Building Officials Institute of New Zealand's Annual Conference and Expo is a must attend event for anyone interested in building controls. This three-day event will provide a comprehensive environment that will expand your knowledge and deliver valuable networking opportunities that will help shape your professional development. www.boinz.org.nz/Site/annual-events/

EMERGING TALENT NETWORK: INNOVATION, TECHNOLOGY & OPTIMISING CITIES 23 MAY, SPARK CITY CONFERENCE CENTRE, AUCKLAND Infrastructure New Zealand, together with TUANZ and their Future Leaders Network, are delighted to invite you to join the Emerging Talent Network for a discussion with industry leaders Richard Menzies (Uber) and Robert Berrill (Spark). This collaborative event, to be held during Tech Week, will showcase technological innovations and demonstrate how these developments are going to optimise our cities.

13-15 JUNE, THE DUNEDIN CENTRE, DUNEDIN The theme this year, ‘Building a New Heritage’, sets the tone for exploring the latest construction and services technologies which are helping to build a sustainable heritage for the future, whilst celebrating modern methods of re-purposing our existing historical buildings to allow them to stand as equals beside the new. www.buildersbase.co.nz/event/nziqs2018-conference/

NZ CONSTRUCTION & CIVIL INDUSTRIES SUMMIT 20-21 JUNE, ELLERSLIE EVENTS CENTRE, AUCKLAND Addressing the impact of the construction boom and bringing industry experts together to find the opportunities to maximise efficiency and enhance collaboration and excellence in the civil industries, to drive the future of construction in New Zealand, the summit will focus on key issues such as feeding the labour pipeline for future construction workers, industry solutions through innovation and collaboration, and how to increase efficiency within the sector. www.conferenz.co.nz/events/nz-constructioncivil-industries-summit

www.infrastructure.org.nz/event-2896248

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4-5 JULY ASB SHOWGROUNDS, AUCKLAND

23-24 MAY, ANZ VIADUCT EVENTS CENTRE, AUCKLAND

The largest event dedicated to workplace health and safety in New Zealand, this free trade exhibition includes a comprehensive seminar and workshop series. The 2018 event will also provide the opportunity to gain crucial certifications on site at the show, to assist with HSWA compliance. Specialist companies, government authorities and associations from throughout New Zealand come together in one place to showcase their products and services, to give you advice and help solve your businesses safety problems and offer solutions.

This year's theme is ‘10 Years Strong’ to celebrate the fact FMANZ has been going from strength to strength for a decade. Targeted at facility managers of every career stage, with a rich programme of over 25 speakers and panellists, all respected leaders in their fields, practical seminars, a gala awards dinner, a trade expo and an informal day of socialising and site visits, FM Summit 2018 promises to be bigger and better than ever. www.fmanz.org/Events/FM+SUMMIT+ 2018.html

$ 3990

+GST

Scaffold tower with fully adjustable levels 12m long, 0.8m wide and a reach height of 7m. Worksafe Compliant.

Metal walkboards not included.

www.safetyshow.co.nz

BUILDNZ|DESIGNEX 2018

NZCB CONFERENCE 2018

4-5 JULY, ASB SHOWGROUNDS, AUCKLAND

24-26 MAY, ROTORUA ENERGY EVENTS CENTRE, GOVERNMENT GARDENS, ROTORUA The 2018 NZCB Conference, held in conjunction with the Association of Wall and Ceiling Industries, celebrates 20 years of raising standards with an action-packed programme.

There will be keynote speakers, 70 trade specific exhibitors, 12 educational workshops, 2 better half sessions (for the ladies), 2 evening functions, and the opportunity to receive up to 12 Skills Maintenance points for attending.

New Zealand’s leading trade show for the design, construction and build industries, the buildnz|designex exhibition will house inspiring products and innovations to keep you up to date with the latest in building and design. This year, the theme ‘Delivering on KiwiBuild’ will attract an industry panel including government ministers Hon Phil Twyford and Hon Jenny Salesa. The panel will discuss the challenges of delivering 100,000 affordable and high-quality homes over 10 years, with 50 percent of them in Auckland.

www.nzcb.nz/conference/

www.buildnz.com

0800 GOSCAFFOLD (0800 467 223) info@goscaffolding.co.nz

www.goscaffolding.co.nz www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

Issue #111 - B&C | 11

Viewpoints

What information should you Future-proofing the building request from your builder? industry through innovation, change and collaboration

By Marcus Beveridge and Tina Hwang

Did you know that sections 362D, 362F, and 362G of the Building Act 2004 (“the Act”) and the Building (Residential Consumer Rights and Remedies) Regulations 2014 (“the Regulation”) prescribes certain disclosure obligations on builders for residential contracts?

By the Minister for Building and Construction, Hon Jenny Salesa

As Minister for Building and Construction, my job is to ensure New Zealand has an efficient building regulatory system that encourages innovation, while ensuring buildings are safe, healthy and durable.

Builders who provide building work for more than $30,000 (including GST) must provide certain prescribed information to the owner before a residential building contract is entered into, which must be in writing.

The Regulations provide three different schedules. The First Schedule provides the Prescribed Disclosure Information that a Contractor must provide to an owner. The Second Schedule contains the Prescribed Checklist and the Third Schedule sets out the Implied Terms.

A builder who breaches these requirements can be fined up to $2,000 and a builder who knowingly provides false or misleading information can be fined up to $20,000.

Standard contracts, such as those by the Registered Master Builders Association, contains an express checklist to document whether the “Disclosure Information” has been provided and received. However, in practice we see many owners ticking and signing this without understanding the implications.

Prescribed Disclosure Information The first disclosure requirement is for the builder to deliver information about the builder (full legal name, legal entity, date the partnership/company was established, contact address, contact number, and email).

Detailed information about the key contact person must be provided including their qualifications and licensed building practitioner number. Details of insurance policies and information on guarantees and warranties must also be provided.

Unfortunately, we see many builders breach these mandatory obligations.

Prescribed Checklist The prescribed checklist concentrates on ensuring the owner is informed, there is agreement on project structure and management, the builder is to hire competent building contractors, there is agreement on price and payment terms, there is a written contract, the owner knows how to “take control” and a disputes resolution process.

The pro-forma checklist under the Regulations contains detailed information about each step which is considered important. We urge owners to actually read and take note of these steps.

Implied Terms Schedule 3 provides implied terms into all building agreements. This includes a clause around building consents and the fundamental obligation of the builder to follow the building consent and Building Code (also pursuant to section 14E of the Act), and how conditional consents are to be treated.

12 | B&C - Issue #111

My priorities are to support the wider transformation of the construction industry and help enable KiwiBuild.

Tina Hwang and Marcus Beveridge.

The builder is said to be responsible for obtaining the Code Compliance Certificate and there is a default clause around variations, payments (payable 20 working days), the engagement of subcontractors, dispute resolutions, and notice provisions.

We do not believe that 20 working days for payment is feasible in any residential contract where payment claims are often payable within 3-5 working days, if not before.

Interestingly, the default disputes resolution clause is quite passive as it requires “best efforts” for “good faith negotiations” as a start, and failing that within 10 working days, mediation. There are no further clauses around adjudication, arbitration, or Court.

The Notice provisions recognise that notices can be sent “by hand or sent by fax, email or post to a contact address that has been provided by the relevant party”. One must we wary that posted correspondence is only deemed to have been received three working days after posting, while personal delivery is effective immediately.

Fax is accepted to have been received upon production of the transmission report, but emails are to be used with caution. This is because emails are only deemed to have be delivered when the email is sent and the sender does not receive an error report and the sender receives a confirmation that the email has been delivered (including automated delivery receipts).

However automated delivery receipts can only work if the other side consents, so if you send an email and the other side does not consent to an automated delivery response (or you did not set this up), or the recipient does not reply, it is not deemed to have been received.

This can become very critical when sending payment plans, payment schedules, variations, or suspension notices.

Whether you are a builder or owner in a residential construction contract, you must be aware of these fundamental obligations/ entitlements.

The above should not be taken as legal advice. If you have any queries regarding construction contracts, please feel free to contact Tina Hwang or Marcus Beveridge of Queen City Law.

www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

There are four essential parts to the building system and my work programme has a focus on each of them: people, processes, products and building performance requirements. All four elements need to work together for the system to work.

Both the current building regulatory system and the construction sector itself have challenges. My work programme is designed to reform the system, which currently operates under a complex regulatory and compliance regime and is struggling to meet labour demands.

To meet the challenge of KiwiBuild, the traditional building model needs to be disrupted and reformed. We need a flexible industry that supports innovation and new ways of doing things. We need options that include large scale manufacture and a focus on medium density housing.

Although there are challenges, there are also opportunities to improve our building regulatory system and future-proof it to better meet our housing needs.

People Construction methods and processes are evolving with the adoption of new technologies, new products and innovative building methods.

As Minister for Building and Construction my number one priority is addressing the shortage of skilled construction workers. Our current predicted workforce shortfall is based on traditional construction methods and traditional business models. However, we know that methods such as off-site construction will have a big impact on how we build and the skills that are needed to build.

I have established a Ministerial Group on the Construction Workforce to ensure we develop the construction workforce that New Zealand needs currently and also for the future.

We are developing a Skills Strategy and Action Plan that will shortly go to Cabinet. I am seeking Cabinet’s agreement in principle so that I can consult with the sector about our vision and plan. Government alone cannot address the skills gap – sector ownership and participation is essential for us to succeed.

Performance The Building Code system is performancebased – it states how buildings should perform, rather than exactly how they should be built.

This allows flexibility for innovation.

However, I know that demonstrating Code compliance can be difficult in practice, and the

Hon Jenny Salesa, Minister for Building and Construction.

system is not easy to access and understand.

This can lead to an over-reliance on traditional, established methods or designs, and on established consenting processes.

The system needs clear compliance pathways for a wide range of housing types, and to better reflect the role medium-density housing, offsite and potentially offshore construction will play in New Zealand’s urban future.

Processes Building consenting processes are a key way the system can support KiwiBuild. We need to incentivise everyone involved in the building process to carry out work effectively and efficiently.

I will be looking at opportunities to improve consenting consistency and efficiency across regions. We also want to assist with and normalise the increasingly important role that medium-density housing and off-site construction will play in New Zealand’s urban future.

I am also looking at the allocation of risk and liability in the building process and considering how to ensure this doesn’t increase compliance costs, decrease productivity and stifle innovation.

MBIE will explore options for rebalancing risk and liability so parties take appropriate responsibility for their work, councils are not driven to be over-cautious and are more open to innovation, and consumers are protected if things go wrong.

Products I will be reviewing New Zealand’s building product regulation and assurance systems. We need to think about the full range from product design, manufacture and supply, through to specifying products for use in building work, and their installation and maintenance. Product supply chains are national and international, as are the stakeholders that MBIE needs to engage with in the review.

This work is at an early stage and includes consideration of roles and responsibilities and options for taking a risk-based approach, rather than the current voluntary model, obligations on product manufacturers and suppliers, enforcement powers and information flow. The review is expected to take about 18 months.

Collaboration This is an exciting time for New Zealand’s building and construction sector. The industry’s future will be shaped by innovation and change, which will help grow sector productivity.

Viewpoints

Recruitment: DIY vs using a recruitment agency

Big construction, big profit or big losers

By Amanda Chase

By Kean Mitchell

So how do you know if you should try ‘DIY’ recruitment or if you should bite the bullet and pay an agency?

Generally the most expensive or largest projects tend to be infrastructure projects.

The companies in the market that can deliver these types of projects are generally the larger companies, and up until recently you would consider infrastructure projects would be the “riskier” types of projects in New Zealand; as we know the varied ground conditions we have make it far more difficult to build than in some other countries. The ‘maga structures’ tunnels and bridges and the like being good examples. This seems to be untrue if reports on Fletchers Building and Interiors' business demise are believed, as this is where they have suffered the major losses and are taking on no new work.

This article will explore the most common failures in self-recruiting, what the benefits are of using a recruitment agency and if you do use an agency; what some of the issues are when dealing with them, how to best deal with these issues and a brief cost analysis of such a process.

Recruitment is a vital part of any business, it is when you acquire human power to produce the outcome that keeps your business alive.

It is so important to get this process right as it can consume a lot of time (which in the business world means money), plus actual costs involved with advertising and training.

So, much like when a builder ‘measures twice and cuts once’, recruitment must be done efficiently and effectively to ensure the people you hire are what your business needs and are aligned with your business’ values and ambitions.

When you hire the right people, they will succeed, and they will help your business succeed.

Amanda Chase, HR consultant at Building Recruitment.

• Some recruiters only focused on meeting their KPI’s • Poor interview process • Getting caught in the small print in contracts and resumes sent to you (you may be agreeing to things you were not aware of).

Some of the most common failures in selfrecruiting include:

There are some questions you can ask the recruiter to help facilitate some of these issues, such as:

• Poorly written adverts not attracting enough or the right candidates

1. What is your industry knowledge and experience in placing such roles?

• Selection process being rushed due to pressure to get the position filled

2. What is your success ratio going past their guarantee period?

• Poor interview process

3. Have you met the candidate?

• Poor reference checks

4. Explain your selection process and give examples of questions you will be asking during the interview process?

• No pre-employment checks • Lack of proper documentation.

Not including the time managers must spend away from the business.

Some of the benefits of using an agency include: • Managers being able to work on the business while the recruitment process is taking place in the background and deal with more vital matters, especially if you are under staffed • Ability to tap into a local/national/ international network of candidates • More focused campaigns to attract the right people • Professional and law-abiding job adverts • Not filtering through international/irrelevant resumes • More focused screening and interview process • Potential for a faster and more successful placement • After placement care.

There are also some issues that arise when dealing with agencies such as: • Candidates not knowing their resume is being sent • No industry experience • Recruiters not understanding your needs as a business • Unsolicited resumes being sent

5. What questions do you ask in your reference checks?

6. You can also ask the candidate that is going through the process with the agency, to tell you about the process that has lead him or her to this point.

Some of the costs associated with selfrecruiting include: • Delays in finding someone may result in lost revenue and production • Managers becoming distracted while searching for staff • Fatigue on other workers having to work harder while you look for staff which may mean higher risk of injury and losing staff because of the additional workload they are encountering • This is not even considering the costs associated with hiring the wrong person and the costs that may have on your business.

There is a cost for recruitment no matter which way you look at it. Cost of good hire and bad hire, cost of doing it yourself or through an agency. Recruitment fees can be expensive but with the right partnership they are no different to medical/legal/accountancy costs.

Partnering with the right agency can be an asset to your business.

If you would like assistance with recruitment (temp or perm), or HR services, please contact Building Recruitment on 0800 EMPLOY or visit our website www.buildingrecruitment.co.nz.

So why then does it seem that the building companies have had the hardest time of what has seemed to be a great time in the market?

Generally this can be cashflow, and the cost of growing a business to do new work. The cost of winning work is particularly high for larger building projects, and in response to many contractual disputes that are coming to the fore, I would suggest that the contracting of risk is the area we could look at most. Contracting the risk down the line on the face of it is positive, but this as per present times, can have its failures.

The risk transfer process in contracting is not always fair, and companies do take on risk and it does not always go well. The fact that risk management generally is a shared process for client and contractor and can be managed better in a shared risk environment is not always adopted.

Fair does not come into it here, but what is the result?

Fletchers it seems is getting out of vertical construction, as Downer did 15 years ago.

Mainzeal was away five years ago, and Hawkins sold to Downer and already the infrastructure division of Hawkins is branded Downer Infrastructure – and watch this space for the building team, who knows?

It seems the building sector is under increasing pressure financially, and as we all know it is very expensive to build in New Zealand. Too expensive for many projects to be feasible.

We seem to have all these building companies failing are we doing something wrong and what does the future hold? Crystal ball please!

Who are the contractors that will be able to put a 10 percent bond down to do a $400m project in New Zealand? Not many local ones, but the ones that are left will partner up I would suggest, which can only be a good thing for the market.

If our largest building companies historically don’t really manage risk well on the large-scale projects' and the quality of the design is poor (if the builder can build well, but the products used are rubbish, that is a design issue, not a building issue), companies go out of business.

So what chance do we have when the smaller $50-100m projects are being executed, and are we less likely to manage risk in the $10-50m range too?

Many companies have encountered the ‘one in ten’ loser, i.e. nine projects make a profit, but one project makes a loss that erodes all the good work; but this is only in the context of the contractor.

Kean Mitchell, director, Cuesko www.cuesko.co.nz

This is not the only issue to improve as before as our productivity is low, our cost is high, we don’t manage risk well, and as we all hear daily the quality of what we are building is not very good either.

So, we have to consider a successful project is both positive for the client and the contractor.

If so, why do clients try to pass all the risk to a contractor whom in many situations is not able to manage it, and the cost of managing it may be prohibitive for all involved?

If it is profit for a construction company that is positive the same can be said for a developer.

For example, it may still be a failure for the client if the cost was too high and turned out that it was not feasible and became a failure overall….but a great positive for the contractor. So, if we need both why do we not balance the risk and both mange it?

The same old procurement approaches from the government and councils and the same old rhetoric about value for money, is not successful if the project is a failure for all involved.

I think it starts at the top; rules need to change, competition is healthy when you have competitors, you only have winners if you have losers, and there are no good losers in construction, and we really can’t afford anymore losers.

And here is the kicker…

Generally successful projects are only achieved with team effort, with all or most of the contributing companies working together for the successful outcome. You would on the face of it think New Zealand would have the best team culture around, considering the pedigree and the successful teams that have global success.

I can say too in the New Zealand construction industry, I rarely see “team culture” in a project delivery sense and yes New Zealand is failing at building, we are all losers at the moment. Clients are getting poor quality, contractors are not making any money, and we have a lot of building work to be done!

There are many possible solutions here but it seems it needs to start at the top.

Client education and the procurement and contracting approach needs to get a shake up.

So what makes a successful project, which must include managing risk successfully? www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

Issue #111 - B&C | 13

News

Embracing building innovation The 2018 New Zealand Commercial Project Awards have received record entries this year, with many embracing the collaborative and innovative technologies required to transform our construction industry.

The prestigious awards, run by the Registered Master Builders Association (RMBA), set the benchmark for commercial construction in New Zealand. The 2018 winners will be announced at a national gala event on May 18 at Skycity in Auckland.

“These awards give us the opportunity to recognise the whole of the team involved in these projects and to celebrate and share the innovation that is happening across the sector,” says Registered Master Builders'chief executive, David Kelly.

“Globally and here in New Zealand, the construction industry is seen as being slow to innovate and embrace new technologies, but these awards show there are many projects which are bucking this trend and looking for new ways to collaborate and innovate.

“Nearly half (43 percent) of this year’s entries have worked to de-risk the construction process by ensuring contractors are engaged and involved early in the process. Early collaboration between client, contractor and consultants are key for these complex projects.

“A quarter of this year’s projects used Building Information Modelling (BIM). This collaboration and management software is

becoming more prevalent internationally and we are pleased to see it also being used here in New Zealand.”

This year’s entries are also embracing new technologies and products. Over a quarter (26 percent) used 3D printing, 38 percent utilised pre-fabrication, and 23 percent used smart materials.

“As an industry we need to discuss and share our learnings and innovations more. That is a key focus for the Commercial Project Awards,” David says.

“The extremely high calibre of entries we have received this year reflect the scale and diversity of commercial building work being done across the country. The entrants are examples we can look to as an industry to demonstrate some of the amazing innovations taking place to meet the demands of construction growth and seismic strength.”

The 87 entrants include the refurbishment of Speights Brewery in Dunedin, the transformation of a 1926 Methodist Theological College in Auckland to suit the needs of the Church of Scientology, the building of a state of the art plant and food research facility for Port Nelson, and the

creation of a “dream” milking facility in Waipapa, Northland.

The Awards recognise and celebrate the contribution of the professionals that work on commercial building projects – big and small – from architects and engineers to project managers and quantity surveyors.

The whole project team is vital when it comes to building the quality environments where we all live, work, and play.

The 2018 categories include: Heritage/ Restoration Project, Retail Project, Civic Project, Construction Marketing Services Education Project, Industrial Project, Commercial Project, the PlaceMakers Tourism and Leisure Project, the Altus Health Project, the Winstone Wallboards Residential Project, and the Commercial Fit Out Project.

There are also four value-based awards, with categories ranging from projects under $2

million, through to over $15 million – and the potential for a Special Award for any outstanding project worthy of recognition.

The highest accolade of the Awards – the Platinum Award – is given to an entrant who has won five or more national titles. This can only be awarded to an organisation once.

“Last year’s Supreme Award winner, The Remarkables Base Building in Queenstown, entered by Arrow International (NZ) Limited, was an impressive display of collaboration and teamwork across the entire project team that made the high standard of workmanship in such extreme climatic conditions, from high winds to snow, possible.”

The New Zealand Commercial Project Awards are sponsored by PlaceMakers, Altus, GIB, Allied Concrete, Construction Marketing Services and Carters.

Construction gets safer Fewer tradies are being killed or seriously injured at work.

The Towards 2020 report into New Zealand’s workplace death and injury rates shows the fatality rate in the construction industry has more than halved since 2011, and is now lower than the national rate.

Of the five sectors tracked by government health and safety watchdog WorkSafe, construction recorded the lowest fatality rate in 2016.

Site Safe chief executive Alison Molloy says the results reflected the industry’s ongoing commitment to improving health and safety.

“It’s heartening to see all the hard work by New Zealand businesses, workers, industry organisations and government paying off.

“In 2011, for every 100,000 workers, an average of almost seven construction workers were being killed each year. By 2016, that number was at just under two workers.”

The work-related fatality rate for construction in 2016 was 1.9 per 100,000 fulltime workers, compared to the national average of 2.1.

The report found serious injury rates in the industry are also improving, with rates steadily declining since 2013.

Ms Molloy says the improvement shows behaviours across the industry are starting to change, with many businesses and workers no longer tolerating the old “she’ll be right” attitude.

14 | B&C - Issue #111

“Employers – both big and small – and workers on the ground are really standing up and taking responsibility for health and safety.

“Site Safe is proud to be contributing to that change, and proud to be helping our industry as it continues to improve.

“However, there is still more work to be done and we can’t afford to be complacent – two deaths is still two too many.”

Site Safe backs apprenticeship programme In a bid to support hundreds of young apprentices, Site Safe is offering training providers discounted health and safety courses as part of the nationwide Skills Week initiative.

Skills Week, a one-week work readiness course developed by the Skills Organisation,

www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

is the first block course of a specialist trades apprenticeship and includes training on employment skills, first aid, basic trade calculations and health and safety.

Site Safe chief executive Alison Molloy says understanding the benefits of health and safety is essential for any apprentice.

“Site Safe is pleased to be joining others around the country who are doing their bit to improve the labour shortage, boost skills across the industry and provide young people with great career paths.

“Site Safe has been encouraging young people into the industry by offering student discounts on training for many years now, and we’re excited to be able to ramp this up

by extending this opportunity to even more organisations this year.

“Completing Site Safe’s ‘Foundation Passport – Building Construction’ in the first block course of their apprenticeship helps these plumbing, gas fitting, drain laying, electrical, roofing and scaffolding apprentices to learn the skills they need to stay safe on site at the very earliest opportunity.”

Di Lithgow, head of engagement at Skills Organisation, says Skills Week is designed to set the foundation for a successful apprenticeship. “Our hands-on approach gives apprentices the knowledge to thrive in their chosen workplace. It also ensures they meet the requirements of the Trainee Limited Certificate.”

News

Building what we need If New Zealand is ever to produce enough affordable housing to meet the needs of low and middle income earners, such as service workers, teachers and nurses, it must take action using positive planning and investment.

The National Science Challenge research, Building Better Homes Towns and Cities (BBHTC) - involving Professor Laurence Murphy in Auckland and Dr Bev James in Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty — shows that the Special Housing Areas legislation introduced in 2013 shows little evidence of having stimulated additional housing production and generated even less affordable housing.

With the agreement of the Minister of Housing and local councils, Special Housing Areas (SHAs) have been established in some areas with very high housing costs.

for example, were being developed prior to being listed as a SHA. Professor Murphy’s research found that “while 35,000 consents were issued for SHAs in Auckland, during this time, only a couple of thousand buildings were actually built. Our research shows speeding up the planning didn’t actually turn into more houses immediately.”

A similar situation was discovered by Dr James in Tauranga with the 15 SHAs in the Western Bay of Plenty region not meeting a wide range of housing needs, including a rapidly growing retired population and a shortage of affordable rentals.

Dr James’ research also reveals that the SHA legislation avoids defining what an affordable house actually is and does not require that affordable housing is produced.

BBHTC research is now exploring how SHAs can be made more effective through interviews with developers and looking at latest practice.

Similarly, Hobsonville is producing family houses that are mostly too expensive for low to middle income earners to afford.

They allow developers to cut through existing planning regulations and were supposed to encourage the release of land by reducing consenting costs.

However, relatively few houses have been built in developments that were not already on the way. Some areas such as Hobsonville,

Relying on simply building more houses is not an effective pathway to generating affordable housing.

Vertical housing

“When it’s complete in 2021, Seascape Apartments will not only be the highest residential building in New Zealand but will also set a new standard for luxury living,” says Harrison Shao, general manager of Shundi Customs.

When complete, the 52-storey Seascape Apartments will only be exceeded in height by the Sky Tower, and transform the Auckland skyline.

At 187 metres, the visually striking building will be 15 metres higher than the current Vero Building and nine metres higher than the proposed Pacifica apartment building in the CBD. Seascape Apartments, along with two existing adjacent buildings on Customs Street East, is a development by New Zealand-based property company Shundi Customs. Seascape was designed by architects Peddle Thorp, with Mott Macdonald as engineers. China Construction New Zealand is responsible for the building works.

The finished article will house 221 apartments, offering elegant inner-city accommodation to alleviate the pressure on Auckland’s strapped housing market.

The apartments will all be north-facing, with expansive sea views. The top six floors will be taken up by penthouse apartments, offering 360-degree views over the city and environs.

Special Housing Areas may provide some opportunities for increased housing supply, but Dr James has pointed out that these need to be combined with other initiatives.

“The new builds for transitional housing in Opal Drive, Papamoa East, for instance, is destined to supply 19, right-sized houses and has involved Government and community partnering with the Ministry of Social Development, Housing New Zealand and the Tauranga Community Housing Trust,” she explains.

“People think we will get affordable housing if we just build more houses,” Dr Murphy says. “But actually the houses we are building are neither affordable nor targeted to meet the needs of those middle to low income earners, who make up a significant part of our economy.”

Construction on New Zealand’s highest residential building is underway.

“To reduce their risks, developers want to keep prices high and often land bank when prices are not rising. They do not build in a falling market,” says Professor Murphy.

“Seascape will bring more residents into the heart of the city and provide them with an unprecedented level of comfort and convenience, as well as truly magnificent seascapes.”

Harrison says marketing activities for Seascape will start before the end of the year. The sales process won’t commence until halfway through construction to demonstrate a higher level of fit-out quality and provide more confidence to purchasers than selling off plans.

Programme leader Dr Kay Saville-Smith says there are other models which can be used to attract developers into building affordable housing, not simply for very poor people, but to provide for people who simply can not afford to live in the areas in which they work without some active policy.

"People who provide key services to a community are often not high income and yet are vital to the local community.

“Inclusionary requirements and incentives can ensure that communities have a balanced building stock. There is an example of that in Queenstown SHAs. buildings, enhancing structural integrity and occupant comfort.

Other site developments Seascape Apartments is one of three integrated elements Shundi Customs is developing in the 2,729m2 block bordered

by Fort Street, Gore Street and Customs Street East.

The complete Shundi Customs development project also includes the refurbishment,

“We will be exploring those practices and also whether some strategies used by developers such as covenants need to be amended if communities are to have the affordable housing they need.”

About Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities (BBHTC) is one of 11 National Science Challenges, funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Enterprise (MBIE).

BBHTC undertakes world-class research to shape New Zealand’s built environment and strengthen communities.

The Challenge develops findings that will empower public, planners and policymakers with reliable information and new tools for fresh thinking and better decisions, and is discovering new pathways to address the longstanding housing challenges of our most disadvantaged and to support Māori into healthy homes.

re-cladding, conversion and seismic strengthening of the 12-storey office building on the corner of Fort Street and Customs Street East.

This will become the boutique San He Yuan Hotel that provide integrated service to the residents as well. Work on the 4.5-star hotel will start in August this year and should be completed in tandem with Seascape Apartments in 2021.

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The lower levels of Seascape Apartments will include a leisure and fitness centre with a pool, spa and gym. The public will have free access to three floors of retail and restaurants at the base of the tower. The building will extend five levels (16m) below the surface, providing more than 200 carparks for residents.

At ground level, a laneway will link Seascape Apartments with the CBD and Britomart precinct.

The high aspirations for Seascape Apartments required top-end engineering and design solutions. For instance, to achieve unobstructed north-facing harbour views from each apartment, the tower was designed with an external structural steel frame in a visually appealing diamond pattern. Among its advanced engineering features is the first distributed viscous damping system in Australasia. This is an effective way to provide drift control in tall

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Issue #111 - B&C | 15

News

Invisible building costs The recently released Housing Stocktake Report was commissioned by the Government to support the decision makers tackling NZ’s housing crises.

The report includes a building cost measure - concluding that the cost of building an average house in Auckland is $445,000 compared to $395,000 for the rest of New Zealand.

Not only is it just more expensive to build in our largest city, the houses tend to be larger (at 230m2 vs the national average of 210m2).

Nationwide, the average build cost per m2 is $2,000 incl GST. Richard Deakin is head of Insurance Sales for CoreLogic, and property construction data is a particular area of focus for him.

Deakin cautions that the underlying data used in the report’s building cost calculation may not be entirely reliable. It is based on ‘building consents lodged for new dwellings’ data, from Statistics NZ.

This data records the total value of residential building consents and the total floor area to be constructed as reported to local councils, then collated by Statistics NZ That data is a good high-level indicator, but unfortunately not a true reflection of actual building costs, Richard says.

“The value of the building lodged in the building consent is only part of the actual cost of building a house. A number of major factors are either under-represented or not included at all.”

So what are those invisible costs then?

Richard provides a quick overview: Fees / permits The building ‘value’ noted on the consent generally doesn’t include the cost of design/ architect fees, consent fees and any other required permits. All of these directly impact the pockets of the new homeowner.

Land cost As adored as the Jetsons are to a whole generation, we still need land. The building value in the Statistics NZ measure specifically excludes land, so not only does it ignore the cost of the dirt in the first place, but also the cost of getting that dirt ready so that construction of a new home can begin.

land in hot demand, attention turns to sloping sections: which have to be cut, filled and retained. All this activity can quickly become a major part of the build cost and if done post-purchase, won’t even be captured in the cost of the land (and generally won’t be included in the reported building cost).

BRANZ levy The contract value reported on the building consent incurs Levy fees for both BRANZ (an independent and impartial building research, testing and consulting organisation) and MBIE. For this reason, it’s widely believed that the values stated on the building consent are often under-reported, to minimise the BRANZ and MBIE levies payable by the homeowner.

These can add another three percent to the cost of a house.

In Australia, the Independent Commission Against Corruption recommended in 2010 that Councils in New South Wales adopt tools to make stricter checks on reported development costs, following a number of high profile fraud cases.

Cordell, a CoreLogic company, built such a tool to support more transparent calculation and verification of reported project costs.

• Administration costs: Our urban neighbourhoods are experiencing more infill and subdivision developments. Before construction can even start, there are significant costs incurred in subdividing land into unit title or freehold sections (including the re-surveying of plans, legal fees and resource consents)

Development contributions

• Groundwork: After the legal work is sorted, the ground prep can start. But with flat-

Local councils may look to recover some of the cost incurred in providing the

new/upgraded infrastructure required by developments (such as water and stormwater upgrades, transport links, open space reserves and community facilities).

Even a modest development can easily incur $60K+ in development contributions.

Commenting on the true cost of building a home in New Zealand, Richard says, “Because of the significant variations of house types, construction materials, quality of construction and locational factors (slope of land and proximity to materials / labour), CoreLogic has used detailed construction data to create a property specific rebuild estimate tool - Cordell Sum Sure - because insurers recognise that all properties are different. We also provide detailed costing data to the construction industry.

“We are currently developing a dataset of CoreLogic Cordell Costing Data, which when complete, will provide a more comprehensive assessment of true build cost in NZ, but the reality is that there’s absolutely no such thing as an ‘average’ house.”

The building cost data provided in the Government’s Housing Stocktake Report is certainly a high level indication (and a good place to start), but it’s not a true reflection of the actual cost to build - which is likely to be far greater than reported, he says.

Those additional costs not taken into account by the report’s building cost measure suddenly become very real when you’re the one choosing whether to put yourself in a position of paying for them versus buying an existing home. At that point, they’re certainly not invisible.

Searching for NZ’s top carpentry apprentice Carpentry apprentices from across New Zealand are being called to show off their skills and compete for the coveted title of Registered Master Builders CARTERS 2018 Apprentice of the Year.

The competition comes at a crucial time as New Zealand’s building boom continues.

With the carpentry workforce expected to grow by more than 17,000 workers by 2020 (21 percent), there has never been a better time to build a career in the trades.

Registered Master Builders chief executive, David Kelly says the Apprentice of the Year competition supports the industry by showcasing the skills of its future leaders.

“Apprentice of the Year is the leading apprentice competition for the building and construction sector.

“Taking part in the competition is a fantastic way for apprentices to establish their careers in the industry. The competition participants go on to become our future leaders and we want to encourage all ambitious apprentices to take part.

16 | B&C - Issue #111

“Apprenticeships provide fantastic careers opportunities – not only do you earn as you learn, but you are also part of an industry with strong job prospects and opportunities for growth. The Apprentice of the Year competition helps young apprentices as they begin their careers and also recognises the employers who invest in young talent.

“Developing and training our workforce is a crucial part of ensuring we meet our industry’s growing needs. By investing in apprentices, employers are not only providing apprentices with career opportunities, but are future-proofing their businesses and the construction industry.”

Entries are opened for all eligible carpentry apprentices on Monday, April 9, and apprentices can be in the running to win a share of more than $100,000 in prizes, as well as the sought-after title of 2018 Registered Master Builders CARTERS Apprentice of the Year.

This year, Registered Master Builders has introduced a practical challenge at the regional competition, with apprentices also being judged on their initial entry submission. The top 10 in each region will then progress to an interview with the judging panel and an onsite visit where contestants will discuss their project.

www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

The regional winners will then go on to compete at the Apprentice of the Year national competition in Auckland in November.

Registered Master Builders have also introduced an award for employers who have had an apprentice win three regional titles. This celebrates the employers who are investing in apprentices and giving back to the industry.

2017 Apprentice of the Year, Vincent Hubbard, employed by Urban Homes, encourages others to enter the competition to see how their skills measure up against other apprentices in the industry.

“The competition gave me the opportunity to really challenge myself and made me a better apprentice by putting me to the test and motivating me to work and study harder,” he says.

CARTERS chief executive Mike Guy says his organisation is honoured to have been a part of launching the careers of skilled apprentices for over a decade.

“Apprentice of the Year reflects CARTERS’ dedication to supporting New Zealand’s apprentices through investing in training and mentoring. Attracting young talent to our industry is essential to the success of New Zealand’s booming construction sector,” he says.

“We encourage all young people, both men and women, to be a part of a sector that leaves a tangible legacy for the generations of Kiwis to come.”

Carpentry apprentices can enter the competition online at http://www.apprenticeoftheyear.co.nz/, with entries closing on Monday June 4.

The Registered Master Builders CARTERS Apprentice of the Year competition is made possible thanks to principal sponsor CARTERS, the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO), and supporting sponsor the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).

News

The price of uncertainty “Cancellation of major projects, delays in new projects coming to market and uncertainty about future transport funding are forcing the contracting sector to release skilled staff, just at the point at which the Government wants to increase the speed and scale of construction,” says Infrastructure New Zealand CEO Stephen Selwood.

“It is natural for infrastructure priorities to change with new leadership, but the scale of change in recent months, combined with high uncertainty over future transport funding, is having a particularly heavy effect on a sector under pressure from rising input costs.

“The Government’s desire to utilise private capital to facilitate infrastructure delivery is commendable, as are commitments to increase Crown capital investment from $32b to $42b over the next four years, but it’s the lack of “shovel-ready” projects which is the problem.

“Near-term cancellation of projects which the sector had anticipated getting underway shortly include the consented East-West Link, the Tauranga Northern Corridor, the Petone to Granada Link road and SH1 Cambridge to Piarere.

“Delays to the CRL and north-western busway as well as uncertainty for critical growth projects like the Mill Rd corridor in Auckland and safety projects like Otaki to Levin north of Wellington is compounding the issue.

“All up, a conservative figure of the total investment pushed out of the next four to five-year period is over $2 billion. That’s in the order of $400 million per annum taken out of the contracting sector.

“The industry cannot absorb that level of cost without rationalising staff and equipment – the same staff and equipment which we

"

These are urgent issues and if left unattended will materially impact our ability to deliver infrastructure and home construction programmes.

- Infrastructure New Zealand CEO, Stephen Selwood.

"

know are urgently needed today to deliver infrastructure for housing.

“While it is not the Government’s job to keep the construction industry busy, a committed pipeline of work is fundamental to the productivity of the sector, thereby delivering value for tax-payers," he says.

“It is vital that near-term gaps in the project pipeline are not allowed to undermine the long term health and capacity of the construction sector.

“Australian investment in transport is set to double in the next couple of years. The

big Aussie contractors will absorb all the available skills we have spent a decade building up, risking a repeat of the 2000s from which we’re still recovering.

“There are projects with consents ready to go, including Mill Rd and Penlink. These projects have very positive economic benefits and unlock land for housing. We know they are going to be delivered, they must be signed off.

“These are urgent issues and if left unattended will materially impact our ability to deliver infrastructure and home construction programmes,” he says.

www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

Issue #111 - B&C | 17

Plymasters: It’s all about the projects Plymasters has specialised in plywood, veneered boards, HPL panels and architectural linings for over a decade. The intergenerational New Zealand company has in-depth industry knowledge and an extensive network of international relationships that it leverages to benefit its clients.

Plymasters’ products are used in a wide, and growing, range of applications including marine, construction, public space, retail, high-end interiors, and bespoke furniture.

Fraser Currie, Plymasters’ sales and procurement manager, says the company enjoys working with some of New Zealand’s leading craftsmen, builders and architects to create buildings, fit-outs and hard furnishings.

“It’s very satisfying helping them on projects that create distinctive, and comfortable, working and living environments.”

He says the company always appreciates their feedback on their projects.

Durability. Practicality.

The Plymasters range is sourced from around the world, as well as from local timbers. Fraser says this ensures a ply to suit every job, preference and taste. It also includes highly specialist products like the Styllus ALS Acoustic linings, which are specified for large public spaces, auditoriums, churches and retail and receptions, and other area where acoustic control is a high priority.

Plymasters European-made Euro Gripdeck is seen right around the country, providing the finishing touch to that most Kiwi of vehicles: the ute.

Non-slip and highly durable, thanks to a Euro Birch Betula pendula core, it is available in much larger sizes than conventional plys, meaning that a deck can be made from a single sheet – improving the finish. Fraser says the Euro Gripdeck is also increasingly popular for use in scaffold systems and even high-end utility vehicles.

Another very popular product, Frasers says, is Formply. This begins at economical and goes all the way to high-strength, for a quality concrete finishing. Projects to date include everything from residential foundations to high rise buildings, and civil engineering structures such as bridges.

At Plymasters, we work hard to supply practical, quality solutions.

Euro Gripdeck

On a construction site, Formply is used on everything from residential foundations to high rise buildings and bridges. And Euro Gripdeck is the non-slip, tough stuff that you’ll find on the back of the best utes, (it’s up to 1850mm wide by 3650mm long), or on sports stadium walkways.

To find out more, talk to the Plymasters.

For more on these visit www.plymasters.co.nz.

0800 344 112

18 | B&C - Issue #111

www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

Formply

For starters there’re our European Birch Betula Pendula products including Formply and Euro Gripdeck.

|

sales@plymasters.co.nz

|

www.plymasters.co.nz

Frame & Truss

Frame and truss makers national conference beckons A major event for the Frame and Truss Manufacturers’ Association this year is a planned national two-day conference in September to discuss key issues and challenges for the industry.

While an annual meeting of the association is held each year, providing an opportunity for its membership to catch up and discuss their issues, FTMA president Alan Westwood says the conference will be broader in scope and include invited representatives from organisations in the wider construction industry, as well as ministers in the new Labour-NZ First coalition Government.

“There may also be members of FTMA Australia in attendance as we work toward some integration with our overseas friends,” Alan says.

FTMA represents the interests of merchants, suppliers and manufacturers of timber wall

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Why use timber?

• Timber allows flexibility of design, and modifications during the construction process become very easy to achieve • Builders are familiar with timber and like using it; they understand how to get the best out of it • Timber is our most sustainable raw material. It results in far less carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere than competing building products • Timber is a proven thermal insulator, it retains heat from the day and releases it at night

frames and roof trusses, the bones of a residential building.

It promotes the use of timber in wall framing and roof trusses and its corporate members include the likes of national building materials retailers Carters, ITM, Bunnings NZ, Mitre 10 Trade and PlaceMakers, and scores of manufacturing and supply businesses like Pryda and Mitek.

It will be the first national conference for a few years held by FTMA and is part of its efforts to bring greater profile and credibility to an industry which is a crucial part of any residential building, but also whose skills are not well understood or appreciated by the wider construction sector or the public.

Alan says it’s the FTMA’s job to get on the front foot and help others understand the skill and importance of what the industry

does, especially as challenges to traditional methods of house construction are gaining traction.

“There’s a lot of misinformed talk about panelisation for instance, as a method for speeding up construction.

“Some people think construction of a panelised home takes a couple of days.

But, in fact, it might take three months to build the home in a factory, but a couple of days to erect it on the building site. The last part is what the public sees.

“The aim is for our members to leave the conference more knowledgeable about their industry and impending changes than when they entered. The building industry is facing dramatic changes and we aim to help our members to prepare.”

• Timber treated with the appropriate level of preservative and properly maintained can last in service for 100 years or more • Timber is a sustainably produced and naturally renewable material, with low energy consumption during production and is known to have a low carbon footprint • Timber absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere whilst other products emit CO2 into the atmosphere.

COP overhaul The FTMA has completed a total review of its Code of Practice, which requires its members to meet high standards of workmanship and to operate with integrity.

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Issue #111 - B&C | 19

Frame & Truss it aligns with all relevant industry legislation, regulations and standards.

“If members follow the COP their businesses will benefit,” Alan says.

Alan says the comprehensive COP review should help to future-proof the industry when expected changes come to methods of residential construction and to building regulations.

The updated COP has been placed on FTMA’s website so that not only members can access it easily, but also the public.

“The executive team encourages all members to study the COP document and become familiar with its stated intentions. These are likely to be more regularly checked by third parties than they have in the past.

The document also includes a checklist for members to use in a self-auditing capacity. “

“If you are building a home and would like to know what is expected of the frame and truss sector then you can read the COP on FTMA’s website.”

Workforce development A significant focus for the FTMA executive team has been industry training and workforce skills development.

"

The aim is for our members to leave the conference more knowledgeable about their industry and impending changes than when they entered. The building industry is facing dramatic changes and we aim to help our members to prepare.

- FTMA president, Alan Westwood.

Plant audits Now that new COP exercise has been completed, FTMA is resuming individual plant audits that will be carried out by government agency AsureQuality Ltd to ensure members comply with the COP. The emphasis is on accuracy of compliance and any shortfall is reported to the FTMA’s member services officer for follow-up action.

"

Alan says the industry wants to attract more young people and show them that there are career opportunities for them. While some workers are very happy in the technical manufacturing side of the business, there are other opportunities in administration and management.

FTMA members have been encouraged to have their workers complete literacy and numeracy training courses with the

Here’s another tool you can take on-site Download our FREE app for the MiTek Fixings Guide

Learning Wave programme. This can then form the basis for these workers to complete higher level training with the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO).

(A great place to start for anyone interested in joining the industry) • New Zealand Certificate in Frame & Truss Detailing (Level 4)

FTMA has been working closely with BCITO and national qualifications for Frame & Truss Detailing are now well entrenched.

(A critical resource for the industry)

They are:

“All members are strongly urged to support this national training scheme, and it is important that we receive feedback from

• National Certificate in Frame & Truss Manufacture (Level 3)

• New Zealand Certificate in Construction Related Trades (Supervisor Level 4)

Proud gold sponsor of the Frame & Truss Manufactures association

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We’re passionate about everything we do Sustainability I Integrity I Pride I Innovation I Quality 20 | B&C - Issue #111

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For any queries please call 0800 88 22 44 or go to www.pryda.co.nz

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Frame & Truss

FRAME & TRUSS MADE EASY At Bunnings we aim to provide you with the materials you need to complete your next project from foundation to fit-out. Whether you need kitchens, roofing, plumbing, hardware or frame and truss, we’ve got you covered.

In fact, when it comes to frame & truss we offer a complete package. We supply the high quality materials you need for the pre-fabrication of wall frames, floors and roof trusses.

We have standard framing options or LVL Framing as an alternative.

LVL Framing is warp, twist and bow resistant which means every length is straighter and dimensionally stable.

• Expert advice, timely quotes and a free Quantity Surveyor service, plus onsite delivery For advice on your next project, talk to your local Bunnings Trade Team, call (09) 978 2200 or to request a quote email auckland_quotes@bunnings.co.nz

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Issue #111 21 3/22/18- B&C 10:15 |AM

Frame & Truss

About FTMA • FTMA is a non-profit industry organisation advocating for and representing the interests of merchants, suppliers and manufacturers in the wall frames and roof trusses manufacturing industry • Its mission is to be recognised as the independent voice for the timber frame and roof truss industry and to promote a skilled workforce working to best manufacturing practices • It supports members with training and development of their staff • It provides advice and information to members on industry.

The Frame and Truss Manufacturers Association 1/26 Pleasant Road Auckland 0602 www.ftma.co.nz

members on the BCITO performance,” Alan says.

FTMA are trialling with BCITO the splitting of courses into two so that qualifications in making wall framing and trusses can be done separately or as one course.

“As an industry we need to get more people into a trade if we want to meet this building

boom. The construction industry still has a serious shortage of skilled workers.”

Twenty-year anniversary This year FTMA celebrates 20 years since it was formed by a group of proactive frame and truss manufacturers to promote timber and raise the standards of the industry in

Prolam: Getting the wood on the competition Timber is one of New Zealand’s biggest industries, but none of its leading figures could be more appropriately named than John Woodman.

John is the man behind Prolam.

Headquartered in Motueka, he established the company in 2002 and has seen it grow into the leading manufacturer of laminated timber products in New Zealand with an 80 percent share of the market.

A proud South Island business, Prolam now exports around the world and is particularly popular in China and the South East Asia region.

The impressive range of Glulam products includes beams, LVL timber, posts, wood flooring, timber retaining walls and mid floors.

“This year, we’ll produce well in excess of 7000m3,” John says. “While that’s a

big number, at the end of the day it all comes down to the performance of the product and how quickly the company responds to client needs.”

Prolam is also popular for its online calculator, the Prolam Pro. When specifying beams in domestic and commercial construction, a small calculation error can cause big problems. But Prolam Pro, available on the Prolam website, automatically makes allowances for any number of building challenges with absolute precision. No wonder it’s loved by more than 1800 architects and specifiers nationwide!

From humble beginnings, Prolam has grown into a business success story of which New Zealand can be proud. But John Woodman has even more plans to keep Prolam ahead in the timber industry. “I’ll be here a while yet. And, just like day one, we’ll be aiming to exceed expectations every time.”

New Zealand. It represents the majority of the prefabricated timber framing industry here and has about 70 members.

Alan took the reins of the presidency a little over a year ago and has made it a priority to build the credibility of FTMA with government agencies so the industry is regarded as an expert and a leader in

this part of the construction sector, and is regularly consulted along with other industry bodies when government regulation changes are mooted.

The emphasis on workforce development and qualifications and the review of the COP aim to bring recognition to and respect for the frame and truss industry.

The pro in engineered structural timber.

When it comes to structural components, few can match the quality of Prolam. That’s why it’s New Zealand’s leading structural timber product.

Combine that with the company’s revolutionary online specifier, and lead times of just 2 to 5 days, and you can trust the Prolam team whenever you need engineered, pre-cambered glulam timber.

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prolamnz.com 22 | B&C - Issue #111

www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

Frame & Truss

Wet frames?

Don’t let rain cost you time and money.

Hiandri Packers have been successfully used since 2014, with most frame and truss manufacturers now installing Hiandri at the request of their customers.

Join the growing number of builders and construction companies benefiting from this product. Hiandri – the most cost-effective choice for drying out wet bottom plates and frames.

A tried and tested solution for all concrete and timber floors.

What our customers have to say about HIANDRI Packers “The winter of 2014 was the catalyst for Signature Homes Northland to begin using Hiandri packers on all of our builds.

We were building a number of homes, one of these was our showhome and as we had a firm timeline in terms of meeting an anticipated opening date we had to hire heaters and dehumidifiers at considerable cost. The Hiandri packers are a cost effective method of ensuring our homes completed on time”.

CRAIG DACKERS, SIGNATURE HOMES NORTHLAND “I recommend HIANDRI Packers to all builders especially if you have had problems with wet bottom plates. Stonewood Homes have been using HIANDRI for 3 years and they work! We spend less money putting on HIANDRI packers than we were spending on dehumidifiers and heaters. The big gain is we are not waiting weeks for frames to dry”. STEWART WILSON, GENERAL MANAGER, STONEWOOD HOMES, NORTH AUCKLAND

For more information visit us online. www.hiandri.com

www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

Issue #111 - B&C | 23

Capital Precut Solutions

Thinking timber? Think Capital Precut A family-run Masterton business who are supplying New Zealand with quality timber frames and trusses say they’re able to compete with big city suppliers, whilst also investing in their local economy.

Capital Precut Solutions Ltd has been in business since 2004. They specialise in the design and manufacture of timber frames and trusses for residential and commercial buildings.

business started from very humble beginnings; with him, his father and a couple of labourers, in a little rented shed. These days they employ 65 staff at their modern factory.

Department manager Mike Buckthought says the

“We have a full drafting division, taking plans from

TM

Capital Precut Solutions’ factory.

Capital Precut Solutions can help with: • Building design and drafting service; from concepts through to full working drawings

“Kiwi Lumber is proud to be a supplier of solid wood products to Capital Precut Solutions”

• Manufacture of timber roof trusses, joists and beams • Manufacture of timber framing • J-Frame and LVL • Site visits and site measures

Ph: 0800 22 610| www.kiwilumber.co.nz 10 Norman Avenue, Masterton

• Free quotes (when plans supplied) and estimates.

concepts right through to full working drawings. We manufacture about three average-sized houses per day in terms of frames and trusses,” he says.

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One way Capital Precut has sought to stand out from the crowd has been by providing transparent quotes for clients, ensuring there are no hidden costs.

Another way is that they build a lot of exposed trusses for people who want an architectural feature, such as a large visual timber truss with bolted stainless steel plates and visual grade timber such as macrocarpa.

“We have a builder who does it, and it’s something completely out of the park that you have to design specifically.

“We source nearly all our materials locally, getting 95 percent of our timber from

Kiwi Lumber and Juken New Zealand. For us that’s only 15 minutes up the road.

“With our 65 staff, plus the staff of Juken and Kiwi, we are pumping huge amounts of money into the local economy each year and keeping people employed and families fed; that’s what we’re about.

“We employ a lot of graduates for the drafting side of things. It’s very hard for them to get a shot elsewhere. Once they get in, they learn a lot of stuff they wouldn't at a city firm.

From there we try to retain them but if they have to go

off at any point, hopefully we’ve given them enough knowledge to earn a living for the rest of their lives.

“The provinces can produce as good a product, if not better, than the city. We’re sending jobs as far north as Kaikohe, and as far south as Southland. The really strange thing is we can be competitive in Auckland, even delivering from here.

The rent’s low and there’s a reasonable labour pool here.

People can have a pretty good life-style without the stress or the commute. It takes most of our staff less than five minutes to get to work.”

Capital Precut Solutions Ltd

12 Papawai Place Masterton 06) 370 1390 info@truss.co.nz www.truss.co.nz

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Over 50 years of Knowledge and Experience in New Zealand

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Issue #111 - B&C | 25

Jones & Sandford Joinery

For superior surfaces…

Corian® fabricators are a select group who have demonstrated exceptional skills, knowledge and superior customer service levels in the product, to meet the highest standards of premium quality. Jones and Sandford Joinery is one of very few companies that has achieved that standard in this country, in association with Evolution of Surfaces – the New Zealand distributors of Corian. For the calibre of their workmanship, Jones and Sandford received the prestigious Corian Fabrication Global Recognition Award for 2017.

How did this come about? “We had noticed that an increasing number of projects we were involved with were specifying Corian counter tops,” says managing director of Jones and Sandford Joinery, Roger Jones.

“In order to maintain control of the quality of the Corian fabrication aspect of our joinery operation, we determined that we needed to undertake this process in-house.”

"The fabricators can make the joints nearly invisible by joining the relevant pieces with Corian's own colour-matched two-part acrylic adhesive. The pieces are clamped tightly together in order to express any excess adhesive. After the adhesive dries, the area is sanded and polished to create a nearseamless joint. This seamless appearance is a signature characteristic of the material.”

Becoming Corian fabricators is no simple task. Each fabricator must be certified

by DuPont, the American company which created the material in 1967. That certification is very strict to protect the end user, the manufacturer and the distributor.

Corian’s primary use is as countertop/ benchtop surfaces and Jones and Sandford have fabricated it for a diverse range of environments – from corporate office reception areas, to Air New Zealand check in counters and in apartment complex kitchens and bathrooms.

“We set up a special fabrication workshop within our joinery factory and selected a team of four technicians to do the required extremely rigorous training. Working with Evolution of Surfaces we also developed new technology for what is called thermoforming.

Using these heat boxes, Corian can be shaped and moulded into generally limitless forms which can be used in commercial and artistic projects.”

Roger adds that Corian is a beautiful and versatile product to work with.

Seeing the benefits of fabricating Corian themselves was very much a part of Jones and Sandford Joinery’s philosophy of continuous improvement, and the operation has grown steadily since it was set up. “It has proved to be a very successful move and has definitely helped in meeting programme and delivery deadlines. And of course by doing it ourselves we know that the fabrication of Corian and its integration with the joinery components meets our high standards of quality.”

Jones & Sandford Joinery Ltd Roger Jones, Managing Director We can provide innovative solutions for your most technically challenging projects We manufacture and install to fitout projects throughout the North Island All projects are managed on site by experienced site based project managers 46 qualified trades people and management 5 full time shop drawing personal Skilled site based installers Experienced estimating team for responsive pricing enquiries We manufacture complex project works including Feature wall paneling , Corian, Commercial fitouts etc...

Daily deliveries Jones & Sandford Joinery Ltd Auckland: Melissa 027 2452924 Wellington: Pat 0274 888326 Taranaki: Factory 06 7599 251 26 | B&C - Issue #111

www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

Roger Jones, Managing Director M: 027 443 9416

Phone: 06 759 9251 www.jsnp.co.nz

Jones & Sandford Joinery

Emphasis on continuous improvement At Jones and Sandford Joinery Ltd the emphasis is on continuous improvement to deliver the best joinery service possible.

Originally part of the long-established Jones and Sandford group of joinery and construction companies, which celebrate their centenary in 2019, Jones and Sandford Joinery Ltd is dedicated solely to the manufacture and installation of joinery and associated construction components.

Meditation Hall Being Constructed.

The company is based in New Plymouth but has its main client bases in Auckland and Wellington. “It may seem odd to have our factory in Taranaki when our clients are in the main urban centres,” says managing director Roger Jones, “but it works well for us. We’re actually central and both Auckland and Wellington do rather consider New Plymouth

as one of their suburbs! As well, our permanent project managers and installation teams in both cities enable us to maintain close contact with clients there.”

A skilled, experienced team, robust systems and well-documented and observed processes are the keys to why Jones and Sandford is the preferred joinery supplier to the country’s major construction and fit-out companies. “We believe there are three essential elements for successfully completing projects. They are delivery in full, on time and to specification. We do not compromise on our high standards and rigorously review and measure our

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Issue #111 - B&C | 27

Jones & Sandford Joinery panelling for a number of corporate offices, such as the ASB and Fonterra head offices.

“Sound can be an issue in modern open-plan offices and quiet, soundproof meeting and breakout spaces are essential. That is where we came in, designing special panelling with acoustic foams and fabrics that met both the desired performance standards and budget constraints.”

At the huge Wynyard Central Apartment complex in Auckland, Jones and Sandford is responsible for the joinery in the many kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms. “The scale of these types of projects can be overwhelming. It is vital for any company thinking of taking on something of this size to know exactly what capacity it has to deliver. The first question we ask of a client who is tendering for the work is “when do you want it by?” Then our management determine whether every section of our operation has the capacity to fit the project into its work schedule to that timeframe.

Only once that is certain will we go ahead and price the project.”

performance and quality. Central to ensuring total project delivery is that we take full ownership of a job from concept right through to completion and handover.”

Since Roger Jones and his wife Catherine took over the company in 2000, Jones and Sandford Joinery has significantly increased its work throughout, but not by making its

"

journey that has transformed our business and our people. The results have been an increase in our bottom line, greater staff satisfaction and retention and of course, even greater client satisfaction.”

Utilising all their proven procedures as well as the latest technology, such as laser scanning for site measurements, Jones and

Jones and Sandford enjoys working with New Zealand timbers and manufactured the beautiful solid rimu panelling of the National Library Treaty exhibits. “We have also designed and manufactured acoustic

What is important to us is that when an architect or a client sees our work in place, their immediate reaction is, ‘Yes – that is exactly what we were looking for.

- Jones & Sandford Joinery managing director, Roger Jones.

factory bigger. Instead that increase has come about through working smarter and leaner.

“We’ve been part of the government’s ‘Lean – Continuous Improvement’ programme for the past four years. Lean manufacturing means creating more value for customers by minimising waste through improved systems and processes. It’s been a very exciting

"

Sandford has completed a diverse range of major joinery projects all over the North Island. Their work can be seen in hospitals, hotels, courthouses, police stations, prisons, restaurants, banks, retail outlets, schools and fire stations.

“We pride ourselves on our ability to provide innovative solutions for the most technically challenging of projects.

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Possibly the most challenging and unusual was the panelling for the Supreme Court in Wellington. This had to include both structural framing and decorative panelling.

Our in-house team of AutoCAD operators spent seven months preparing the shop drawings for this project. The finished panelling is quite simply stunning.”

What lies ahead for this highly organised and motivated company? “We are passionate about what we do and we will continue to strive to improve our people, our processes and our product. As part of our strategic programme we are taking on an extra manager in Auckland to service our clients there and to ensure that all our work is overseen to the highest standard. What is important to us is that when an architect or a client sees our work in Jones and place, their Sandford Joinery Ltd 285 St Aubyn Street immediate New Plymouth reaction is, 06 759 9251 ‘Yes – that is www.jsnp.co.nz exactly what we were looking for’.”

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Issue #111 - B&C | 29

| B&C - Issue 30 Untitled-2 #111 1

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Master Plumbers

Quality plumbers for any project Master Plumbers is a national membership organisation representing around 70 percent of all registered plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers in New Zealand. Its members play a vital role within the construction sector.

compliance, employment contracts, staff supervision and training, as well as equipment servicing and maintenance. The QA process educates and supports new and existing members to reach the very highest standards of professionalism, health and safety, quality, skills and training.

Quality assured

Members are required to have a minimum $1 million public liability insurance cover and the Master Plumbers Guarantee covers their workmanship for residential customers for 12 months.

Chief executive Greg Wallace says there are many reasons why New Zealand’s builders and contractors should use a master plumber on projects, whether domestic or commercial.

“Master Plumbers are the professionals you can trust for any project, no matter how big or small. We want our brand to be instantly recognisable as a mark of distinction and quality,” Greg says.

“Members of Master Plumbers are reputable firms that meet the strict criteria of our ongoing QA (Quality Assurance) programme.

We look at business practices, legislative

“All member businesses must have a certifying plumber, gasfitter and/or drainlayer on the team. These tradespeople are responsible for ensuring their own work, and the work of those they supervise, is done correctly.”

“Our members also commit to the Master Plumbers Code of Conduct, which promotes best business practice – namely professional standards and ethical behaviour.”

Business support Master Plumbers supports its members to run successful businesses.

“Benefits range from health and safety resources, employment agreements and HR

support, to residential building contract and gas certificate templates.

“We want to ensure that all our members are the best they can be – for their staff, their business and their clients, both contractors and property owners,” Greg says.

Master Plumbers’ members can also access savings on fuel, digital communications, hire equipment, job management software, office supplies, Site Safe membership and more.

Master Plumbers runs regular technical and business courses presented by experts in their field. This training is available to all plumbing tradespeople, with members receiving a discount on the registration fees.

Assurance (QA) review • Business practices • Health and safety systems • Legislative compliance • Employment contracts • Gas certification • Staff supervision and training • Equipment maintenance and servicing.

Members are supplied with the Master Plumbers brand for use in promoting their business.

information drawn from Master Plumbers’ membership database.

Master Plumbers recently launched ‘Good Call’ as part of its “Don’t Risk It” campaign.

It features ordinary Kiwis going about their daily lives, safe in the knowledge that work on their homes has been expertly handled by tradespeople they can rely on.

The Dont Risk It website has a facility to search for local Master Plumbers, Gasfitters and/or Drainlayers, and provides contact

The Master Plumbers Quality

Advocacy For over 100 years, Master Plumbers has been protecting, developing and promoting the interests of the plumbing trade and the wider sector.

“We are a collective voice for the industry, advocating for members at a central and local government level,” Greg says.

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Issue #111 - B&C | 31

Master Plumbers Master Plumbers has briefed the new Labour-led Government about how it can help to address the challenges facing the plumbing industry. Earlier this year Greg met with new Building and Construction Minister Hon. Jenny Salesa to discuss key priority issues.

"

There are a number of issues we are currently working on which impact the wider sector, including the importation of substandard plumbing products into New Zealand and the desire to see self-certification for plumbers and drainlayers to help speed up construction processes.

- Master Plumbers chief executive, Greg Wallace.

“There are a number of issues we are currently working on which impact the wider sector, including the importation of substandard plumbing products into New Zealand and the desire to see selfcertification for plumbers and drainlayers to help speed up construction processes, “ Greg explains.

With New Zealand facing a desperate housing shortage, particularly in Auckland, a key focus for Master Plumbers is to increase the number of skilled and qualified plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers. In 2016 there were 10,866 plumbers and New Zealand will need 12,488 by 2022. This is complex, as the shortage of plumbers cannot easily be addressed through skilled migrants. Australia is currently the only country with mutually recognised plumbing qualifications.

Master Plumbers has also been in discussions with the industry regulatory body (PGDB – Plumbing, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board)

and The Skills Organisation around possible solutions which will not compromise the qualification standards needed to practice plumbing in New Zealand.

Apprenticeships Master Plumbers believes the best long-term solution to the skills shortage is to increase apprentice numbers.

The organisation welcomes the Government’s Fees Free initiative, providing eligible apprentices with fees-free training for the first two years. However, it would also like to see financial support for the employers that take on apprentices, as this represents a significant commitment for a business.

Currently only 19 percent of plumbing employers nationwide have apprentices in their businesses.

“The Government has recently suggested

that firms tendering for KiwiBuild contracts may be required to prove they have an apprentice strategy in place. The Government is a huge influencer of construction sector work, so we believe this should be expanded to cover other projects such as Dunedin Hospital.” Greg says.

“The bottom line is we need more plumbing companies to take on apprentices. The average age of a plumber in New Zealand is 53, so we will be facing a large number of retirements in coming years. We need to ensure that the considerable knowledge these tradespeople possess is passed on to the future skilled workers of New Zealand.”

Masterlink Through its Masterlink-mentored apprenticeship scheme, Master Plumbers demonstrates its commitment to nurturing the next generation of skilled tradespeople.

“Masterlink is not only the cheapest option for apprentices, with fees at half the cost of other schemes in New Zealand, but the apprentices also have the opportunity to work with the best plumbers, gasfitters and

"

Delivering KiwiBuild • Target of 100,000 homes over 10 years

On the July 4th, Greg will take part in the KiwiBuild Summit in Auckland. This one-day event within the buildnz|designx conference explores how KiwiBuild will be delivered and will feature presentations from Hon. Jenny Salesa, Hon. Phil Twyford, Auckland Mayor Phil Goff and a panel of NZ’s leading CEOs and industry influencers.

Master Plumbers frequently collaborates and works with the wider sector on key issues.

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Master Plumbers

"

The bottom line is we need more plumbing companies to take on apprentices. The average age of a plumber in New Zealand is 53, so we will be facing a large number of retirements in coming years. We need to ensure that the considerable knowledge these tradespeople possess is passed on to the future skilled workers of New Zealand.

- Master Plumbers chief executive, Greg Wallace.

"

drainlayers in the country,” Greg says.

the industry through apprenticeships.”

Masterlink screens and recruits quality candidates before placing them with ‘host’ firms located throughout New Zealand. A nationwide network of regional managers provides support to apprentices and hosts, keeping track of the apprentice’s progress towards qualifying.

The average age of a plumbing apprentice is currently 23 years old and there has been an increase in ‘adult apprentices’ taking up trades.

Masterlink pays the apprentices wages and handles all ACC, HR, payroll and block course arrangements, leaving the host free to focus on their business.

Health and safety is at the core of Masterlink apprentice management services, and the company is proud to have tertiary-level ACC accreditation for its workplace health and safety practices.

Master Plumbers and Masterlink want to see plumbing better promoted as a first-class career choice. “There’s a misconception that plumbing work is dirty, but the reality is that with modern technology it’s a clean, exciting and varied trade,” Greg says.

“We need to communicate this to educators, students, careers advisors and jobseekers to ensure we have talented people coming into

“Two out of six Plumbing World scholarships were recently awarded to Masterlink apprentices in their thirties and forties, and the winner of the James Douglas Medallion completed a commerce degree before deciding plumbing was the career for him,” Greg says.

Master Plumbers is working hard to improve its sector for the benefit of the construction industry and for New Zealand. Bear this in mind and make a ‘good call’ to use a Master Plumber, Gasfitter or Drainlayer on your next project.

Greg has been chief executive officer at non-profit membership organisation Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ Inc for the past four years.

He is also CEO of Masterlink, which employs around 200 apprentices in the sector and places them with host plumbing firms.

Established 117 years ago, Master Plumbers represents around 70 percent of the plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying industry.

Its key roles are advocacy, member services and training.

Master Plumbers welcomes the government’s KiwiBuild initiative to build 10,000 homes a year to address housing shortages.

It is interested to know how this goal can be achieved, however, given the current nationwide shortfall of 2635 plumbers and drainlayers.

Apprentice training is the long-term solution to skills shortages, yet only 19 percent of plumbing sector employers nationwide currently train apprentices.

Greg Wallace, Chief Executive of Master Plumbers.

Training an apprentice is a cost to business, particularly in the first year of the apprenticeship when the apprentice offers little practical or financial value.

Master Plumbers has been lobbying the government to provide financial support to plumbing industry employers that take on apprentices.

Master Plumbers www.masterplumbers.org.nz Masterlink www.masterlink.co.nz

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Issue #111 - B&C | 33

Dunedin City Council

Dunedin ‘humming’ with economic activity Article provided by Dunedin City Council Building Services building solutions manager, Paul Henderson.

‘Dunedin is one of the world’s great small cities’ – that is the vision the Dunedin City Council building services team is working hard to support and promote.

Covering one of the largest geographical land areas of any New Zealand council, the team of approximately 50 staff provides guidance, approval, inspection and monitoring services relating to building consent applications received and granted each year to ensure compliance with the Building Act, Code and

Regulations. The DCC is a registered Building Consent Authority under the Building Act 2004.

The building services team also monitors and enforces standards of public health and safety relating to building warrant of fitness (BWOF), illegal building work, drainage issues, temporary structures/amusement

devices and residential swimming pools.

Additionally, staff provide information relating to property searches and land information memorandum (LIM). A key focus is to ensure Dunedin properties are compliant and keep people safe.

At the time of writing this article the announcement for the decision on Dunedin’s new $1.6 billion hospital is awaited. This is likely to have significant positive impacts for the city. It’s reported that up to 1,000 workers will be required for the project.

We are yet to know the full implications for Dunedin in terms of where people will be housed and how it will fit with other major commercial property projects from institutions such as the University of Otago.

The Government’s plans for more affordable housing also comes into play and the building services team have recently been involved

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in granting consents for a few properties on behalf of Housing New Zealand.

Leading the team is building solutions manager, Paul Henderson. Originally from Sheffield in the UK, but now a fully-fledged Kiwi, he says the team are very much on a journey of improvement.

“We have an incredible team who work really well together given some of the challenges they have faced in recent years. One of the challenges has been the double-edged sword of a ‘humming economy’ versus the required resources to manage all the building consents and inspections. We very much operate in a highly technical area where we need trained staff to assess what can be complex building consents,” Paul says.

The numbers speak for themselves with record numbers of building consent applications received in 2017 (2700+) and

Dunedin City Council through the quarterly online newsletter ‘Reinforce’. Anyone involved in the industry is encouraged to subscribe at

2018 continuing in a similar vein. Coupled with that the team have experienced unprecedented positive results with both building consents granted and code compliance certificates issued within the statutory working days since January 2017 at over 99 percent.

“The team continues to work incredibly hard. We also recognise we still have a long way to go. The team is processing consents within the required timeframes. It’s likely though there will still be occasions when the timeframes are breached,” Paul says.

One of the challenges is being able to recruit and retain the right staff. To date, DCC has been successful in attracting experienced builders, and plumbing and drainage experts, who want to join the team to process consents or do inspections.

All staff involved in technical decision making are required to have a suitable qualification.

This can mean for some people having to undertake a two-year diploma course.

It does, however, make for an enjoyable career with ongoing learning, development and career opportunities. One challenge the team faces is an ageing workforce – a

https://hail.to/dunedin-city-council/ publication/qinlG6q

number of really experienced staff members will be retiring within the next two to three years.

Help with building consents The team recognises building projects can range significantly from small residential alterations through to major commercial projects.

To ensure the people of Dunedin are provided with as much guidance as they can, there are various avenues for information.

This can include engaging with your own architect, designer, engineer or other professional advisors. The DCC’s website provides plenty of information, ranging from ‘do you need consent’ through to ‘code compliance certificates’, or application forms through to a schedule of fees and charges.

Alternatively, people can visit the Civic Centre and discuss their project with the Duty Building Officer, or telephone or email the team. For complex projects, a preapplication meeting is recommended.

When the team want to get information out into the public domain, this is generally done

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Issue #111 - B&C | 35

Dunedin City Council Some of the most recent articles have included:

residential development. Decisions on the 2GP are due later this year.

- Avoiding consent processing delays (December 2017)

Building compliance in Dunedin

- Are you altering an existing building, or adding/altering a specified system?

(December 2017) - Site inspection tips (March 2018) - Making changes to a building consent (March 2018) New residential development Most of the new houses built in Dunedin in recent years have been located at Taieri Plain/Mosgiel where a number of new subdivisions have been established.

The Council is currently finalising its proposed second generation district plan, the 2GP. It is expected that additional land will be made available or reclassified for

Paul Henderson says a key focus is trying to balance great customer service with the team’s regulatory/compliance role.

A good example of this working is an initiative the team has taken with the 1500-plus buildings in Dunedin that require a BWOF. Part of the approach was to have very detailed compliance schedules so when Independent Qualified Persons (IQPs) go on site it is really clear what needs to happen or be checked. This change was recognised in a ‘shout out’ by Rosie Killip of Building Networks NZ. Now other councils are following the DCC’s lead.

"

We have an incredible team who work really well together given some of the challenges they have faced in recent years.

One of the challenges has been the double-edged sword of a ‘humming economy’ versus the required resources to manage all the building consents and inspections. We very much operate in a highly technical area where we need trained staff to assess what can be complex building consents.

- Dunedin City Council Building Services building solutions manager, Paul Henderson.

In another innovation, the team held educational sessions with the IQP community last year. Positive feedback was

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"

Dunedin City Council noted, “The city is growing and we’re planning and investing for this to continue.”

Paul Henderson says architects and designers advise they have work orders for the rest of the year so the team is not expecting any let up in numbers in the short term.

As mentioned earlier, the future hospital build and associated knock-on effects

IANZ audit As a registered Building Consent Authority under the Building Act 2004, every two years IANZ (International Accreditation New Zealand) undertakes an audit on the team processes to ensure they are doing all the right things. The last review, in September 2017, noted

very few issues, which was particularly pleasing given the hard work undertaken by the team.

Working across the wider region For those in the industry working across the lower South Island, Dunedin is also a member of the Southern Building Controls Group.

The group was formed in mid-2006 to encourage

“Dunedin really is an exciting place to be and as a team we need to be ready to support the developments.

The unprecedented results are a great start and we will keep building on our recent success and continue to recruit the right people to support the city.”

Mobile & Fixed Scaffolding

Some of the building services team. received by all who attended so these events are likely to be held annually.

for other commercial developments will also have a major impact.

the 11 individual councils to combine ideas and resources to form a regional approach to regulatory processes under the Building Act. More recently, the group has moved into other areas of regional alignment and the adoption of common best practice procedures.

register. This helps BCAs make a decision whether to accept or decline a producer statement from tradespeople for products such as waterproof membranes, glass balustrade systems, plaster coating systems, intumescent coatings, etc.

Examples include the setting up of the regional Producer Statement Authors (PSA)

As part of the DCC’s 10 year plan process, Mayor of Dunedin Dave Cull has

The future

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Issue #111 - B&C | 37

Dunedin City Council

"

Dunedin really is an exciting place to be and as a team we need to be ready to support the developments. The unprecedented results are a great start and we will keep building on our recent success and continue to recruit the right people to support the city.”

- Dunedin City Council Buiding Services building solutions manager, Paul Henderson.

Sealed with certainty With branches based in Christchurch or Dunedin, Adhesion Sealing is well placed to help commercial and residential building owners with the application of grouting, sealants, membrane roofing and deck membranes, waterproofing, sealing, concrete repair, resin flooring or FRP seismic strengthening solutions.

Their focus is not only on ensuring the customer gets the right solution for their situation, but also ensuring that all work is completed in a safe manner and to the required quality.

Adhesion Sealing is able to apply a large number of specified systems or work with you to achieve the best solution for your situation.

• Grouting: cement based or epoxy

Since the company was established in 1987 in Dunedin, it has been working hard to maintain its strong reputation as a reliable and professional service for the residential and commercial sectors.

Its Christchurch branch has operated since 2004 and employs local, full-time staff who are available to help local Christchurch builders and building owners.

They are approved applicators for a number of suppliers and have waterproofing and other solutions to suit a wide variety of budgets and situations.

38 | B&C - Issue #111

Adhesion Sealing has partnered with a small number of well-known NZ and international suppliers. It is happy to call to your site or office to discuss your waterproofing needs and to provide a solution that meets NZ Building Code and local council requirements.

Adhesion Sealing is able to find a solution for all of your needs, including: • Sealants: precast, hygienic, fire-rated, for floors or walls • Waterproofing to basements, retaining wall and waterproofing structures, polyurethane injection • Roofing and deck membranes or coatings • Resin floor toppings and coatings • Concrete repair and strengthening: repair mortars, epoxy crack injection, FRP, carbon fibre systems • Floor levelling.

Contact Adhesion Sealing on 365-0914 or check out www.adhesionsealing.co.nz for more information.

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"

Dunedin City Council

New Zealand’s best Aotea Security (NZ) Ltd is the specialist electronic security arm of the Aotea Group of Companies, which is New Zealand’s largest and only truly nationwide provider of electrical, security and communications services.

Aotea Security (NZ) Ltd specialises in the design, engineering, installation and maintenance of electronic security systems and supports many of New Zealand’s largest and highest demand clients. It has been driven forward by a focus on solutions, service, innovation and value, and by assembling New Zealand’s best team of talent and subject matter experts.

The company has grown to become a genuinely nationwide service provider with in-house staff from Auckland to Invercargill and all places in between.

Scale and geographic coverage allow the company to deliver a full service offering consistently across the country and with confidence for many of New Zealand’s largest projects as well as for many of New Zealand’s largest clients.

The senior management team include individuals from a range of relevant and specialist backgrounds with services encompassing risk management, security strategy development and governance, system design and architecture, enterprise support and project management, and enjoy the benefit of a large and capable tool belt workforce for installation and maintenance services.

The company is founded on a culture of 100% accountability which empowers all staff to have 100% confidence in the team to deliver and to excel.

Aotea Security (NZ) Ltd has the scale, capability, expertise, culture and proven track record to deliver at every level and on every project, everywhere in New Zealand.

‘Only the best’ products in Otago Dennison Plastering has been proudly serving the wider Otago region with highly professional, specialised plastering solutions for all jobs big and small since 2013.

Headed by executive director Dwyte Dennison, the Dennison Plastering team draws on a wealth of expertise when tackling each and every project, and know just which products and processes are the best solutions for the job.

A strong emphasis on best practice has earned them a positive reputation with locals residing in Dunedin, Central Otago, Queenstown and Wanaka, who appreciate the level of attention to detail shown from concept through to finish, and resulting high calibre of service they receive.

“We work with only the best products including Sto Plastering Systems and Accumen Shapes, to ensure each project is

finished to the highest possible standard,” Dwyte says.

“From new home builds, to renovations, fences, walls, hearths, surrounds, and much more. Our highly experienced and professional team can complete a variety of projects big and small, all finished with a high level of workmanship.”

As licensed applicators for Sto New Zealand, Dennison Plastering has only eyes for the best products, solutions and processes, which include Sto Plastering Systems and Accumen Shapes.

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Issue #111 - B&C | 39

Snorkel NZ

Compact in size, big on features As a leading global manufacturer of aerial work platforms, Snorkel produces one of the largest ranges of simple, reliable and robust machinery.

With platform heights ranging from 2m to 40m, Snorkel provides the perfect solution for any application, from interior building maintenance through to the toughest construction job sites.

In late 2015, Snorkel officially unveiled its new family of electric scissor lifts to Australia and New Zealand, which were very well received by customers and contractors.

Snorkel now offers a total of six electric slab scissor lifts in its range – the compact and nimble S3215E and S3219E, the mid-size S3220E and S3226E, and the higher capacity S4726E and S4732E. Built to handle the toughest job sites, the compact Snorkel S3219E electric scissor lift provides a maximum working height of up to 7.79m, from a 0.81m wide chassis, and can lift up to 250kg. Designed with a focus on low total ownership costs, this lift can be driven through a standard doorway and can be used outdoors by one person.

Designed with the construction industry in mind, the Snorkel S3219E is packed with innovative features that benefit both the owner and the operator. The new dual shear scissor stack features oversized pins to increase stack rigidity, while the all-steel construction helps extend the working life of the machine.

The 0.68m x 1.64m platform is made from 12-gauge diamond plate, eliminating the need for grip tape. The platform features a 0.89m deck extension with telescopic rails, maximising the floor space of the platform, whether stowed or extended.

The upper control box is hard-mounted to reduce the risk of theft or damage, and the lower controls are positioned in the rear of the chassis, allowing easy access when machines are parked side by side. A control panel for loading is located on the external

All components swing outside of the lift for easy servicing, and the smaller twin doors put less strain on the hinges, reducing the replacement frequency. toeboard of the machine, enabling the operator to ‘walk’ the machine onto a truck without needing to be inside the platform.

With a focus on simplicity, the S3219E has a gravity-actuated, over-center active pothole protection system that does not require springs or hydraulics for deployment. The kingpins have been enhanced by a factor of six to eliminate breakage, especially from forklifts when moving the machines. All new Snorkel slab scissor lifts have a 90° steering design for improved manoeuvrability.

Efficient maintenance is an important factor for customers, helping to minimise downtime and maximise revenues. As such, the new Snorkel scissors feature an ‘inside-out’ tray design which enables all hydraulic and electrical components to rotate outside of the machine chassis for easy access.

With two smaller doors on each side of the lift, instead of the traditional single large door, the operator is able to gain access to the machine components even when parked

Telescopic extension deck rails are protected from damage and overspray when in stowed position, and maximise the platform size.

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close to a wall or obstacle, as only 0.46m clearance is required. The smaller door trays also carry less weight, putting less strain on the door hinges.

The front side trays contain batteries which improve machine balance, while the two rear side trays contain the hydraulics. There is a rear tray containing all electronics including the charger, controller, and contractors.

This tray is housed in heavy-duty ¼ steel that provides additional protection to these sensitive components.

The chassis features a solid plate underneath the undercarriage, and a flat top to ensure that when power-washing, debris does not remain within the machine. Large, easily accessible tie down points and a heavy-duty step ladder are built into the chassis. This enables the use of a chain across the step for tie down during transport.

With 25 percent gradeability and a long duty cycle per charge, the S3219E is designed to deliver a long working life with minimal

downtime and low maintenance costs.

A proportional motor and pump rotation conserve battery energy, allowing for longer duty cycles as well as charging off the top of the battery, extending the overall life of the battery.

All models of the Snorkel electric scissor lift family have become extremely popular with contractors and rental companies alike around the world, and are available in New Zealand from Snorkel New Zealand.

Snorkel New Zealand provides dedicated local sales and customer service backed by a field-based product support team and a large inventory of spare parts. Snorkel is also proud to manufacture lifts for the region in Levin.

Snorkel electric slab scissor lifts are available from Snorkel New Zealand and come with a five-year structural warranty, plus a two-year warranty for parts and labour. For more information, or to arrange a product demonstration, call (06) 368 9168 or visit www.snorkellifts.com.

Twin doors provide easy access to all components, even when the lift is parked in a tight space.

Snorkel NZ

JOBSITE

The Snorkel™ S3219E is far from ordinary. This 5.79m electric slab scissor lift was designed to take everything a jobsite can throw at it — and more.

Its super-heavy-duty steel construction and over- engineered components, maximise up time and minimise ownership costs. Plus, everything is easy to get to, which really cuts down on maintenance time. After all, the most valuable scissor lift on your jobsite is the one that’s actually working.

DESIGNED TO EXCEED. BUILT TO LAST.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL

Snorkel™ on +64 6 689 168 or visit www.snorkellifts.com

© 2018 Snorkel. All rights reserved.

www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

Issue #111 - B&C | 41

NZ Safety Council & Pace Project Management

Rock & Rubble Rock and Rubble — 2a Galway Street Onehunga, and 747 Rosebank Road Avondale — is your one stop quarry shop.

The convenient locations save time and money. Plus, the team has a wealth of knowledge on the construction and building industry, and place a strong emphasis on efficiency and customer service.

Auckland’s growing urban sprawl and increasing traffic has resulted in increased time and money getting to quarries.

The solution – bringing the quarry and its services to the city doorstep, while maintaining quality and service, and that’s what Rock and Rubble has done.

As a small business, Rock and Rubble puts the emphasis on personal service.

As a family business the aim is to create a friendly atmosphere and to provide top-notch customer service.

Rock and Rubble is a business that literally handles the earth, and strives to ensure it is one step ahead of the competition by offering excellent customer service at a convenient location.

Rock and Rubble’s services include: • Truck and digger hire • Trucks of any size are available for hire for any length of time – whether one hour or one year – at competitive rates • Bulk • For economies of scale at sharp prices • Delivery • Direct to the client, or to help in the removal of cleanfill from a site, or both.

• Tipping • Offering all-weather, hardstand service and a wide range of cleanfill that can make the job faster and more efficient. Hire trucks of any size can be provided at competitive rates.

Safety in design Article provided by the New Zealand Safety Council.

Construction is one of New Zealand’s biggest industries with almost 200,000 workers – but it’s also one of the four sectors with the worst worker injury rates: • Worker fatalities are more than double the average for all other sectors • The cost of workplace injuries is huge – ACC pays more than $100 million dollars per year in the construction sector, and that doesn’t include the cost to businesses in terms of lost productivity • Construction workers risk exposure on a daily basis to potential harmful dusts, fumes and asbestos that can lead to serious ill-health or even an early death • Since 2008, an average of 10 workers have died on construction sites per year • There have been more than 14,000 serious injuries requiring more than a week off work, and approximately 3,000 falls from height requiring an average of 236 days off.

Health and safety is about the people Health and safety shouldn’t really be about laws and regulations; first and foremost it’s about looking after people. Builders, plumbers, block layers, electricians, other contractors, visitors – a safe worksite means they all go home healthy and safe at the end of the day to their families.

Most workplace incidents are preventable with a bit of planning.

Why wouldn’t you act to keep your staff, your friends and your co-workers safe?

Too many people in construction are getting hurt at work. Sixty-eight people died in construction between 2008 and 2014 and thousands more suffered serious injuries.

These are more than just statistics – they represent real people with friends and family.

Workplace deaths and injuries take a terrible toll on our community.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Most workplace incidents are preventable with a bit of planning. Why wouldn’t you act to keep your staff, your friends and your co-workers safe?

On average each year more than 26,000 workplace injuries occur in construction – more than 3,000 of those are serious requiring more than a week off work. That is a huge amount of lost productivity.

So what can we do about this terrible record?

We can use safety in design What is safety in design? Safety in design means the integration of control measures early in the design process to eliminate or, if 42 | B&C - Issue #111

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this is not reasonably practicable, minimise the risks to health and safety throughout the life of the structure/process being designed.

There are three main principles behind safety in design and they are as follows: 1. Persons with Control. Persons who make decisions affecting the design of products, facilities or processes are able to promote health and safety at the source.

2. Product Lifecycle. Safe design applies to every stage in the lifecycle from conception through to disposal. It involves eliminating hazards or minimising risks as early in the lifecycle as possible.

3. Systematic Risk Management. The application of hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control processes to achieve safe design.

When analysing the need for a designed product or space, an ergonomic approach will address five main elements: 1. The user. Their characteristics, including the physical, psychological and behavioural capacities, skills knowledge and abilities.

2. Job and task characteristics.

What the user is required to do or actually does. This includes task demands, capacity to make decisions, work organisation and time requirements.

3. The work environment. The work area and space, lighting, noise and thermal comfort.

4. Equipment design and the interface with the user. Including the ‘hardware’ needed to perform the work and including electronic and mobile equipment, protective clothing, furniture and tools.

5. Work organisation. Including the patterns of work, fluctuations in work load, timing of work and the need to communicate and interact with others, as well as broader industry or economic influences.

The role of design in workplace fatalities and injuries In Australia, the National Occupational Health & Safety Commission examined the contribution that the design of machinery and equipment had on serious injury accidents and 210 identified workplace fatalities, 77 (37 percent) definitely or probably had design-related issues involved and in another 29 (14 percent) the circumstances were suggestive that design issues were involved.

NZ Safety Council & Pace Project Management

DEMOLITION & ASBESTOS REMOVAL

“Put our experience to work on your project” Commerical and residential demolition Asbestos removal - classes A & B They also identified that design contributed to at least 30 percent of work related, serious, non-fatal injuries.

Design-related issues were most prominent in the ‘machinery and fixed plant’ group, and ‘mobile plant and transport’ group.

Similar design problems were definitely or probably involved in at least 50 percent of the incidents in the agriculture, trade and mining industries with between 40-50 percent of the incidents in construction, manufacturing and transport/storage industries.

Solutions already exist for most of the identified design problems (such as seat belts, rollover protection and guarding).

The main finding from the study is that inferior design is a significant contributor to work-related serious injury in Australia and there is no reason to think that this is not similar in New Zealand.

Legal Obligations Health and safety law is governed by a framework of acts, regulations, approved codes of practice and supporting industry guidance material.

The Health and Safety at Work Act and associated regulations impose duties on a range of parties to ensure health and safety in relation to particular products, such as: • PCBU’s primary duty of care • Duty of PCBU who manages or controls workplace • Duty of PCBU who manages or controls fixtures, fittings, or plant at workplaces • Duty of PCBU who designs plant, substances, or structures

• Duty of PCBU who manufactures plant, substances, or structures • Duty of PCBU who imports plant, substances, or structures • Duty of PCBU who supplies plant, substances, or structures

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• Duty of PCBU who installs, constructs, or commissions plant or structures.

Primary duty of care Overall responsibility for achieving safe design rests with the PCBU but parties or individuals who control or manage design functions also have responsibilities as listed above. This includes people who are directly involved in the design activity (such as architects and engineers), as well as those who make decisions that influence the design outcome (such as clients, developers, manufacturers, directors and managers).

Responsibilities will be consistent with the degree of control that a person has i.e. whether they are a PCBU, officer or worker as set out in the Act. Often, the design process will occur over various stages and involve different people who make specialist or technical decisions for incorporating into the design, which may positively or negatively affect the safety of the product. In these situations there will be a shared responsibility between the parties, depending on the level of control they have over the design function.

Some design tasks, although related, may be controlled by different designers due to contractual arrangements. Designing a product for end-use and designing the process by which it is constructed or manufactured is often undertaken by different people.

CITY SALVAGE CONTRACTORS W: www.citysalvage.co.nz E: contracts@citysalvage.co.nz 544 Tuam Street, Christchurch PO Box 32139 Christchurch

CONTACT TIM: 027 528 1011 OFFICE PHONE: 03 389 9650 www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

Issue #111 - B&C | 43

NZ Safety Council & Pace Project Management

Project management at Pace Pace Project Management is based in Christchurch and has been in the construction project management industry since 2000. It is a nationwide project management company and its team members have developed a wide range of skills.

executing, controlling, and closing the work of a team to achieve specific goals and meet specific success criteria’. The general idea of PM goes back to the late 19th century.

However, we can trace our current concept of PM to as recently as the 1950s.

visual management tool, Henry's name is one you’ll often come across in PM. Henri Fayol’s development of the five management functions, the precursors to our current five PM phases, cemented his position as one of PM’s founding fathers.

Henry Gantt was one of the originators of PM as we know it. With his creation of the Gantt chart, a now universally recognised

While PM tools were prevalent in the space, government, engineering and military sectors, soon private businesses began to

“We are driven by a pragmatic approach to ensuring our clients’ objectives are realised.

By aligning our international experience with our local knowledge we can ensure your construction project is delivered on time, on budget and to the quality you expect,” says PACE Project Management director Andrew Christian.

“At Pace Project Management we view our client relationships as partnerships and tailor the management of every project to that partnership – whether it’s pure project management, development management or construction management of a project from conception through to completion.

“The open nature of our partnerships enables us to reduce the risk to the stakeholders and maximise outcomes.”

Origins of modern project management Wikipedia describes project management (PM) as ‘the discipline of initiating, planning,

understand the benefits of work organised around a specific project. A clear way to manage these special projects emerged when companies realised that coordination and communication at every level, across business units and including different areas of expertise, was crucial to their overall success.

What is a project manager?

A project manager is the person who leads the project team and together accomplish the project goal. A project manager’s leadership is usually temporary, in order to accomplish a specific project.

While every management position incorporates time management, organisation and people skills, project managing necessitates a singular focus affected by resources and results dictated by a designated timeframe. Pace Project Management has developed the personnel with these skills and the experience to complete your construction project to time and budget.

Choosing the best project manager to avoid project failure Choosing the best project manager for the job can mean the difference of the project’s success or failure. The manager plays a crucial part in taking any project from concept to completion. He or she must have the technical and soft skills needed to orchestrate every detail that comprises the

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NZ Safety Council & Pace Project Management project strategy. Mistakes result in missed milestones, wasted time and money.

The team leader must have strong critical thinking skills to anticipate any risks so that he/she can create contingencies along the way. A PM must be able to articulate what each team member’s goals and precise lines of communication are. As you may imagine, successful projects don’t just happen. A successful PM would be an established leader, possessing good communication, conflict resolution, time management and critical thinking skills. Pace Project Management, not only has skilled project managers, but has office support and systems in place, developed over 17 years in business.

The management process The following are the five project management phases used to deliver a successful project outcome which apply to every project, not just a construction or fitout project: 1. Initiation Phase. This step includes the formal commencement of the project and the scope explanation. In a construction project, it will outline the purpose of the project and define the scope of the project and usually the client brief.

2. Planning Phase. The project manager formulates the best strategy for the team to accomplish the client’s objective.

It may fall on the project manager to

choose the team members, in addition to requisitioning other resources. Setting the timeline, budget, schedule and communication lines would also take place during this phase.

3. Execution Phase. The project manager will implement and oversee all activities that will create the outcomes as outlined in the project plan. In a construction project, this will usually be the on-site construction phase.

"

At Pace Project Management we view our client relationships as partnerships and tailor the management of every project to that partnership.

4. Control Phase. Execution and control occur simultaneously. The project manager monitors the team assuring that the projected performance from the planning phase becomes a reality.

- Race Project Management director, Andrew Christian.

5. Closure Phase. During this last stage, the project manager will facilitate the finalisation of any administrative tasks, reporting documentation, updating and present the resulting deliverable(s) to the client. You can calculate your individual managerial and your project team’s success by answering one important question: Did you meet and/or exceed the client requirements for the project?

monitoring the team and providing the support they need is the key to successful project execution.

The Pace Project Management website has a number of completed projects, all of which have encompassed these five phases, the project has been completed and Pace has met the each client’s expectations.

Wrap Up Implementing change efficiently and effectively is the project manager’s job.

Each project includes a specific timespan during which your team executes numerous activities. The project manager’s goal is to meet the client’s needs, whether internal or external, while hitting milestone targets and staying under budget. Expertise in planning,

"

What it all means to a Pace Project Management client Construction project management is about meeting and exceeding the client’s expectations. A very important element of gaining positive outcomes for a construction project is by carefully managing expectations at the start. The professional project manager will elicit from the client the criteria for the project and work with the client to ensure those expectations are realistic.

Expectations for a commercial property will typically include: 1. A building that will attract tenants.

2. A building that gives the client an acceptable return on investment.

3. A building that meets the building code as a minimum, and where possible, exceeds it.

NZ Communities face challenges from sudden events such as natural disasters, and from gradual but significant changes such as resource shortages or climate change.

An ability to respond to both requires resilience: a mix of adaptation, imagination and resourcefulness.

How skilled are you at resilience? Have you given it much thought?

The Sustainable Living Programme is a practical, fun way of learning future living skills to become more resilient and to reduce your environmental impacts at home.

On-line materials are free to residents of this district because the Waimakariri District Council subscribes to the Sustainable Living Programme: to access the learning guides and see more District-specific information, register now at sustainableliving.org.nz Also look on our website waimakariri.govt.nz for more information about sustainability, waste minimisation and civil defence preparedness. www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

Issue #111 - B&C | 45

NZ Safety Council & Pace Project Management 4. An appealing and potentially environmentally friendly building.

• Scoping, selecting and appointment of design consultancy services

5. A timely and well executed build phase which gives prospective tenants and the client certainty of occupation.

• Progressive definition and refinement of the budget and programme

6. The life cycle-cost of the building that will acceptable to the client.

Project Management. Pace provides upfront project management by assembling a project team to follow the project through. In the current environment in Christchurch it may be necessary to have the design of certain types of buildings led by the structural engineer, whose input around the new structural code may significantly affect the design. The foundations and structure can be up to 30 percent of the total construction cost, so to keep the overall construction budget to an acceptable level, the structure is the first element that has to be appraised and budgeted.

The structural engineer will work closely with the architect to ensure a new building has enough “structure” to be economically constructed and has the look the architect and project owner are trying to achieve.

The project manager has to ensure the client’s expectations are met as closely as possible in this process. The project manager is the leader of the consultant and construction teams and their role is to manage and mentor this team to ensure that the objectives are met harmoniously and expeditiously.

• Project master planning and scheduling, including planning project timelines, monitoring and managing progress to ensure milestones are achieved • Budget establishment and cost management • Design review management, including incorporation of sustainable features • Buildability review • Value engineering • Quality assurance • Development of appropriate procurement and contractual procedures and documentation • Manage the consent and approval process • Contractor selection and appointment • Project start-up • Management and administration of owner/ designer and owner/contractor contracts • Engineer to contract, where appropriate • Decision, approval and change management

Key project management functions include: • Provide independent professional advice

• Compliance management

• Develop and finalise the project brief, including objectives

• Risk analysis and management

Key development management functions include: • Site assessment and selection

• Health and safety management • Manage the coordination between separate contractors

surrounding the project, including bulk and location studies, finance and feasibility and the facilitation of the building process through to completion and hand-over.

Development management can be an all-encompassing role, with Pace directly involved in all levels of the development.

• Bulk and location and feasibility analysis (master planning) • Working with the client to ensure the project meets pre-development objectives of sales and leasing • Market research

• Project structuring

• Project completion, commissioning, handover and close out.

• Establish communication, reporting and authorisation procedures

Development management. Pace Project Management manage all key functions

• Managing architectural and design professionals • Providing independent, professional and strategic advice • Project completion and post project audit.

The Pace Project Management difference In the process, Pace Project Management uses in-house quantity surveying expertise to establish the viability of the project and after liaising with real estate professionals – who will provide the market rental rates for the proposed building.

Pace provides the client with a development budget for the project, including the projected return on investment. At this stage the project’s viability can be ascertained and changes made if required.

Timeframe/Accountability. The proposed program for the project is generally set at

O NS W T TIO A C LO

this stage with timeframes for each individual stage ascertained. Once the timeframes a nd works within each stage are known, they are incorporated to further the refine the project program.

Compliance. Pace ensure the budgetary requirements are met by reviewing the drawings and project budgets at the 30 percent design stage, again at 60 percent design stage and then just prior to building consent being submitted to the council.

The building consent is the critical path of the project at this stage, as works cannot start on site until the consenting process is completed. In the Christchurch rebuild, the council and their consenting team play a pivotal role in keeping projects on-program.

It is also the responsibility of the project team to ensure the consent process runs smoothly by providing all the information council requires to process the consent efficiently and in a timely manner.

The contract works are tendered and a contractor is chosen to construct the project whilst the council is considering the project’s consent application. Once the building consent is granted, any alterations required by council are notified to the contractor and the fixed price contract is agreed. The project plan is updated and a completion date is set. The contractor’s detailed program of works on site is inserted into the project plan and checked by the project manager at each stage of the project.

One of the biggest compliance issues immediately after the earthquakes was obtaining insurance – contractors’ works insurance, then insurance for the building on completion. This is now less of a problem but is still one of the key elements the project

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NZ Safety Council & Pace Project Management manager needs to ensure is addressed and signed off prior to the construction contract being awarded.

On-Site. Once on site, Pace ensures the works progress is in line with the programme and ensures the on-site contractor has all the information required to complete the building project. The project team will be involved in compliance inspections and in ensuring the works are completed to a satisfactory standard. The client will usually be involved in all these processes and the project manager ensures that the client is kept well informed throughout.

Professional Finish. At the end of a new commercial project, the project manager needs to ensure all the documentation is available for the final code compliance and that all the contractors and consultants have completed the relevant documentation for the council’s sign off. There is also the sign off of the quality of workmanship, mainly for the finishes of the project, which is usually signed off by the architect.

Investors now Developers. A number of property owners in the Christchurch market have been faced with the transition from landlord/investor to developer by necessity; generally, because their commercial building investment has been lost or badly damaged in the earthquakes. Many property owners in this situation have not previously undertaken much or any property development and require a project management company with the skills to assist them and guide them safely and cost effectively through the redevelopment process.

Pace not only provides the construction project management but manages the whole project, whilst being cognisant of who the

project is for and ensuring the owner of the project remains informed. It is important to manage the consultants to the project, the contractor, the owner and sometimes the tenant – all of whom have their own priorities – in order to ensure all stakeholders are happy with the completed building.

Earthquake Repairs. Another significant area Pace Project Management is involved in, is the construction management of the scoping and repair of earthquake damaged commercial buildings, some of which are only just beginning to get underway. The management of these projects is generally similar to a new project but, in a number of cases, includes working around occupants of the damaged buildings. The health and safety of building occupants and any public who may be visiting the site is also of greater concern than in a new building, as the occupants and public may not be educated and trained in the health and safety.

In all project management of commercial construction projects, the project manager is the lynch pin and facilitator of the project.

The project manager controls and directs the project team including the client, consultants and the contractors on site to ensure the desired outcome. The most rewarding projects tend to be ones where everyone in the project team works together seamlessly and these projects are generally the ones that have the best outcomes.

Pace Project Management’s offices are situated at Level 3, 112 Tuam Street, PO Box 36-546, Christchurch 8001. If you want your project professionally managed, contact Neil Walker or Andy Christian on 03 366 4282 or visit www.pacepm.co.nz.

Dynamic Drainage and Excavation Limited Dynamic Drainage uses a tried and true formula of experience and efficiency to install drains quicker than is usual in the industry.

While it normally takes two to three days to install house drains, Dynamic Drainage can get in and get the job done in just one and a half days.

“We prefer to use certified drainlayers, licensed by the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board, rather than relying on labourers,” says Dynamic Drainage and Excavation owner Grant Wooster.

Dynamic Drainage installs drains on all types of houses, with teams working all over Canterbury, including Christchurch, Castle Hill and Amberley, and as far south as Ashburton.

As well as installing drains for new houses built by large housing companies such as Mike Greer Homes and Orange Homes, the company has branched out in the last year with more work coming from individual builders.

Dynamic Drainage operates the latest equipment, including Yanmar excavators

and Hino trucks, and all equipment is regularly upgraded.

The company moved into new premises at the Izone business hub in Rolleston two years ago. The custom-designed purpose built new 580sqm building enables all equipment and vehicles to be stored indoors.

The company also invests heavily in training.

It offers apprenticeships in conjunction with the Skills Organisation team in New Zealand to help more young people enter the industry, with six apprentices on the books at present.

Grant says the company is kept busy with plenty of work however he is always happy to meet new clients onsite for an obligationfree consultation or to provide a quote.

As well as supplying Dynamic’s trademark speedy service, all work carried out by the company comes with a guarantee.

All residential, light commercial drainage Septic Tank systems • Alterations Excavations • Canterbury Wide • Free Quotes M: 027 437 2468 | E: office@dynamicdrainage.co.nz W: www.dynamicdrainage.co.nz PO Box 86024, Rolleston West, Rolleston 7658 www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

Issue #111 - B&C | 47

Working at Heights

A timely reminder about height safety WorkSafe New Zealand is reminding workplaces to ensure their workers are using their health and safety equipment correctly.

This follows the sentencing of McKee-Fehl Constructors Limited in the Wellington District Court.

WorkSafe prosecuted McKee-Fehl over the injury of a contractor at a Wellington demolition site on March 29, 2016. The worker fell 3.9 metres onto a concrete floor, resulting in significant head injuries.

WorkSafe’s investigation found that although workers were using a fall restraint harness system onsite, the supervision and training of the harness use was inadequate.

The incident draws attention to the difference between group controls and individual controls when mitigating risks.

“Individual controls, like a harness, only look after individuals and rely on active judgement by the user for them to work safely. Training, inspection and equipment maintenance are critical for these measures to be effective.” says WorkSafe’s manager of Technical Programmes and Support, Simon Humphries.

The WorkSafe investigation found that the company had failed to ensure that the hazard of a fall from height was appropriately managed.

McKee-Fehl took a number of remedial steps following the incident and prior to prosecution such as; reinforcing that workers are to clip their lanyards on to a safety line and formally training a large number of workers in working at heights.

McKee-Fehl Constructors Limited was fined $39,500 and ordered to pay reparations to the victim of $58,421.

Risk is present in all work spaces Businesses need to consider health and safety risks on all structures, even those infrequently used.

On June 2, 2016 a Rangiora Carpets' staff member fell 2.5 metres from an unconsented mezzanine floor, through a false ceiling, to the floor below, leaving the staff member with significant injuries.

The mezzanine floor was being used for storage and had not been identified as a health and safety risk.

"

Individual controls, like a harness, only look after individuals and rely on active judgement by the user for them to work safely. Training, inspection and equipment maintenance are critical for these measures to be effective.

- WorkSafe's manager of Technical Programmes and Support, Simon Humphries.

"

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“Structures such as storage and filing facilities need to be considered for risk and have appropriate controls put in place,” WorkSafe’s general manager of Operations and Specialist Services, Brett Murray says.

“Falls from height always present a significant risk. Even a fall of less than three metres can result in serious injuries or death. Identifying the need for a barrier to protect workers on the mezzanine floor was imperative to avoiding this incident.”

The WorkSafe investigation found that the company had failed to conduct an adequate risk assessment to identify the risk of a fall from height and failed to ensure appropriate controls, such as edge protection or a balustrade, were in place to protect workers from the risk of fall onto the false ceiling.

Rangiora Carpets was fined $157,500 and ordered to pay reparations to the victim of $20,000 in the Christchurch District Court.

An innovative tool for working at heights A Kiwi company has created an innovative tool which it hopes will encourage safer working at heights.

www.ringlock.co.nz 48 | B&C - Issue #111

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Investigations by WorkSafe into falls while working at height show that more than 50 percent of falls are from less than

three meters, and about 70 percent of falls are from ladders and roofs.

With the new Health and Safety at Work Act driving home the message to improve height practices, Christchurch-based firm Minilifts believes it has invented a new product which will encourage more efficient and safer ways of working.

Creator Steve Munro is hailing the new portable elevated work platform as “one-of-a-kind”.

Lightweight and designed to be carried by two men, removing the need for a crane or forklift, the minilift is easily transportable, Steve says.

The lift can be used on residential, commercial and domestic sites.

“It can be used in all manner of situations. Once taken apart it can be carried upstairs and transported by van.

“It’s an affordable solution that cuts back on delays waiting for forklifts or cranes. There is nothing like it on the market – it’s one of a kind,” Steve says.

Steve believes the price and time savings will make workers less inclined to take risks by using ladders and stilts, and makes workplaces safer.

“You’re less likely to get fatigued and take risks because you are not up and down a ladder all day long. We believe that the lift can double your productivity, cutting down what would have been an eight-hour job into a four-hour job.”

Designed to be manned by one person, from ground to platform the minilift measures two metres, with a maximum working height of four metres.

Built in Christchurch from aviation-grade aluminium and steel, the lift is easy to manoeuvre and is operated from within the platform.

“It’s about creating efficiencies - but you’ll also get home safely and with more energy if you are not up a ladder all day.”

Working at Heights

Thinking of starting a scaffolding company?

Think INTAKS A Tauranga-based company has helped people from the far North Island, all the way down to Winton in Southland, start up their own residential scaffolding installation companies.

INTAKS is a patented, strong, light, multi-configurable scaffolding and edge protection system, supported by a range of interconnecting components, which offers a growing range of combinations to provide solutions for working at height on residential and commercial sites.

INTAKS general manager, Joel Warren, says while they supply scaffolding and edge protection systems for purchase and rent, they’re currently focused upon mentoring new businesses.

“Most of our customer base has been guys that didn’t own a scaffold company and have seen an opportunity in the market.

“When they first come and see us we’ll discuss what stage they’re at, like – have they made a business plan? And then we’ll give advice on who to see and what we can do to help with that business plan. Also we’ll talk about who to go see about finance. In some cases we’ve helped with finance.”

Scaffolding is a capital intensive game to get into and Joel says banks typically don’t lend against the gear as security. So loans must be based on a business model.

building. It lent itself to longer runs, and of course being steel it’s cheaper to manufacture, but it’s heavy and this adds to the cost of transport and labour.”

“In order to help with that we have other arrangements to help them increase their plant (scaffolding) without having a huge capital cost for their business. With more plant, that generates more revenue, and their profit margin becomes higher.”

Lew found that while he could ask the team to work harder, saying they had to get the job done that day, the next day they would be sore, tired and not as productive.

Joel says INTAKS gear can be put up and taken down in up to a quarter of the time, or less, required for tube and clip.

“If you can bring down labour costs and transport costs, then it allows our customers to have a better profit margin out of a job. “ The founder of INTAKS, Lew Cleveland, developed the system after experience taught him there was need for light, userfriendly scaffolding at a residential level.

“There’s been a tremendous amount of thought put into the system beyond just the safety angle of it,” Joel says.

“So then he set about designing the INTAKS system with all these things in mind. All the way through it’s been designed around efficiencies, ease of transportation, and keeping a minimal footprint on site, so that other trades can work around it.”

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“We won’t pull the wool over their eyes, we prefer to explain completely what it’s like to own a scaffold company, all the pros and cons. If they get established on the right footing, then it makes for a mutually beneficial relationship, because the more that they grow, the more we grow.”

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INTAKS take the long-term view with their customers.

“He started with a scaffolding service, using a steel system. That worked well on some of the jobs, but going from commercial into residential he was finding that the gear wasn’t designed for residential. It was designed for going around a commercial

INTAKS scaffolding boasts the following features:

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Issue #111 - B&C | 49

Best Practice

Practice makes perfect Managing a small construction site Information courtesy of WorkSafe NZ.

WorkSafe NZ’s Absolutely Essential Toolkit is a handy companion for those managing a small construction site. It contains checklists that cover things to consider, relevant under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSW Act), which impose duties on the ‘PCBU’.

When to notify WorkSafe First and foremost, in an emergency, call the emergency services (111). A PCBU must notify WorkSafe as soon as possible if any of the following ‘notifiable events’ occur:

safety inspector. Exceptions include certain situations, such as when people or property are at risk. If you require scene clearance or other immediate assistance from a health and safety inspector, call WorkSafe.

• The death of a person

Contracting and subcontracting

• A notifiable injury or illness

When contracting or subcontracting work, do you:

• Notifiable incident.

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA), some types of work require you to notify WorkSafe when, including but not limited to, a worker could fall 5m or more, some excavation work, work involving asbestos, and working underground.

WorkSafe’s Notifiable Event tool helps to understand which events are notifiable, what you need to do and when, and how to notify WorkSafe.

• Check the health and safety performance of the people you plan to use?

• Give them the health and safety information they need for the work?

• Talk about the work with them?

• Hold regular discussions about how the work is going, including safety problems and concerns?

Access on site • Can everyone get to their place of work safely – and work there safely?

• Are access routes in good condition and clearly signposted?

• Do edges that people could fall from have suitable edge protection?

• Are holes protected with clearly marked and fixed covers to prevent falls?

identified existing services present on site (eg electric cables or gas mains) and taken effective steps, if necessary, to prevent harm from them?

• Is the supply isolated from earth with a voltage between phase and earth conductors not exceeding 230 volts?

• Are electrical extension cords connected to powertools using a Residual Current Device (RCD) or Isolating Transformer?

• Are cables and leads protected from damage?

• Is the site tidy, and are materials stored safely?

• Are all connections to the system properly made and are suitable plugs used?

• Is the lighting good enough?

Don’t disturb the scene

• Make sure that you have provided everything you agreed (eg safe scaffolds, the right plant, access to toilets and other welfare facilities, etc)?

Electricity and other services

• Are tools and equipment checked by users, visually examined on site and regularly inspected and tested by a competent person?

You must not interfere with an accident scene until authorised by a health and

• Check their performance and remedy any shortcomings?

• Have all necessary services been provided on site before work begins? Have you also

• Have hidden electricity cables and other services been located (eg with a locator

Safety industry pioneer Safety Nets NZ has developed national standards to ensure that risk of injury from falls is minimised for your construction workforce.

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50 | B&C - Issue #111

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Best Practice and plans) and marked, and have you taken precautions for safe working?

• Where there are overhead lines, has the electricity supply been turned off, or have other precautions been taken, such as providing ‘goal posts’ or taped markers?

Protecting the public • Is the worksite fenced off from the public?

• Do roadworks have barriers around them and are the barriers lit?

• Are the public protected from falling material?

• Is clear signage present to warn people of danger (eg ‘Keep out’, ‘Asbestos removal in progress’)?

When work has stopped for the day: • Is the boundarys secure?

Working at height • Have you ensured there is appropriate and fit-for-purpose means to prevent workers from falling from height?

• Have you planned the work properly and identified suitable precautions to make sure work can be carried out safely?

• Have you thought about whether you can avoid working at height by using different equipment or a different work method?

• Can you use equipment that will prevent a fall from happening, such as scaffolding or a mobile elevating work platform?

• Can you put in place measures to reduce the distance and consequences of a fall should one happen, such as nets, soft landing systems or personal fall prevention and protection equipment (eg a harness system)?

• Will the weather conditions threaten the health and safety of those carrying out the work?

• Have you thought about all the options and are you certain that you are gaining access to height using the safest means possible?

• Are people kept away from the area below the roof work?

• Are roofworkers trained and experienced to recognise the risks and are they competent to do the work?

Manual handling Are there heavy materials such as roof trusses, steel beams, kerbstones or bagged products that could cause injury if they have to be moved by hand? If so, can you: • Choose lighter materials?

• Use trolleys, hoists, telehandlers and other plant or equipment so that manual lifting of heavy objects is kept to a minimum?

• What do you have in place to prevent workers from falling off the back of the vehicle?

• Are your employees provided with sensible safety footwear with a good grip?

Excavations

• Avoid the repetitive laying of heavy building blocks or other masonry units (eg weighing more than 20kg)?

• Have people been instructed and trained how to use lifting aids and other handling equipment safely?

• Is a safe method used for putting in the support, without people working in an unsupported trench?

• Have people been trained how to lift safely?

• Is there safe access into the excavation, eg a sufficiently long, secured ladder?

• Are there barriers or other protection to stop people and vehicles falling in?

• Order materials such as cement and aggregates in units that are a manageable weight (eg 25kg bags)?

Roofwork

• Are excavations and openings securely covered or fenced off?

Loading and unloading tools

• Is there edge protection to stop people or materials falling?

• Is all plant immobilised to prevent unauthorised use?

• Where nets are used, have they been installed properly?

• Have you checked that the load has not moved or destabilised during the journey to site?

• Are bricks and materials safely stacked?

• Have you identified brittle roof materials, such as cement sheets and roof lights?

• Have you taken precautions to stop people falling through fragile materials when working on the roof, eg by providing barriers, covers or working platforms?

• Do you have a safe way of getting up and down from the back of the vehicle?

Is the stability of the ground known to ensure against collapse? Or if the stability of the ground is not known, is there a support system in place for the excavation to prevent collapse, or has it been sloped or battered back to a safe angle? (Note: an excavation more than 1.5m deep that is deeper than it is wide at the top must be notified to WorkSafe.)

• Have steps been taken to prevent any unauthorised access, eg are all ladders removed or their rungs boarded so they can’t be used?

• Are flammable or dangerous substances locked away in secure storage places?

• Do you have to access the back of the truck at all, or can the preparation work be done from ground level? If not:

• Is there an exclusion zone around the loading/unloading area to keep people who are not involved away from the work?

• Have you planned your method of unloading?

• Does your lifting equipment have a current annual certificate?

• Is the excavation fenced off from unauthorised access?

• Are properly secured stop blocks provided to prevent tipping vehicles falling in?

• Could the excavation affect the stability of neighbouring structures or services?

• Are materials, spoil and plant stored away from the edge of the excavation to reduce the chance of a collapse?

Collision Repair - The Best for Panel & Paint

admin@sandk.co.nz www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

Issue #111 - B&C | 51

Best Practice • Is the excavation regularly inspected by a competent person?

• Are the results of inspections recorded?

Traffic, vehicles and plant • Have prestart checks been done, and any issues dealt with?

• Are vehicles well maintained, and are log books and maintenance records present and up to date?

• Are vehicles only operated by people trained to do so (where applicable) and are manufacturer’s instructions followed?

• Are vehicles and pedestrians kept apart?

• Are loads properly secured?

• Have you made sure that passengers are only carried on vehicles designed to carry them?

• Have you made sure that plant and vehicles are not used on dangerous slopes?

• If you need to work on or drive across sloping ground, have you checked that the plant and vehicles are safe to use?

• Do you check that securing pins are in place on excavator quick hitches?

Tools and machinery • Are the right tools or machinery being used for the job?

• If not, do you: • Provide barriers to separate them as much as you can?

• Display warning signs?

• Are people kept away from slewing vehicles, or, if not, can you use a zero tail swing machine?

• Are vehicles and plant properly maintained, eg: • Do the steering, brakes, hydraulics, mirrors and any other vision aid work properly?

• Are tyres in good condition and at the correct pressure?

• Are reversing alarms active?

• Can reversing be avoided, eg by using a one-way system or a turning area? If not, are properly trained spotters used?

• Have drivers received proper training and are they competent and fit to use the vehicles or plant they are operating?

• Are all dangerous parts guarded, eg gears, chain drives, projecting engine shafts?

Have you identified and put into place precautions to prevent or control exposure to hazardous substances, by:

• Do you have procedures to prevent contact with wet cement (as this can cause dermatitis and cement burns)?

• Doing the work in a different way, to remove the risk entirely?

• Using tools fitted with dust extraction?

• Have you arranged health surveillance for employees exposed to certain hazardous substances (eg lead, silica, cement, sensitisers such as twopack adhesives or coatings)?

• Using tools fitted with water suppression?

Noise

• Installing warning signs to show where work involving hazardous substances is taking place?

• Have you identified and assessed workers’ exposure to noise?

• Using a less hazardous material?

• Have workers had information and training so they know what the risks are from the hazardous substances used and produced on site, and what they need to do to avoid those risks?

• Have workers had information and training so they know what the risks are from noise on site, and what they need to do to avoid those risks?

• Can the noise be reduced by using different working methods or selecting

• Are guards secured and in good repair?

• Are tools and machinery maintained in good repair and are all safety devices operating correctly?

• Are all operators trained and competent?

Hazardous substances • Have you identified all harmful substances and materials, such as asbestos, lead, solvents, paints, cement and silica dust (eg from cutting concrete, bricks, rocks etc)?

• Is protective clothing and respiratory equipment provided?

• Have you checked whether a worker with the relevant approval is needed to deal with asbestos on site? (Most work with asbestos requires permission from Worksafe, although you can do some very limited work with materials that contain asbestos without one.)

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Best Practice quieter plant, eg by fitting breakers and other plant or machinery with silencers?

• Are people not involved in the work kept away from the source of the noise?

• Is suitable hearing protection provided and worn in noisy areas?

• Have hearing protection zones been marked?

• Have you arranged health surveillance for employees exposed to high levels of noise?

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) • Is suitable equipment provided to protect the head, eyes, hands and feet where appropriate?

• Do workers wear their protective equipment, and do they wear it correctly?

• Have workers been trained in the safe use, care and storage of protective equipment?

Amenities and facilities • Has a suitable toilet been provided?

• Is there a clean wash basin, hot/warm water, soap and towel?

• Is wet-weather gear provided for those who have to work in wet conditions?

• Is there a place where workers can take shelter and have meals? Do they have access to drinking water?

“We come to you” – Bertolli Engineering Bertolli Engineering’s mobile engineering workshop comes to you, saving you time and the effort of moving machinery across town.

“Call us and we’ll be there smartly to tackle your engineering repair and maintenance work,” says Bertolli Engineering owner Maurice “Mo” Bertolli.

“I operate an efficient, low cost Mobile Engineering and Workshop business and hold great value in honesty, integrity, reliability and accountability in all fields and levels of the engineering sector.

“We offer competitive prices and quality workmanship. All our work is completed to best practice standards.”

The company works all over the North Island from its Tauranga base and will travel to the south at a customer’s request.

It specialises in repairing and rebuilding machinery in the transport

• Is there a suitable first-aid kit?

Emergencies

Workloads and fatigue

• Are there emergency procedures, eg for evacuating the site in case of fire?

• Do workers take regular, quality rest breaks in their working day?

• Are working hours reasonable and not too long? If longer working days are required, are start and finish times staggered, and/or are longer rest breaks and periods off work allowed?

• Are tasks scheduled suitably throughout a work period (eg critical jobs are avoided during the low body clock period of 3pm to 5pm)?

• Is work scheduled to allow enough time for completion?

• Are monitoring and limitations in place for overtime worked, consecutive night shifts, shift swapping and on-call duties?

• Are jobs rotated to minimise exposure to extreme temperature and excessive mental or physical demands?

• Is fit-for-purpose plant, machinery and equipment used?

• Do people on site know what the procedures are and where the nearest emergency centre is?

• Is there a means of raising the alarm, and does it work?

• Is there a way to contact the emergency services from site?

• Are there enough suitable escape routes and are these kept clear?

• Are first aid arrangements good enough for the site, and is there someone available who can administer first aid if needed?

• Are they properly stored, eg are gas cylinders chained in position?

• Are flammable gas cylinders returned to a ventilated store at the end of the shift?

• Are smoking and other ignition sources banned in areas where gases or flammable liquids are stored or used?

• Are gas cylinders, associated hoses and equipment properly maintained and in good condition?

• When gas cylinders are not in use, are the valves fully closed?

• Is flammable and combustible waste removed regularly and stored in suitable bins or skips?

• Are suitable fire extinguishers provided?

Fire • Is the quantity of flammable materials, liquids and gases kept to a minimum?

Information courtesy of WorkSafe NZ.

THE DOMESTIC & SMALL COMMERCIAL GLASS EXPERTS

• Are workloads practical and manageable, with consideration given to any work flow changes (eg machinery breakdowns or unplanned absences)?

Alcohol and drugs • Is there a policy and procedure in place to constructively manage alcohol- and other drug-related hazards?

• Are workers monitored for signs of alcohol and drug use (eg dizziness, slurred speech, drowsiness, sudden aggressive or violent behaviour, lack of or impaired coordination/reflexes)?

OVER 40 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN THE INDUSTRY

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and earthmoving industries such as repairs to booms, diggers, bulldozers, right through to the big quarry dump trucks.

It also provides general and specialised engineering repair, rebuild and maintenance services in forestry, agriculture, mining, geothermal and oil and gas sectors.

Customers wanting welding specialists should look no further than Bertolli Engineering, which offers aluminium, stainless and carbon fabrication and welding, structural steel supply, fabrication and erection, and crane and labour hire.

Proof of satisfaction with the company’s skills and workmanship is Mo’s impressive list of New Zealand corporate customers. They include Ballance Agri-Nutrients, Mighty River Power, BHP Steel, Norske Skog, Hawkins Construction, Porter Group, McConnell Dowell, and Carter Holt Harvey.

“I take a huge amount of pride in every project undertaken whether it’s general engineering or commercial and industrial work or residential projects.

“No job is too small for us. Call us first to discuss your work. You’ll be pleased you did.”

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www.bertolliengineering.co.nz www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

Issue #111 - B&C | 53

Edge Protection 4U Roofing | Safety Netting | Edge Protection SAFETY NETTING A fall from a height is likely to result in a serious injury. By installing safety nets below a high-level work area, there is less likelihood that the person will be injured if they fall. Safety nets are collective fall arrest systems, not fall restraint systems. That is, they provide passive protection from falls while allowing people to work at height without restricting their movement.

EDGE PROTECTION – SINGLE STORY New or existing. Edge protection helps prevent people, tools and materials from falling around the perimeters of a work area and around openings. Edge protection is the preferred control for preventing falls from roofs on singlestorey buildings because it isolates multiple workers from the risk of a fall.

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DOORS • WINDOWS • CONSERVATORIES BALUSTRADING • HARDWARE Hastings Aluminium has been installing aluminium doors and windows in Hawkes Bay for over 30 years.

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Capital Environmental Services

Keeping the capital asbestos-free The issues with asbestos and associated diseases as a result of exposure have been well documented and acknowledged by health professionals for decades.

Capital Environmental Services Ltd is a Wellington-based laboratory which has specialised in asbestos testing and related services since the 1970s. “We provide testing, assessing and surveying services to the greater Wellington region including Kapiti/Horowhenua and the Wairarapa.

We receive samples for testing from all over New Zealand with many well-established clients from the Far North to Southland.

Our accredited testing includes asbestos in air and bulk materials, and total inhalable and respirable dust and respirable crystalline silica analysis for the private and public sectors,” says one of the owners, Jackie Herring.

buildings, multi storey, tenanted and privately owned properties. “We work with clients ranging from construction companies, commercial and residential property managers, corporate project managers, government departments, local authorities and the wider general public at all levels.”

The Asbestos Laboratory has been in existence since the 1970s, first within the National Health Institute, and later as part of the DSIR (Department of Scientific and Industrial Research) chemistry division. In 1996, the laboratory was privatised and became Capital Environmental Services Ltd, and is still located at the Callaghan Innovation Campus Gracefield.

"

We work across a range of sectors; residential and commercial carrying out testing, surveys and assessment services for property owners. The principals and standards are the same for both sectors, and our staff aim to encourage and promote asbestos awareness to ensure health is protected in all cases.

- CES co-owner, Jackie Herring.

“We work across a range of sectors; residential and commercial carrying out testing, surveys and assessment services for property owners. The principals and standards are the same for both sectors, and our staff aim to encourage and promote asbestos awareness to ensure health is protected in all cases.

“Members of the public frequently contact the laboratory for advice and services on asbestos in homes. We believe in providing quality services that demonstrate best practice, meet the requirements of legislation and internationally recognised standards, and are most importantly cost effective.”

Surveying of buildings in New Zealand has been occurring for many years, albeit nowhere near the scale at which they are occurring currently. There are many commercial buildings, dwellings and residential properties that are currently unsurveyed, thus there is likely to be asbestos yet to be identified.

CES has worked for multiple clients on many of Wellington’s well known commercial

"

CES is always on the lookout for individuals who have a passion for public and environmental health, are physically fit, and who are willing to work in a role that is not a typical nine to five.

“We welcome interest from individuals who are looking for a career in asbestos analysis and surveying. Full training will be provided.

Interested persons can contact us at the lab through our website.

“Meeting the needs of our clients and supporting our staff to manage the demands of their roles is most important to our company. The past two years have seen significant changes to the industry and building a team of passionate and committed staff has been a priority. We are committed to supporting the integrity and competencies of our team.

“While our services have grown and changed over the years our asbestos analysis has been carried out in accordance with standard laboratory methods since its establishment and we have successfully maintained our IANZ accreditation since 1996.”

Capital Environmental Services

Callaghan Innovation Campus, Gracefield Wellington 0800 422 552 www.fibres.co.nz

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www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

Issue #111 - B&C | 55

Green Way

Clear it away the green way Instead of just smashing structures down and sending them to the landfill, an eco-minded demolition and deconstruction company focus upon reusing and recycling materials, a mindset that has proven to be both financially and environmentally wise.

Auckland building services contractor Green Way also tackles anything from asbestos removal and management to concrete cutting, earth work and small civil packages says Green Way director Sebastian Jonsson, “We are very systems and customer service orientated, we offer high quality work, rather than just doing the job cheap and fast.”

The company started five years ago with eight staff and has grown to 100 today.

Sebastian puts the fast growth of Green Way down to the fact that both he and managing director Wayne Green already had many years' experience in the industry and were able to start with a strong client base.

Sebastian says working sustainably doesn’t take his crew longer. “It’s just more smart thinking. You get the right process on board and then it starts flowing naturally within the company. You save on

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QUALITY INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT FROM THE WORLD’S LEADING MANUFACTURERS

Many businesses regard safety as a cost. Green Way is not among them because their mantra is ‘a safe workplace is an efficient workplace’ – and that ‘people matter.’

Here’s why:

Demolition robot in action, crushing a concrete beam.

• Demonstrating their commitment to health and safety, they are • Everyone works better a member of New when they know Zealand Demolition they’re safe. That’s just and Asbestos common sense Association and Site • The steps needed Safe, and all staff to ensure a safe hold a current Site workplace are Safe Passport. disposal; and while doing good business you’re doing right for the environment.”

Innovative deconstruction solutions are often applied in their line of work.

“We did a lot of work at the TVNZ building. We basically took five floors of concrete up and made a new atrium. We did that together with Fletchers. We took all the floors out and used specialised machinery and there were a lot of constraints such as noise issues and water.

“That meant that we could not use conventional cutting equipment so we took some of our robotic machinery in so we could use the crusher to demolish the concrete within timeframes, but at the same time do it silently, due to noise controls around the live studios. We took out hundreds of tonnes of concrete within huge restraints. That was a very

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• They care about people and want to ensure that everyone comes home safely from work. It’s a bonus that that’s good for business too, by avoiding timeconsuming and costly accidents

closely aligned with many of the steps that contribute to efficiency: put tools away in their designated space, keep work areas clear, know how to use your tools, etc

interesting job and very successful.”

Another challenging job Green Way took on was the St Lukes' overbridge removal. They did asbestos control while the bridge was being taken down.

“It was built in the days where they often used boxing made of asbestos board and the boxing was still in place. So when the bridge was being cut the slurry became asbestos contaminated and we had to control the slurry.”

Green Way wasn't allowed to put scaffold up, or put anything underneath the bridge, so they came up with a system that they could install every night before the cutting started, and remove before the next morning when the motorway had opened.

They used an elevated work platform with a custommade trough which could self-seal underneath the bridge. The trough had water jets to control any dust and at the same time wash the underside of the bridge for slurry. The trough also captured all the water and slurry and then dispersed it directly into a slurry truck. The slurry was then disposed at a asbestos contaminated waste at a certified facility.

Green Way takes the health and safety of its staff seriously. They supply the best available personal protection equipment to a team who are trained to be safe. There is always

Specialised machinery at St Luke’s bridge removal. a qualified supervisor on site to ensure the team are working compliantly.

“With asbestos removal we are a fully licensed. We’re a class A and B contractor.

We’ve had huge experience and have done any asbestos removal you can imagine.

“We have a huge background of hazard control embedded in our risk management systems within the company, hence why we also have our standard solid policies and standard procedures. We are certified against two health and safety standards OHSAS 18001 AS/NZS4801, environmental standard ISO14001 and quality standard ISO9001, we’re really proud to hold these

accreditations. Everybody goes home from work as they came into work every day.”

Sebastian says the subcontractors they work with offer the same great services as Green Way. “We have a loyal pool of subcontractors.

We don’t change around.

They give us great service, not just with price, but in delivery, quality, and health and safety.”

Green Way

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Issue #111 - B&C | 57

Nikau Group

Strategic deconstruction and environmental remediation With more than 35 years’ experience in asbestos removal, Nikau Group is one of New Zealand’s most capable companies in the removal of asbestos and other hazardous materials.

Helina Stil, Nikau Group’s asbestos health and safety director, says since they started removing asbestos in the mid 1980s, they have been involved in some of New Zealand’s largest and most complex asbestos removal projects.

Removing friable and non-friable asbestos contamination from the Britomart Central Post Office, Auckland, was one such major project.

Taking a year, with 24 hour shifts, the demolition team were working in historical structures under asbestos conditions.

The project demanded stringent health and safety requirements, and the company received an OSH award in recognition of their achievement of maintaining these stringent health and safety standards in such a complex job.

entire building, rather than dividing the building up into smaller sections, as is the more usual approach.

Nikau took this decision to save the client time and money on what was a major job, and to make it easier for Nikau to manage the removal of the asbestos.

She says the job was further complicated because the power stations had been decommissioned in the early 1990s and about 25 percent of the structure had been removed.

This meant before they could start removing the asbestos, the company effectively had to rebuild parts of the power station.

Demolition of the Meremere Power Station was another project that presented its own unique problems.

Removing asbestos from Greenlane Hosptial, Auckland was another major job which presented unique challenges for Nikau. Not only in terms of the stringent health and hygiene requirements demanded when working in a medical facility, but in terms of working around the hospital’s schedule.

Asbestos remediation had been carried out several years prior to demolition. It had been done to the standard of the day, but that involved burying asbestos inside the cable tunnels in the turbine halls within the confines of the building.

One job involved removing asbestos from the cardiology department. They worked primarily after hours, but as Helina says, medical events don’t keep to a schedule, so often the team had to clear out at very short notice.

Helina says to remove the asbestos the company made the decision to enclose the

“This was a unique project. Working in a live hospital demanded extremely good

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With their extensive industry contacts they managed to reduce the time that contractors were arriving at sites with the correct equipment from up to two hours, to a matter of minutes.

Following the earthquakes, Nikau was involved in the demolition of major buildings around Christchurch, including the Government Life building on Latimer Square.

Helina says this building probably had the most asbestos she had ever come across. “It was all over the beams, the columns and the underside of the slabs, really nasty stuff.”

Removal took about 14 months, and was done under difficult conditions, with aftershocks still a regular occurrence.

Staff from Nikau also worked on the collapsed Pyne Gould Corporation building.

This building had pancaked, killing 18 people and leaving many trapped.

This involved major health and safety requirements to keep staff safe, and prevent uncontrolled collapse of the damaged building.

Nikau team members were involved in helping free trapped people, and in removing the bodies of people who had died in the building, which, as Helina says, was understandably a harrowing experience.

Helina says a lot of lessons were learnt in Christchurch about the need for stringent regulations around asbestos disposal and the use of qualified and experienced contractors.

Lessons which she hopes the industry as a whole will take on board.

T (09) 636 5917 admin@nikaugroup.com www.nikaugroup.com

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Class 1 & 2 pilots.

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Helina and her mother, Diane Stil, worked closely with Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) to get equipment and men to sites as quickly and as efficiently as possible to help save lives.

for the contractors. These are big burly guys who aren’t the sort to sit around and talk about their feelings, so it’s been a hard time for them. They needed a lot of support but they didn’t necessarily get it.”

Nikau Group

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Perhaps one of the hardest projects undertaken by Nikau, if only from an emotional point of view, was working in Christchurch in the immediate aftermath of the 2011 earthquake.

“There was a lot of psychological support in place for the USAR team, but nothing in place

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Issue #111 - B&C | 59

Paul Smith Earthmoving

Moving heaven and earth Having proven systems in place and focussing on delivery are just two parts of a winning formula for Paul Smith Earthmoving.

“Potential clients look at a company’s history and at its known attributes when they are considering giving that company a contract,” says Tony Moir, co-owner with Bruce Tinnelly of Paul Smith Earthmoving. “Over the past 17 years of operation we have built up an absolutely solid record for completing projects on time and to a high standard. The by-product of that record and of our size and expertise is that we gain more and more work.”

Paul Smith Earthmoving is an earthworks contractor specialising in a diverse range of services – excavation, track and road maintenance, landscaping, rock supply, landfill management, site clearance and demolition, house foundations, retaining walls, drain laying, water retention ponds, dairy conversions and truck and transport works.

The company’s client list is as diverse as its services list is long. Tony says this is testament to the company’s commitment to doing exactly what it says it will do.

Residential, commercial, forestry, farm and government clients have all benefitted from the expert skill and experience of this company.

With bases in Christchurch, Ashburton, Timaru and Greymouth, more than 180 permanent staff and a fleet of some 60 diggers, plus dozers, graders, scrapers, rollers, trucks and transport vehicles, Paul Smith Earthmoving is surely a long way towards achieving its goal of being recognised as the premier earthworks contractor in the South Island.

“Each year since 2002 we have grown, taken on new staff and bought new plant.

The growth has been because of necessity, because of the amount of work we have on our books. But at the same time it has been planned and controlled expansion – never any more than is sustainable at the time.”

Last year Paul Smith Earthmoving opened a base in Auckland which specialises in civil works, and has also expanded into Central Otago. “We currently have a number of projects on the go in Wanaka, Alexandra and Queenstown. We are doing sub-division works and residential landscaping, as well as drainage work for local councils.”

Paul Smith Earthmoving’s machinery is also highly visible in South Canterbury, especially in Twizel where it opened a new base in late March this year and in Tekapo. “Every day we will have two-three machines working around Tekapo doing residential landscaping or sub-division site clearance for the Mackenzie District Council.”

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The size of a job is irrelevant as far as this company is concerned. What is relevant is delivering and keeping clients happy. “Private residential landscaping work is about one third of our operation. On the other hand we are also involved with very large roading works for companies such as Downers and significant site works for irrigation schemes.

Preparing the ground for the laying of a 130km water pipeline network for Australian engineering group Monadelphous as part of the Amuri Irrigation Scheme near Culverden was a huge undertaking for us last year. The Kurow Duntroon Irrigation Company has also contracted us as part of the expansion of that system that runs south of the Waitaki River from Lake Waitaki to Duntroon.”

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P: 03 470 3252 | E: graham.helm@crombielockwood.co.nz | W: www.crombielockwood.co.nz 60 | B&C - Issue #111

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Paul Smith Earthmoving Keeping track of all their plant and staff requires the use of up-to-minute technology.

“We operate a plant asset management system across our whole fleet. It’s essentially a GPS tracking system that allows us to monitor routes, speed, hours, fuel efficiency and maintenance and it also helps us to manage our off-road kilometres."

There is further use of technological innovation within the business, with integrated survey and plant systems, which allow high levels of accuracy on technically challenging sites. “The software contains two and three dimensional design profiles and then uses GPS to control the relevant aspect, such as the blade, of the machine.”

It’s not only the company’s plant which is of the highest quality, but also its health and safety systems and procedures, clearly vital for an operation of this nature.

“We have several safety and compliance managers who work across our different bases. Our accreditations (quality ISO 9001, environmental ISO 14001, H&S AS/NZS 4801, OHSAs 18001 and ACC WSMP Tertiary) and pre-qualifications (SiteWise and Impac to the highest levels) show where we are at today, based on requirements to not only have systems, but to deliver to the standards set within these.”

All these accreditations are an assurance that customers will get a high-quality

"

No matter how large we may become we will always remain committed to our mission of delivering innovative earthwork solutions through customer-driven staff and technically advanced plant.

- Paul Smith Earthmoving co-owner, Tony Moir.

Paul Smith Earthmoving operates an extensive range of plant and machinery. Its fleet of trucks, trailers, dumpers and utilities ensures people, plant and machinery are moved in the most efficient manner.

“Bruce and I are hands-on decision-makers with respect to the procurement of new plant. We own everything outright; we don’t lease at all. We have a dedicated Capex budget for replacing gear and are continually upgrading our plant and machinery.”

"

and consistent service when using Paul Smith Earthmoving. This achievement is underpinned by the company’s five key values; customer focus, teamwork, innovative and creative solutions, service delivery, and a commitment to safety and the environment.

“No matter how large we may become we will always remain committed to our mission of delivering innovative earthwork solutions through customer-driven staff and technically advanced plant.”

That machinery includes 1.8 to 30-tonne excavators, graders, loaders and rollers, scrapers and dozers, as well as small plant such as plate compactors, breakers, water pumps and generators, meaning the company has the in-house supply to guarantee plant is available when and where it is needed to best service its clients.

“Our staff really enjoy the fact that they get to work with modern, up to date and wellmaintained equipment. It’s something of a recruitment benefit for us. We always need good people and, in return, we treat them well.”

Paul Smith Earthmoving admin@pse.co.nz www.paulsmithearthmoving.co.nz

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Issue #111 - B&C | 61

Reinforcing

8 Questions for Steel Users

BE AWARE: not all steel “product” certificates are the same.

How does the steel 'certification' scheme you are using fare in our simple '8 Question Test' ?

1. A) Is the certificate you are given actually product certification for steel?

Or, B) Is the certificate only for quality management systems (ISO 9001) and/or a laboratory test certificate?

2.A) If it is a product certificate for steel, is it for steel manufactured to AS/NZS standards for the product sizes and grades specified?

& New Zealand Standards they are assessing?

Or, B) Not? 6. A) Do the product certifier’s auditors visit and assess every production facility supplying to AS/NZS Standards, at least once every year?

Or, B) Not?

Or, B) Is the product certificate for steel meeting some other country’s standard, or even meeting no standard at all?

3. A) Can you see clearly that the product certificate covers the actual batches steel you have been supplied?

Or, B) Not? 4. A) Is the product certifier an expert body, specialising in construction steels supplied to Australian and New Zealand standards and specifications?

Or, B) Not? 5. A) Are the product certifier’s own auditors all technically qualified and experienced in the products, processes and the Australian 62 | B&C - Issue #111

7. A) Do the product certifier’s auditors select test samples during the site audit from typical production, conduct independent testing and analyse the results?

Or, B) Not? 8. A) Do the product certifier’s auditors check the supplier’s product conformity at multiple times throughout each year?

Or, B) Not? If you have steel supplied with ACRS steel product certification, then you have answered every question A) and have the best assurance of compliance to AS/NZS steel Standards.

If you answered B) for any question then you may be receiving steel that does not comply with Australian and New Zealand Standards.

www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

FAQ What do I need to do to minimise my risk in steel purchasing?

There’s a simple, industry-approved solution for steel compliance – just make sure the steel supplier is ACRS certified. That way you can be certain that the reinforcing and structural steels that you use comply with the requirements of the relevant Australian and New Zealand Standards What do I need to do to get ACRS Approved materials?

should check the ACRS certificates for the manufacturer and supplier instead.

What should I check?

Confirm from your supplier where it sources its steel and check at www.steelcertification. com that they are all certified by ACRS. Then simply check the ACRS reference on the bundle tags on your steel deliveries to make sure the products are from those sources.

Beyond checking the supplier’s ACRS certificate and tags, there’s no need for you to make any further checks on certified materials.

1. Specify the AS/NZS Standard (e.g. AS/NZS 4671 – Steel Reinforcing Materials, or AS/ NZS 3679.1 – Structural Steel – Hot rolled bars and sections)

• No more checking materials properties against technical specifications;

2. Specify the means of demonstrating compliance with point 1. The easiest and surest way is to specify ACRS certification.

Does ACRS certification add cost to steel?

What about test certificates, aren’t they the same thing?

No, they’re not. Test certificates from the supplier are simply a “snapshot” of the manufacturer’s own test results of the material on the certificate, not its regular supply. ACRS certification demonstrates independently that the supplier manufactures consistently to the Standards stated on the certificate. Unless you are going to check and validate every single test certificate against every delivery, you

• No more checking batch numbers against the test certificates.

No. Steel reinforcing producers have to do all the tests anyway and ACRS assessment costs are only a small addition to this. So there should be no difference in price. Non ACRSApproved steel may be found offered more cheaply, but that may be because it is nonconforming steel that is cheaper to make. Are you willing to take the risk?

For further information about the validity of certification for any materials being supplied into your project, please visit the ACRS website: www.steelcertification.com, or contact ACRS, +61 2 9965 7216.

Reinforcing

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Having confidence that all buildings and structures are being designed, specified and built using materials that conform with the relevant Australian and New Zealand Standards and Building Codes - irrespective of their country of origin - is of critical importance. After all, it doesn't matter how well a building or civil structure is built if a higher risk of structural failure is 'built in' by using non-conforming building products.

Don't end up with a 'rotten apple' - choose ACRS certified steels and have confidence that your construction steels conform with the relevant Standards.

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ACRS - Independent, Expert Third Party Certification & Verification of Reinforcing, Prestressing and Structural Steels for Compliance with Australian and New Zealand Standards www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

Issue #111 - B&C | 63

Reinforcing

Steel standards up for review New Zealand and Australia’s steel reinforcing standard is coming up for review, with a clearer paper trail planned that should make life easier for steel buyers.

Fletcher Steel metallurgist Bruce Roberts says the Steel Reinforcing Materials' standard is being reviewed by a committee, but the standard’s name may change to Steel for the Reinforcement of Concrete, to make its purpose clearer.

Bruce says most of the administration for the proposed changes is being done by Standards Australia, which is common for joint standards.

The standard’s review process should take around 18 months, including time for public feedback on the proposed changes. “You’ve got to call people from around the industry to meetings, and get public comment on new draft standards and then review that feedback. There’s a bit of process involved,” Bruce says.

in the standard which is informative, so you don’t actually have to meet it.”

That appendix is currently called ‘means for demonstrating compliance with this standard.’ It has been offering recommendations of what to look for to ensure that the product people were buying was meeting with the standards.

“This will probably become a compulsory part of the standard, rather than just providing advice,” Bruce says.

The current draft standard appendix clarifies how reinforcing steel suppliers need to demonstrate that reinforcing steel complies to the standard. Whether it’s by test certificates or by other forms of proof such as independent audits of a company that show the products being sold or manufactured to meet the standard, it would make it compulsory to supply this information along with the steel.

“There are no major changes to the reinforcing steel for New Zealand planned with this revision at this early stage of the process. The main driving force for the The changes will most impact suppliers of Australians wanting the revision is to clarify steel, but are relevant to final users because how to prove the product does conform to b&c Jan 18 half page_FA.pdf 1 31/01/18 it’s 4:10 goingPMto make it easier for them says the standard.

Currently there’s an appendix

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Freo AKL production - AS/NZS 4671 reinforcing bar fresh from the mill.

Bruce. This is because the onus would be on those suppliers and manufacturers to demonstrate that a product meets the standard, rather than the end user having to chase back and find out for themselves.

“For an end user that’s quite an important part of the standard, to be able to verify that

the steel you’re using actually does meet the standard as claimed, and how to do that is made clearer.”

In the past this was an issue for the industry, as it is for a lot of industries who seek to ensure a product meets a particular standard. “How do I know it meets that

Reinforcing compared to steel commonly used overseas.

Buildings will move in an earthquake and the reinforcing will stretch but not break, and therefore keep a building holding together," he says.

The public will be notified and invited to submit feedback on the draft standard, which should come out early next year.

“We will revise the document and that will go out for public comment. Anyone could and should comment if they want to – they’ll get an opportunity to submit through Standards New Zealand. All feedback gets reviewed by the committee,” Bruce says.

You can find out more about standards and how they work, and public comment and drafting on the Standards New Zealand or Standards Australia websites.

Quick Facts · The Steel Reinforcing Materials standards are also known as AS/ NZS4671 Part One. · The technical committee overseeing the revision process is called BD084.

Reo 3 Waterview - One more piece ready for the Waterview Connection. standard? It’s looking at making the suppliers and manufacturers provide a bit more information about the steel, so that people can have more confidence that is what it is.

“The actual materials that you’re getting won’t change because the properties of the steel remain the same. The part that is

proposed to be changing is the information provided to prove that the product meets the standard.”

In New Zealand, Pacific Steel supply the majority large share of the market. The remaining reinforcing steel is imported from similar manufacturing companies in Australia

12MM TO 50MM 500E REBAR MADE BY PACIFIC STEEL

and other parts of the world – such as Europe and South East Asia.

Bruce says in New Zealand we have particular requirements for reinforcing because of the seismic nature of our country.

Fletcher Steel Metallurgist Bruce Roberts 575 Great South Rd Auckland 1061 021 972 492 bruce.roberts@fletchersteel.co.nz

www.fletchersteel.co.nz

“New Zealand’s reinforcing steel has higher ductility requirements, so it stretches a lot

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Issue #111 - B&C | 65

Cement & Concrete

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66 | B&C - Issue #111

OUR COMMITMENT - YOUR SUCCESS

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Cement & Concrete

Concrete NZ seeks close partnership with Government Concrete NZ stands ready and prepared to work in partnership with the new Government on key issues in the concrete and wider construction industry.

That was an important message Concrete NZ delivered when it met recently with the new Labour-NZ First coalition Government. While the construction boom presents fantastic opportunities, there are also pressing challenges that have the potential to frustrate progress.

Concrete NZ is a recently-formed consolidated association which speaks with a strong, united and authoritative voice for the industry – one of the largest in the construction sector – employing more than 12,000 people in approximately 2000 businesses nationwide.

“Concrete NZ’s focus in the broader construction environment is to work towards optimising a resilient built environment that benefits all New Zealanders,” says Concrete NZ CEO, Rob Gaimster.

“There is much Government can do, in partnership with industry, to ensure New Zealand has quality infrastructure and housing,” Rob says.

Key issues on the table Concrete NZ’s government relations programme will cover five main areas: • The unintended consequences and regional impact of the Government’s Pro-Wood policy • The Auckland construction boom and supply constraints • The quality and compliance of building materials • The development of standards • The Government’s fees free initiative.

Unintended consequences of Pro-Wood Concrete NZ is concerned there will be unintended consequences of the Government’s Pro-Wood policy and if implemented the Government’s building programme could be disadvantaged in some instances by excluding safer, more cost efficient, and more durable material options.

It says concrete is a sustainable, durable and resilient building material and New Zealand is one of the global

leaders in designing and building earthquake-resilient concrete structures.

The industry seeks to be consulted if the Government decides to progress further with the policy.

Concrete is also the foundation material of choice for most new homes, offering affordable fire and earthquake resistance, and contributing to passive solar design.

“Concrete NZ strongly believes Government should operate in the public interest and ensure construction materials are selected on their own technical, cost, aesthetic and sustainability credentials and seeks a commitment from Government for this,” Rob says.

Concrete NZ believes that a policy specifying timber as the preferred material for the Government’s KiwiBuild programme – 100,000 new affordable homes in 10 years – could exclude other safer, more cost effective and durable options.

“It is important that first home buyers, given an opportunity to get on the property ladder through KiwiBuild, are not short-changed by mandated construction materials that may not be fit-for-purpose or are of poor quality,” Rob says.

Concrete NZ is also concerned about the impact on the regions of the policy because 70 percent of concrete production facilities are in the regions. And it points out that the wider concrete industry is a big employer of Māori and Pasifika people.

“We suspect a pro-wood strategy, that leads to a down-sizing of our industry, would affect employment in the regions,“ Rob says.

Auckland supply constraints Auckland’s building boom has placed considerable pressure on building products including ready mixed and precast concrete, and other factors like traffic congestion, restrictive delivery times and a truck driver shortage are aggravating that.

Concrete NZ is seeking access to bus lanes for ready-mix concrete delivery and a relaxation of the restrictive delivery windows for residential developments to allow delivery earlier and later in the day. It would also like to see truck drivers on Immigration New Zealand’s skills shortage list.

“Concrete NZ seeks to understand Government’s position on this issue, and its assistance to progress discussions with the relevant authorities to enable the concrete industry to better serve the increasing demand for its product across the key Auckland construction market,” Rob says.

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Issue #111 - B&C | 67

Cement & Concrete Building materials' quality The Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is considering introducing a product assurance framework for building products and materials following recent concerns about cheaper and inferior products, mostly from overseas.

The concrete industry already has its own long-standing verification schemes, audited by independent third parties. They are a Plant Certification Program for precast concrete plants and a ready mixed concrete Plant Audit Scheme.

“Concrete NZ seeks ministerial support for independent third-party audited verification, including industry-led assessment schemes,” Rob says.

“We welcome engagement with MBIE to demonstrate our rigorous verification schemes already in place.”

Standards development Concrete NZ is asking for a ministerial review of the NZ Standards development process for construction-related joint standards, and increased Government-funding for updating standards deemed important to the New Zealand Building Code (NZBC).

An issue is Standards Australia introducing ‘participation fees’ of up to $32,000 for New Zealand representation on joint standards committees where Australia holds the secretariat.

In the past year only 19 joint standards were successfully funded from a suite of 89. For

example, the steel reinforcing standard has been “de-jointed” meaning New Zealand now has little influence over its ongoing review though it is cited in the NZBC. Concrete NZ says the industry associations do not have the budgets for participation fees, and standards are being de-jointed because there is no equitable moneyraising mechanism. It argues the Building Levy should fund the construction-related standards.

The other issue is the age of some standards.

Concrete NZ broadly supports MBIE’s Building Systems Performance’s (BSP) longterm funding projection and programme for standards' considered most important to the NZBC. The industry will look to fund 15 (of 25) cement and concrete standards which are not in the BSP programme. However, the Standards development process and funding mechanism is onerous and unfair on the industry, it says.

Fees free initiative Concrete NZ is concerned that only seven of 13 BCITO concrete-based qualifications are eligible for the Government’s “fees free” policy for first-time tertiary students because the qualifications fall short of the 120 credits criteria. That means in the regions many students including Maori and Pacific Island students will not be eligible for free fees when regional development is a Government priority.

“Concrete NZ urges the Government to raise this inequity with the Minister of Education and advocate that all concretebased qualifications become eligible for ‘fees free’ support. This aligns with the focus on investing in education as a priority and that skills development for the construction sector is crucial,” Rob says.

Concrete NZ

PO Box 448 Level 4, 70 The Terrace Wellington 6140 P +64 4 499 8820 www.concretenz.org.nz

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0800 4 ALLIED 0800 4 255 433

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68 | B&C - Issue #111

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Cement & Concrete

Make a statement with stylish, practical concrete Polished concrete is the ideal flooring surface for today’s busy family life, offering warmth in winter, coolness in summer and providing stylish good looks that are designed to last for many years to come.

Concrete Grinding NZ Ltd can supply all your residential, commercial and retail concrete grinding and polishing services throughout the North Island.

The company has offices in Northland, Auckland and Hawkes Bay, and specialises in grinding and polishing concrete services to the highest quality finish available.

Concrete flooring ideal in every home General manager Luke Moncur says polished floors have become increasingly popular in recent years, as homeowners come to realise its many benefits.

“There is a growing trend towards concrete flooring. It can be done in smaller areas like an entrance way to add a bit of character to your home, or throughout the whole house; it comes down to people’s taste,” he says.

“Concrete is so hard wearing. It’s low maintenance and you won’t have to replace it in four or five years; that’s what people are attracted to.”

While some homeowners choose to put underfloor heating under their concrete floors, Luke says it is not necessary as concrete breathes and has thermal properties, absorbing heat and offering warmth in the winter and coolness in the summer.

Grinding and polishing services: Concrete Grinding NZ offers a range of high-quality products and services, including: • Grind and polish: concrete is ground to the expected aggregate exposure level and polished to the desired sheen level

Quality is a huge focus for the team at Concrete Grinding NZ, who work closely with clients to ensure their expectations are met.

A wide range of finishes can be achieved, including polish with little-to-no aggregate exposure for that industrial look, salt and pepper for a rustic finish, through to a deep grind and polish with full aggregate exposure.

In addition to its residential work, the company also does a large amount of commercial and retail flooring for large national companies.

“We complete many high-profile retail projects for the likes of Burnsco, Freedom Furniture, Torpedo 7 and major

property developers, including floor prep, maintenance and crack repairs,” Luke says.

“With our skill sets we can offer diverse solutions to most problems. We have the experience and ability to tackle difficult projects that a lot of people would tend to walk away from. This includes redoing flooring at night for stores that wish to remain open under tight timeframes.”

Concrete Grinding NZ Limited

027 210 2025 (Luke Moncur) luke@grindingnz.co.nz www.grindingnz.co.nz

• Grind and seal: concrete is ground to the expected aggregate exposure level and sealed with a topical coating • Block honing: in-situ hollow concrete block honing and sealing • Eco-wave: a new method of coatings removal, prepping/ etching concrete, steel and other materials • Floor preparation and repairs: a full range of floor preparation and repair services, including uplifting and removing old flooring and undertaking crack repairs.

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•

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Issue #111 - B&C | 69

Brick & Block

New association lays foundations for future A new national trade association for brick and blocklayers is helping scores of small operators to run their businesses more professionally and more profitably.

rainy seasons and work downturns while enabling small businesses to manage work flow trends. It also contains some step-bystep instructions, should employment issues occur,” she says.

NZMTA members can now also get good deals on certain important work items.

Last year BBFNZ and NZMTA got together with specialists to recommend the best respiratory gear to protect members from silica dust.

The New Zealand Masonry Trade Association (NZMTA) was formed last year from the amalgamation of 14 regional associations who decided pooling their resources and forming one national organisation was the best way to support and improve the operations of the many businesses in the brick and blocklaying trades.

BBFNZ is introducing a Master Masonry Scheme which is a mark of quality that a masonry business possesses a high level of competency. A business will be assessed on its technical skills, paper work and documentation systems to receive the quality mark.

"

“It tells members of the public and other contractors who the skilled and competent businesses in the industry are and who is operating professionally,” Melanie says.

As an industry, we recognised that we needed to start helping our brick and blocklayers form professional, compliant, profitable businesses that train apprentices and deliver quality building systems.

- BBFANZ CEO, Melanie McIvor.

"

To raise the skills and standards, NZMTA has introduced training courses and templated documents such as terms of trade, contracts for homeowners, quality control checklists and employment resources to help business owners get to grips with their responsibilities in running a business.

Its members are craftsmen and masonry businesses right around the country who want to improve their skills and knowledge and lift their game, for the good of their own business and for the reputation of the industry as a whole.

NZMTA is a member of the industry grouping, the Brick and Blocklayers Federation (BBFNZ), which has driven and supported the formation of NZMTA and worked with it to bring these training courses, legal and regulatory information and advice and business training to members.

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She encourages brick and blocklayers to visit the BBFNZ website and check out the best practice guidelines.

BBFNZ chief executive Melanie McIver says, “As an industry, we recognised that we needed to start helping our brick and blocklayers form professional, compliant, profitable businesses that train apprentices and deliver quality building systems.”

“To do this, we need to lift the employment skills of our businesses. The employment agreement is written specifically with our smaller businesses in mind.

“It contains clauses to enable flexibility of managing workers, especially through

NZMTA in conjunction with BBFNZ offers six seminars a year which can be attended in person by members or viewed online.

The seminar topics include; understanding regulations applying to their businesses and how to comply with them, the responsibilities of contract law and their obligations to various parties they contract with, how to handle difficult customers, how to manage staff, and what are the training needs of staff?

NZMTA also provides document templates central to running a masonry business, such as a permanent employee employment agreement.

“We would like to encourage, as an industry, a fair working environment that will attract young people to help us continue the trade,” Melanie says.

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70 | B&C - Issue #111

“We are finding a few issues around workmanship coming up.

The best practice guidelines will help brick and Brick and blocklayers Blocklayers Federation refresh their of New Zealand knowledge PO Boz 50-137 and find out Porirua 5230 if they are info@bbfnz.co.nz still meeting their responsibilities.”

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MasterMix and Packaging Limited Mix high quality concrete products with experts in the field and your construction project is solid gold.

MasterMix and Packaging Limited strives to provide the highest quality concrete products by continually making improvements to its products, while providing top notch customer service.

When you discuss your project with the qualified and experienced team, you know you’re getting sound advice; and have confidence you will complete your job to the highest of standards.

Waterproof and fire motar mixes Waterproofing systems and membranes Fast setting and acid-resistant mixes High strength culvert bags and road sign retaining bags Products for sewer repairs and water treatment

The business has been delivering some of the best performing concrete solutions since 1997 to customers right across New Zealand and the Asia Pacific region, and is committed to ensuring it is the concrete solution of choice.

Whatever your construction project, large or small, there is a wide range of products that will last the test of time and won’t break the bank, including premixed bagged rapid setting and 15 minute products, concrete products, to a range of specialised concrete products. If you’re looking for a tailor-made solution, MasterMix and Packaging can deliver to suit your specification.

The team at MasterMix and Packaging recognises the future for concrete products is innovation. Therefore, the continual innovation and progressive development of materials that are designed to be the best in the market is key. This means the business is building its credibility as a specialist in its industry and is testament of its commitment to offer the most up-to-date products to create more value for its customers.

Call MasterMix today to discuss your project, or to get a free quote on all your concreting needs.

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Issue #111 - B&C | 71

Steel Construction

Dr Troy Coyle joins HERA as its new CEO

WE ARE DEDICATED TO THE SAFETY OF YOUR STAFF, CONTRACTORS AND THE PUBLIC. With more than 50 years’ experience in the construction sector we are well aware of the needs of the industry. This means we realise how important the safety of your best asset – your staff – is to you and your company’s future.

So, as a local company servicing New Zealanders in the construction industry, we are committed to the safety of your staff.

And when you deal with us you’re dealing with the owner, which means you receive a superior and speedy service – every time.

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capability, however, Troy was the standout for the position. The role is rather demanding as we are not only a research provider but also an industry association requiring a multitude of skills and Troy ticks all of the boxes.

"Troy is no stranger to HERA as she has served on the HERA executive for four years, she was elected deputy chair last year, and now joins us as HERA’s first female CEO. During her time on the executive level she has contributed a great deal to the association including leading the way in setting up the framework for HERA’s future strategy and governance.

Article courtesy of HERA.

“The challenge for HERA now is to continue ‘Innovation in Metals’ and fulfil our mission to be the catalyst for innovation for our members. Being industry owned, HERA is in a unique position to influence this and Troy’s qualifications and experience will bring fresh energy to this endeavour.

Troy has strong leadership and communication skills and has great experience formulating policies and getting key messages across the line.

“I would also like to acknowledge Wolfgang’s exceptional dedication and contribution to the development of HERA and our industry over the last 31 years.

HERA executive chairman Mike Lehan says, “Following the announcement at the Metals Conference that HERA director Dr Wolfgang Scholz was retiring after some 17 years of service, it was great to see that there was a high level of interest for the position.

“We are fortunate that Wolfgang, although entitled to retire owning a gold card and wanting more time to his hobbies and family, looks forward for a change in direction for the association and has offered to be available for ‘special’ projects – something we all greatly appreciate.”

“All of the candidates were of exceptional quality and showed a high degree of

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Troy comes to us with extensive experience in innovation, research management and product development, most recently as head of innovation and product development, and Pacific Islands' export manager at New Zealand Steel. She has also held numerous positions and roles with the Australian parent company BlueScope Steel and within the Australian university and Government systems.

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Issue #111 - B&C | 73

Weathertightness

Improving indoor air quality control WE ARE DEDICATED TO THE SAFETY OF YOUR STAFF, CONTRACTORS AND THE PUBLIC. With more than 50 years’ experience in the construction sector we are well aware of the needs of the industry. This means we realise how important the safety of your best asset – your staff – is to you and your company’s future.

So, as a local company servicing New Zealanders in the construction industry, we are committed to the safety of your staff.

And when you deal with us you’re dealing with the owner, which means you receive a superior and speedy service – every time.

Our extensive construction knowledge ensures we understand local compliance issues and we realise how critical your deadlines are and we guarantee to be on time – check out our Secureguarantee.

Secureguarantee • We guarantee to beat any written quote by 10% • We guarantee to return all quotes within 48 hours otherwise you will receive the first week rental FREE of charge!

We all want healthier, safer and more energy-efficient homes to live in. The leaky homes' crisis of the mid 1990s and early 2000s shone the spotlight on New Zealand’s low building standards and forced a national review of the weathertightness and durability of our residential buildings.

The focus a decade later is still on weathertightness but also on other factors interlinked and crucial to healthy homes. One of those is the complex issue of indoor air quality control.

As Nick Gaites, director of Reveal Building Consultants and executive member of the Institute of Building Surveyors explains, New Zealand traditionally built homes that were generally uninsulated until the mid-1970s.

Since then building standards have risen with an emphasis on a minimum of insulation in the homes. The arrival of monolithic claddings to the market that led to the leaky building crisis, also brought with them greater airtightness.

Increasingly as our homes have become better sealed from the outside environment, indoor pollutants and moisture produced in the home are trapped inside and this has caused a fall in the indoor air quality.

Other pollutants can include tiny particles from cooking, mould spores and chemicals released by building materials.

In the pre-monolithic cladding days, homes were ventilated naturally through air movement through the cladding system and the draughts around windows, doors and floors but higher airtightness has reduced that natural ventilation markedly.

“To take a big leap and significantly improve the health and liveability of our homes we need to focus on getting control over the amount of air changes in our homes, install more than the minimum of insulation, have quality energy-efficient heating systems and adequate, controlled ventilation,” Nick says.

It’s a challenge to get this balance of air changes, ventilation, insulation and heating right and that’s compounded by our mixed climate and by the difference in our climates throughout the country, he says.

Of course, with new homes it’s easier to future proof because they can be designed to include the optimum combination of heating, insulation and ventilation.

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74 | B&C - Issue #111

www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

www.technoinsulation.com

Weathertightness But to retrofit existing properties affordably with these systems is the challenge for many New Zealanders. And often these dwellings are rental properties, though not exclusively.

Substandard buildings are common in New Zealand.

Nick says until legislation requires measurable standards for air changes and indoor air quality, it will be very difficult to achieve greater indoor air quality across the board in New Zealand. It’s feasible, he says, that has happened in the US, provisions for indoor air quality could be driven by legal challenges just as the leaky homes crisis drove changes to the building code

around the weathertightness of the building envelope.

A standard developed for indoor air quality in the United States specifically for residences that's regularly updated is an excellent model to follow, Nick says. The ASHRAE 62.2 standard defines the roles of, and minimum requirements for, mechanical and natural ventilation systems, and the building envelope intended to provide acceptable indoor air quality in low-rise residential buildings.

ASHRAE is a global society advancing human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment. The society and its

members focus on building systems, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration and sustainability within the industry and through research, standards writing, publishing and continuing education, strive to improve the built environment.

When Australia reviews its building code next year, Nick says, it is expected that indoor air quality and airtightness provisions will be included. And at some stage New Zealand would be likely to follow. There were already groups in the building sector lobbying for indoor air quality standards to be raised.

Recently two United States' building science experts, Dr Max Sherman and Dr Iain Walker from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, visited Auckland and were hosted

by Pro Clima, a manufacturer of air and

weathertightness patented building systems, to talk about the US experience with indoor air quality control.

Nick attended on behalf of the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors, a national body of professional building consultants who have extensive knowledge and experience in construction and building related matters.

Nick says the message from the US experts was that the higher standards in the United States for indoor air quality, modelled or based on ASHRAE 62.2, have delivered huge benefits, not only healthier indoor environments but savings in national health spending. The US experts said houses are deemed uninhabitable if 20˚ can’t be maintained – "imagine that in NZ!"

Distribution unit for a ventilation system.

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www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

Issue #111 - B&C | 75

Leaky, rotting homes: The untold story A recent publication by Dana Limited, Rotten to the Core: The Inside Story of New Zealand’s Looming Leaky Home Catastrophe, concludes that New Zealand is in the grip of a “leaky home catastrophe”.

The publication says the “leaky homes”, or better called the “rotting timber homes” catastrophe may cost New Zealand home owners $50 billion to $100 billion.

The cause of this was the decision in 1995 by New Zealand Standards to approve the use of untreated radiata pine as framing timber in houses and apartments.

As early as 1952 a major national inquiry into wood treatment concluded that treatment of radiata pine framing timber with boron should be mandatory to protect houses from insects and more importantly decay by fungi. And so it was for an unbroken period of more than 40 years.

But then a four-year propaganda campaign was waged by some wood processing/treatment

companies to change the wood treatment standards.

This was in spite of several meetings and seminars from 1991 to 1995, at which internationally-renowned timber scientists and timber treatment specialists pleaded with the industry and government not to take this step. All their pleas were ignored or, worse, totally discredited.

Inexplicably, the government approved the new standard despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

Almost 400,000 houses ended up with all or partially untreated timber house framing in them, until the standards were finally changed back to fully treated radiata pine framing in 2011. All are at heightened risk of their timber rotting at some stage – if it has not already.

Fast forward to 2018, when the timber treatment standards have again been reviewed proposing to reduce the amount of boron preservative in framing timber.

Another catastrophe in the making?

ROTTEN TO THE CORE The Inside Story of New Zealand’s Looming

Leaky Home catastrophe DANA’s startling new Book/Review: What caused most of the carnage? Was it preventable?

Who tried to stop the Rot? Who ignored their pleas?

Who covered it up? Who is accountable?

Why is New Zealand still in denial and at what cost? $30 Billion or $100 Billion? You decide.

For a brochure or to order online go to:

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EnviroWaste

Doing your dirty work for you Having waste removed from your building or worksite when you need it is a key part of project management for most builders and contractors.

For those working in the Tauranga region, EnviroWaste Tauranga offers the flexibility required to dispose of waste on all commercial sites.

EnviroWaste provides collection services for any size business for residual waste, recyclables, clean fill and hard fill.

Tauranga branch manager Tony Rodger says EnviroWaste provides a range of services for builders and contractors, including skips.

“We have skips ranging from 3m to 9m, which are available within our geographic area from Waihi-Matamata to Te Puke,” he says.

“Skips can be on-site for the duration of the build and we work with some of the

larger building companies and towns.

We know what we are doing, and we have been doing it for some time.”

EnviroWaste has a large number of skips readily available at any one time, including gantry bins which are opentop skips and are ideal for building sites.

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Issue #111 - B&C | 77

TM Consultants

Solving problems with bespoke engineering A Christchurch based engineering firm has grown from three to 65 staff over the past eight years, and put their success down to their small, friendly boutique culture.

TM Consultants, managing director, Mike Baker, says they offer a “bespoke service,” with a flexibility that means they’re able to respond quickly to all needs – from small to big jobs.

The company offers building services and structural consultancy. Basically, Mike says, their key role is to solve problems.

“How are we going to make this building stand up? How much is it going to cost? It’s quite a practical job, but we also focus very heavily on the cost to install, which would be capex, and the cost to run, which would be opex.”

Due to a tightening up of local government building policy nationwide, TM designs a lot of seismic systems.

The new Spark building in Cathedral Square which has siphonic drainage designed by TMCo. “What used to happen is that engineers would make sure that the contractors designed seismic systems for their services. So, if you were doing air conditioning design or ceilings or cable trays, the contractor would have to make sure that it was seismically restrained. In a big earthquake, you don’t want an air conditioning unit falling on you. The building code requires seismic restraint.

“Lately, the councils have reviewed their position and they prefer that the seismic design is picked up on the consent plans rather than by the contractor during construction.

We’ve got two specialist engineers who do that, one of whom was previously a mechanical services contractor, so he knows how to put these things together, he knows how to design something that will be buildable, but for a considerably lower cost than what others might be doing.”

For clients with a large sized footprint, TM are experts in siphonic drainage. “Let’s say you go to The Warehouse.

Outside The Warehouse are many downpipes. You might get 12 in one building, and they’re quite large. Those down pipes hit the ground and you’ve got to bury them and take them out to the council stormwater line.”

In this instance, with siphonic drainage, you could get away with one or two downpipes at one end of the building closest to the council main, says Mike, saving a lot of money. TM saved one particular client – who built a twelve thousand square metre, seven stories high building – $23,000.

The engineering consultants at TM provide specialist consulting engineering solutions including: • Structural • Fire safety • Mechanical • Hydraulic • Electrical • Energy and sustainable design • Civil • Green Star and NABERSNZ.

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There are three main siphonic drainage suppliers in New Zealand and all three use TM to do their design.

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Misco Joinery

Bringing dream kitchens to life Dreaming of a new kitchen? Misco Joinery specialises in creating quality kitchens at an affordable price.

The Christchurch company provides the full service, from design and creation through to installation throughout Christchurch, Canterbury and the West Coast. The staff pride themselves on providing excellent customer service and will always endeavour to accommodate clients’ needs.

This approach has seen the 30-year-old company thrive, and a new 3500sqm purpose-built showroom and factory completed in Kaiapoi in 2017 is a reflection of this success.

At the factory, customers can wander around a showroom that showcases the latest products and ideas for kitchens, as well as designs for laundry and study areas, and wardrobe storage.

“All of our kitchens are made from moisture resistant MDF from the Aqualine range, finished with laser edging (a glueless edging), and all drawers are soft closing using European Grass hardware,” says marketing manager Penny Abell.

Stylish laminate and stone bench tops are well priced, as are all their products. “Quality at an affordable price is our core belief.”

A family owned and operated business, Misco Joinery first opened its doors in 1988. After completing his apprenticeship, founder director Michael Chernishoff set up business behind the family home, producing and installing kitchens and joinery for houses built by his father. Director Glenn Colenso, Michael’s brother in law, joined the business 20 years ago.

With today’s advanced technology and state of the art machinery at the new factory, productivity has increased.

Misco Joinery’s customers range from providing kitchens for trade builders, to commercial companies and private clients.

“We still work predominantly within the residential market, although over the last 18 months we have started to carry out some work within the commercial market.

We can create, manufacture and install your dream kitchen at an affordable price.

PHONE 03 383 4384

www.misco.co.nz

“We worked with some large home builders prior to the earthquakes and as their business grew and developed so did ours. We are now working in the Auckland market as well for these companies. We ship fully assembled kitchens up to Auckland on a weekly basis and have our own team of installers up there.

“Since the earthquakes we have certainly grown and this enabled us to build our factory to continue that growth.

The earthquakes have enabled us to improve the quality of kitchens that we can offer our clients due to our strong buying position.”

Titus

Stefano Orlati

Stefano Orlati are leading suppliers of Designer Cabinet Handles, LED Lighting Titus Tekform Drawers and Hinges and General Hardware.

Emphasis is placed on providing a comprehensive range of high quality stylish products that conform with the latest trends.

At the new factory, kitchens are drawn and optimised on computers and the information is fed to a robotic CNC machine, which cuts and drills all the board without any human hands involved. “The pieces are then assembled in our factory by our craftsmen and installed by our own people too.”

With a low staff turnover, Misco Joinery employs 47 people, including staff who have been with the company a very long time and seen it grow. The company also develops and encourages staff members to grow with the company, and has helped a number of staff members to gain joinery qualifications.

Although the factory was completed last year, the land was bought 12 years ago. Construction was held up because of first, a recession, and then the earthquakes.

Built of concrete blocks and lightweight speedwall to resist earthquake activity, Misco Joinery’s new factory provides another tool with which the company Misco Joinery can continue providing fine 62 Williams Street craftsmanship to its clients.

Kaiapoi (03) 383 4384 info@misco.co.nz www.misco.co.nz

Proud supporters of Misco Joinery

Our carefully selected product range encompasses inspiration for your vision and innovative solutions. It’s our aim to exceed expectations by providing all our valued customers with unparalleled service and supply.

162 Wordsworth Street,Sydenham, Christchurch Phone: 03 981 8518 Web: www.stefanohardware.com www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

Issue #111 - B&C | 79

If you just wing each interview, the direction, tone and outcome of each conversation can vary wildly, making it more difficult to compare candidates to each other. The outcome of this can be that, despite spending all that time interviewing people, to a certain extent, you’re still none the wiser.

Then, the chances are, when it comes to deciding who to hire, you’re going to go with your gut, as you won’t reliably be able to compare one answer to another because you didn’t ask each candidate a few standard questions you can compare them by.

So, a little planning can go a long way towards helping you make an informed and considered choice of who to hire, as opposed to just sitting down with each individuals, having a completely random chat, and then hoping you get it right.

Mistake 2

- Overvaluing experience

It is risky to bet too heavily on how much experience a person has, when there are so many factors that determine whether someone will be successful in the role and a good fit for your organisation.

An applicant’s skills, knowledge, aptitude and personality all factor into the equation.

Because experience is a tangible and measurable component, it is very easy to overvalue it above less easily measurable factors such as intelligence, drive, and other components of raw talent.

Experience accumulates with time in the role and skills can be learned and acquired.

Hiring new employees is not an easy process.

You’ve got to wade through a mountain of applications, weed out the few you’re interested in and then interview all the candidates – all while still running your company.

But if you want your company to grow, you need to hire the right people.

You need people that are not only right for the now but can also help you move the business towards bigger and better things in the future.

This is especially so for smaller businesses and startups because they have fewer employees and a limited income with which to work.

Your next great employee might be someone with limited experience, but who has fantastic aptitude and flexibility.

Placing too much stock on a heavy list of qualifications in your job description, or only considering applicants with x amount of experience and not considering other factors, means you might be turning a blindeye to someone better suited to the role and your company’s culture.

However, this is a double-edged sword and there is a flip side.

If you’re looking to hire someone without any experience in the hope of finding someone cheaper – you might be buying into a false economy.

Ignoring a candidate with what you consider to be necessary experience in the hope of saving a few thousand dollars a year by hiring an unproven person, might not actually save you anything, due to the amount of on-the-job training and potentially decreased productivity the less experienced employee will deliver.

So, as with all aspects of running your business, you need to find a balance.

For these companies every single dollar they spend on finding and hiring an employee can affect their longer term success, meaning it’s vital that they avoid making major mistakes while hiring.

But it definitely pays to consider more than just the experience a candidate comes with.

You want someone with the potential to grow into the perfect for your company.

But the trouble is that running a small business is hard work and there often simply isn’t the time to commit to a thorough hiring process; and as result, corners get cut.

Mistake 3

The good news is that your competitors are probably making these mistakes whilst hiring as well. This means there’s an opportunity for you to seize; to waste less time and money by hiring right so you can get back to running your company.

This is a common mistake many small business owners make.

Mistake 1

- Not having an interview plan

The single biggest hiring mistake small business owners make is winging it or not having an interview plan. At best they’ll have a few questions written down on a piece of paper, but little else.

You need to treat an interview like a deductive science. You’ve sorted through all the resumes and selected the best individuals to be interviewed – but now you need a better way of evaluating their suitability for the role than just having a chat and going with your gut.

You achieve this by having an interview plan.

- Assuming the hiring process ends once they’re hired

An employee’s productivity is comprised of 50 percent ability [the reasons you hired them], and 50 percent of what happens once they’re in the workplace.

So conducting a good interview, offering that promising person the job and them saying ‘yes’ is only half the task.

Employees need to be properly induced and introduced to your company, well trained and supported.

It doesn’t matter how impressed you are with someone’s potential – poor training, insufficient access to resources, and little feedback will add up to poor job satisfaction and this will impact their performance.

So recruitment doesn’t stop at the ‘welcome aboard’ handshake – you need to make sure they are introduced, trained and supported every step of the way.

First – decide what questions are the most important, and ask them to each candidate.

IL

OUR D Y O W

N

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If you would like to talk to one of our consultants about your recruitment needs, please contact us on

(03) 943 9505 | 022 648 5960 | info@nzrecruit.co.nz

www.nzrecruit.co.nz 80 | B&C - Issue #111

www.buildersandcontractors.co.nz

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This doesn’t have to be an iron-clad, exactly repeatable process – but it does need to have some consistency to it so you can accurately assess candidates’ answers in relation to each other.

BU

Second – know what answers you’re looking for. Then you can assess each answer objectively and place candidates in pecking order.

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Issue #111 - B&C | 81

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