Building - GD Frost and Son / B&D Construction
Firm makes start in commercial sector Kelly Deeks
GD Frost and Son specialises in high-end architecturally designed homes.
Company’s skills in demand Karen Phelps Post-earthquake the services of Christchurchbased building company GD Frost and Son have been in demand to help repair colonial style homes in the region. Company director Mitch Frost says that the company has just completed the rebuild of a home at Darfield destroyed by the first earthquake. GD Frost and Son initially went in and removed any colonial features that could be included in the new build such as doors, feature windows and a decorative staircase. The home was then destroyed and rebuilt from the ground up using modern day construction practices and materials while still retaining the colonial look and feel of the home. Frost Building replicated the original panel ceilings and walls. The staircase was reinstated using traditional timber dowel joinery rather than the modern method of nailing and screwing. Mitch says the build aptly demonstrated the company’s high levels of craftsmanship. The project, which took nine months, won a gold award in the 2012 New Zealand Master Builder House of the Year awards in the category of new home builds $60,000 - $1m. GD Frost and Son was started by Mitch’s father Garry in the mid-1980’s. Garry, who previously operated a building company in Australia, now brings nearly 50 years’ experience to GD Frost and Son.
Mitch carried on the family tradition completing his apprenticeship with the company and has now worked for GD Frost and Son for 20 years becoming a partner in the company around 10 years ago. GD Frost and Son specialises in high end architecturally designed homes and has carved out a niche in this market due to its considerable expertise. Both Mitch and Garry are hands on directors taking overall responsibility for contracts providing one point of contact for clients. “We keep each other up to speed on each other’s jobs so that we can ever take over if need be,” says Mitch. “We also have good foremen. It’s important to have tight control of each project so we can maintain extremely high levels of quality control.” The company employs eight staff and works Canterbury-wide. GD Frost and Son has won a number of Master Builder House of the Year awards for its work taking out gold with every entry the company has ever submitted to the panel of judges. The company is also a member of the New Zealand Certified Builders Association. “We offer true craftsmanship as well as a very personal approach to building. “We thrive on the challenges of building older style homes and consistently producing high quality work. “That’s how we’ve got to where we are today as second generation builders.”
Christchurch’s B&D Construction is working on a project that marks a move forward for the company into the commercial construction sector. Until now, the company has mainly focused on new builds of architecturally designed homes, and for the past three years, larger earthquake insurance repairs. “The market is changing,” says one of the company’s directors Nick Preston. “Some building companies have moved on to the next tier, creating opportunities for medium-sized residential construction companies to move into the commercial sector.”
B&D Construction stands in good stead to make this move, and is drawing on its colonial-style restoration expertise for a current project, which involves turning a run-down old villa containing four flats into a high spec executive-style apartment complex. B&D Construction was originally established four years ago by Darrin Bruce and Scott Davidson, and now includes Preston as a third director. Contracts manager Bruce is a licensed building practitioner with 20 years of construction experience, both in New Zealand and overseas. A qualified carpenter and joiner, he has had extensive experience working with historic buildings, such as Culzean Castle
B&D Construction is making a move into the commercial construction sector.
CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS Proud to support B & D Construction Ltd 21A Main North Road, Christchurch Phone 03 352 1076, Email janet@jcl.org.nz
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