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BUILDING» Craig Ryan Builders
August 2016 Business Central
Craig’s firm continuing to grow Sue Russell While Craig Ryan Builders based in Hamilton has been in existence for a decade, the owner’s building experience stems back to undertaking an apprenticeship at Wintec when he first left school. According to Craig though, with his father a plumber, it feels as though he has always been around building sites. “I used to tag along with Dad on his jobs so I’ve always been around building projects,” Craig says. In the past five years the company has grown massively to the point now where Craig is boss to 14 chippies including two apprentices. The busy builder whose company offers a wide range of building services to clients including complete new home builds, alterations and additions, decks, fencing and outdoor structures, retaining walls through to light commercial to name just a few, says he always intended to evolve capacity. “It took a long time to nurture and build relationships with suppliers, sub-trades and get your name around town but over time I gradually moved up the clientele.” Craig Ryan Builders also offers project management and labour-only contracts. During his four year apprenticeship Craig worked for a couple of builders which, looking back, he feels gave him a good grounding and range of work and the confidence to move out on his own. In late 2014 the company completed a ‘very different’ project in the form of an expansive Truck Wash building in Hamilton’s Crawford Street. Craig says the project was more complex than it looks with very precise concrete pad falls to allow for effective drainage of what is effectively a truck ‘washing machine’. Another work in progress project saw the company undertake significant extensions at Hamilton Workingmen’s Club. It is the diversity of work Craig says that makes for a dynamic working environment for his team. “I put a lot of store in being a good boss and taking care of my team. At any one time we can
Craig Ryan Builders offers a wide range of building services including light commercial. have three or four projects on the go at various stages. I endeavour to programme work so that there is always inside work should the weather disrupt exterior framing projects.” Such is the growth in business that has just taken on a new apprentice. Having built the company to its current capacity these days Craig’s
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role vary between daily visits to building sites to touch-base with the foreman and keep up to date on progress and to ensure that the buildings progress is uninterrupted by having prepared in advance for each stage in the construction process. As for the future Craig says he’s satisfied with the size of the company though he is always open
to taking on more staff should work demand extra hands in a couple of years time. “It is critical that new employees fit in to the culture and can work alongside each other well. The Hamilton building scene is booming at present so I am very optimistic that the current demand for quality builders will only increase in time.”
Craig says the diversity of work makes for a dynamic working environment for his team.
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Craig Ryan
027 2311 121 craig@craigryanbuilders.co.nz
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www.craigryanbuilders.co.nz