No cowboys: how to choose a trusted builder for your project

With more than 17,000 licensed building practitioners in New Zealand it can seem like a daunting task to choose the right one for your project. There are a number of common sense actions you can take to narrow down your search—ask friends for a referral, check online for reviews, comb your local area for projects already underway and ask potential contractors for the addresses of projects they have completed.

While this won’t guarantee you a hassle-free building experience, it will go a long way to making the whole process as smooth as possible, says Troy Jury, Director of QBS Construction.

“Not all builders are the same so it’s important to know what sort of builder will fit with your project vision the best. We believe the following four attributes are required to make any project a success: communication, trust, dedication and quality.

“Each project is different and each comes with its own foibles. At its heart, a project is a relationship between both parties and can be a significant undertaking for both. Therefore, having full confidence in your build partner starts with having each of the four attributes in place.”

Founded in 2011 and based in Parnell, QBS has a focus on high-end renovation, heritage and new-build projects in the central Auckland area.

“We have a team of 28 builders & 3 project managers," says Troy.  “I generally run three to four guys per site team, although that is dependent on the size of the project—have had up to 12 guys working on one project in the past. I’ve found that the right fit for us is having 2–4 projects on the go at any one time.

“QBS Construction’s strength lies in our site leadership and the way we structure our site teams with a good mix of experienced guys and apprentices. We also are continually training our apprentices, we want to retain that knowledge and experience within the company.

"We’re adaptable and capable of undertaking any building project. I’m able to back myself thanks to my knowledge and experience—gained over the past two decades. For clients looking for a company that can offer a really strong end-to-end process—we’re a really good choice. We’re a young company with drive and determination to succeed.”

Troy has been in the industry for 19 years and says his passion for building hasn’t grown any less in that time.

“As a kid, I wanted to be an All Black; had the heart but not the stature to be a fullback. I was always more practical than academic, so once I realised I wasn’t going to be an All Black, I left school and got on the tools, qualifying at 19.

“I spent 8 years working for a renovation/new build company, where I was lucky enough to learn the trade and to work on some really high-profile projects, working my way up through the ranks. I went out on my own at 24.”

Not so much on the tools anymore, Troy says his role at QBS is to project manage the jobs—carrying out quality checks and dealing with the schedule as well as checking in with the clients.

“I’m really passionate about the industry and about ensuring the longevity of the business. Futurewise, we’re really focused on working with architects, an area of the business that we’ve been developing over the last 18 months to two years and which is turning into a growing component of what we do.”

Learn more about the services offered by QBS Construction.