The Otago builders transforming homes from the coast to the plains

From the tussock-clad hills and vast golden plains of Māniatoto, to the penguin-colonised beaches and Corinthian pillars of Oamaru, the South Island’s lower east coast is home to a unique array of topographies.

Building on this land means understanding the impact of sea spray and strong winds on cladding and roofing materials. It means ordering supplies well in advance to avoid the 45-minute drive to the nearest hardware store. And, for the team at Jeffrey Dennison Builders, it means drawing on their local expertise to bring their clients’ projects to life.

For close to 10 years, Jeffrey Dennison and his team have been building and renovating residential, commercial, and community properties in the east Otago area. “We were brought up rural, so we have the skills and knowledge to show up to a job site in this area and know what’s required,” Dennison says.

The team approach every project aiming to provide the best quality build to suit the client’s budget. Depending on the client, the design and build process can look quite different.

“Some clients have already engaged an architect, so they come in with house plans already drawn up. Others will come to us with an idea and we will figure out how to achieve what they want, and how much it’s going to cost,” says Regan Taylor, Quantity Surveyor at Jeffrey Dennison Builders.

From the consultation, the team is able to guide the client towards the best solution for their project. This is particularly important when working with a client to future-proof their home. Due to the Otago region’s harsh conditions, weather-tightness is critical to ensure the structure will stand the test of time.

While every one of their new builds are designed for weather-tightness, Dennison and his team are often engaged to renovate historic properties where aspects of the structure have fallen into disrepair.

“We really enjoy renovating historic buildings and creating innovative solutions whilst preserving the existing elements of the property,” Taylor says.

Reducing and controlling the amount of water the building needs to handle is the first and most important step when designing for weather-tightness. This means considering the shape, height, and orientation of the building, its position relevant to features on the landscape, and any potential locations where water could penetrate the building envelope.

Intimately familiar with the unique characteristics of the climate and terrain, the Jeffrey Dennison team knows which construction styles and materials will provide the best protection against water penetration, and what maintenance is required to keep the building weather-tight over its lifetime.

It’s this command of local knowledge, and ability to adapt their services to meet the needs of every client that brings the word-of-mouth referrals flooding in.

“Our clients are looking for a whole range of things, from simple renovation jobs to those more exceptional projects, which allows us to keep busy,” Dennison says.

“Essentially, we just do what we can to keep our clients happy, and that has given us the opportunity to work on so many different kinds of projects.”

Learn more about Jeffrey Dennison Builders.