Ohlson & Whitelaw

Craig and his team have more than 60 years combined experience in the construction industry.

Ohlson & Whitelaw Ltd was established in 2005 in picturesque Whitianga, on the Coromandel Peninsula.

Today we continue to add value wherever we can. Our craftsmanship matches the quality of the designs we’re building to and the customer service we enjoy providing.

Testament to this is our wonderful base of happy homeowners and a growing list of satisfied architects.

We are registered Master Builders.

In our industry, it’s not enough just to be Trade Qualified. To prove our pedigree, as well as to show our commitment to our clients, we qualified as Registered Master Builders.    

But not all builders meet the strict criteria to become a Registered Master Builder. You need to prove your building experience, trade or professional qualifications and practical management experience, all of which are assessed.

Our workmanship was inspected and previous clients were contacted, to ensure that our work was of a high standard and satisfied our clients’ expectations. We also had to provide evidence of financial responsibility with written references from our bank, accountants and building material suppliers.

We passed with flying colours and continue to operate a strong cash positive business with robust systems. Re-certification occurs regularly, with checks on financial viability and more importantly our workmanship.

When engaging us to build a new home, or perform any alterations or additions, we offer a Master Build Guarantee, which covers loss of deposit, non-completion of the work, defective workmanship and defective materials (conditions apply).

As a Registered Master Builder we offer you:

• a proven track record in building and business
• Master Build Guarantees on residential work with a contract price of $25,000 or more
• peace of mind and formal investigation and complaints settlement procedures
• the protection of consumer-friendly Building Contracts
• full support and backup from our local RMB Association and the national Registered Master Builders Federation.

For more information about the Registered Master Builder Federation, Master Build Services and the Guarantees visit www.masterbuilder.org.nz or our own FAQ section, or call Master Build Services for FREE on 0800 269 119.

We’re also Licensed Building Practitioners

Under the Building Act 2004 the Department of Building and Housing established in November 2007 the Licensed Building Practitioner Scheme.

This scheme sets out a regulated process where skilled and/or qualified building practitioners are required to demonstrate their ability to meet industry consulted competencies in order to obtain the status of being a Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP). The scheme has seven license classes:

• Designers
• Carpenters
• External Plasterers
• Bricklayers and Blocklayers
• Foundation specialist
• Roofers
• Site (These are on-site supervisors or managers)

The Licensed Building Practitioner logo confirms for consumers that the building practitioners they are engaging have been assessed as technically competent in their licensed field.

To retain their licence, an LBP is also to provide the Department with a record of training and activities such as reading industry publications or attending seminars they have undertaken as a means to ensure that their knowledge of their trade stays current in order to retain their licence.

From 1 March 2012 changes to the Building Act 2004 mean that building work (including design work) that relates to either the structure (load-bearing walls; foundations etc) or moisture penetration (roofs; cladding etc) of homes including small to medium sized apartments will be classified as ‘Restricted Building Work’ (RBW).

Restricted Building work, which also includes the design of fire safety systems for small to medium apartments, is deemed to be building work critical to the integrity of a building and therefore required to be carried out by competent, appropriately licensed building practitioners.

Learn more about Licensed Building Practitioners at the Department of Building and Housing’s website here.

CRAIG OHLSON

Craig has more than 18 years in the construction industry as a builder and project manager. He is the primary point of contact for all our clients and is our lead project manager.
Craig is a fastidious craftsman who believes that good is never good enough. His craftsmanship quality and approach matches his premium customer service.

Craig is a Licensed Practitioner up to Site 2, which means he can manage & construct much more than your ordinary home.

KELLY OHLSON

Kelly is our administration specialist. She handles all our paperwork, leaving Craig and his team to do what they do best.

As well as preparing and managing the payment claim system, and ensuring all relevant documents are prepared when meeting with clients, Kelly is our first point of contact. Call her and say Hi.

We understand that building a new home or renovating an existing one is a major financial investment. So we work hard to ensure the building process is as stress-free as possible, which includes coming in on budget and on time. It should be enjoyable too right? After all you’re about to make your dreams come true. Yes you’re spending significant money, which is often a fun process too – getting the goods you want. But we ensure there’s no buyer’s remorse afterwards.

Ohlson & Whitelaw offers a high level of expertise in three key areas:

• Design & Build
• Project Management
• Consultancy

Explore these pages further to see how we can make your building dreams a reality

CONSULTANCY

DESIGN & BUILD

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

SEISMIC UPGRADES

There are times when our clients ask us to complete non-building work. This is when we put on our consulting hats.

We’re happy to share our experience to help our clients solve any problems or queries. We also work with a hand picked team of specialists in architecture, engineering and interior design, as and when needed.

Consulting is really about helping our clients to get the most out of their property projects.

Here are some typical things that Ohlson & Whitelaw and our partners are asked to consider:

• Designing your home around your lifestyle and personality
• Choosing the right lot considering sunlight, soils and exposures
• Understanding the construction process
• Reviewing the construction timeline
• Learn decision making processes
• Selecting the elevation of your home
• How to make the right choice in floor plans
• Exterior products and how they impact the cost of your home
• Roof colour
• Joinery brand and colour
• Front steps
• Front door selection
• Providing driveway info
• Understanding allowances and how to stay on budget
• Selecting cabinets
• Vanities, flooring, countertops, plumbing
• Selecting light fixtures and hardware
• Choosing paint colours – interior and exterior
• Choosing interior decor
• Designing outdoor settings
• Information on in-ground pools & hot tubs
• Future-proofing.

We work directly with the homeowner and/or architect throughout the project to ensure you get the results you expect. With design and build projects, you will experience the convenience and consistency of working with one company from start to finish. Craig Ohlson is your primary contact and the buck stops with him.

Whilst we prefer to be involved with your project at the concept stage, we’re more than happy to work on build only projects, or to join your project at any stage.

Our team are highly qualified and experienced. Craig ensures everything is not only up to scratch, but meets his very particular standards. This is great for clients who expect perfection.

Why use a Project Manager? A Project Manager is experienced in building and renovation projects. So they’re essentially someone in your corner who knows what to plan, what to expect and what not to do. They’re your ‘peace of mind’ person.

As the saying goes, “You can’t manage what you don’t plan”.  And the last thing you need during your project is added stress.     

With a dedicated project manager, you have a central point of contact with their finger on the pulse. They know every aspect of your project inside out and can keep you well informed.

Craig Ohlson is an incredibly experienced construction project manager. He will work with you to create a project plan, including a timeline showing when each task should be completed. This acts as a great guide, to show you how the team is performing and highlights any areas that may need extra attention.

We can manage your project at any stage. Typically we can assist you with:

• Organising the design
• Organising Plans – including Building and/or Resource Consents
• Feasibility studies
• Employing the services of a designer or architect
• Presenting quotes for your project
• Estimating quantities of materials needed
• Plan construction methods
• Organise and coordinate subcontractors and materials throughout the build
• Managing variations as a result of changes in materials, costs or your requirements
• Approval of any building changes
• Make regular site inspections
• Ensure building regulations, standards and by-laws are enforced
• Arrange amendments to Plans where necessary
• Organise Council building inspections
• Site supervision
• Arrangements for the inclusion of all utilities such as plumbing, drainage, electric power and phone can be handled on your behalf too
• Ensure your project comes in on time, and on budget
• Maintenance checks

Christchurch’s earthquakes demonstrated just how exposed New Zealand’s buildings are to natural disasters. These events illustrated a clear need for Seismic Retrofitting of our buildings.

So what is Seismic Retrofitting? It’s the process of reinforcing existing structures to make them resistant to seismic activity (earthquakes). By undergoing this process you are also protecting your building against major damage caused tropical cyclones, tornadoes and severe winds from thunderstorms.

So how do you find out if your building is earthquake prone or exposed to other natural disasters? The first step is to engage the services of a chartered professional engineer, who will undertake seismic assessments of your building. We can put you in touch with suitable engineers if needed.

If your building is assessed as being earthquake-prone, you are legally obliged to remedy the situation at your own expense. Costs vary and are assessed on a case-by-case basis, depending on the engineer’s evaluation of your building. You’ll also require a building consent before any work commences.

Ohlson & Whitelaw recently completed a seismic upgrade of the BNZ building in Whitianga, so you can trust us to look after your building too.

Ultimately, building reinforcement is about protecting lives, which is important to us.

Prior to your building’s structure being strengthened, you can do other things to ensure the inside is safe too. EQC’s message is: Fix. Fasten. Don’t Forget. You can download their guide from this page.