Pivot: 11 November 2021
COVID has kind of significantly changed my direction. Somehow I have ended up enjoying the property development world. My second development is progressing through to the finish and my third is not far off building consent submission. I daresay, it has been quite a change moving from a corporate role, on to an expat life for ten years, and now into residential construction – it has got me looking from different angles.
For many years I was employed in the NZ Dairy Industry and worked both domestically and internationally. It was a large company and everyone played their part in a fairly well oiled machine. Yes, a lot of foibles, but essentially a complete organism in its own right working with a common vision and common standards. However, the construction industry, (from where I sit as the sole Director and Principal for my company), is fragmented and made up of many many companies. But this is also where I am easily seeing something that I value so highly: the pride that the individual groups have in their work.
Often, there are articles showing poor construction and less than desirable designs and it does tend to focus me on the negative. Frustrations are more than huge. We are racing at high speed to try and pull developments to their end point. Settlements are delayed, finance is extended, there is less cash around for the next ‘cab off the rank,’ cash flow losses need to be recovered so the push for speed is on.
But I want to say that I am so impressed with the contractors and subcontractors that are working on my current job. They are the people that have been tasked to deliver the product for my buyers and are doing it under extreme pressure.
As a specific example – my kitchens (all fourteen of them) had stacked up in the supplier’s factory and absolutely had to be moved. The only possible location was installation directly into the rooms pre-painting. They are screwed into place; the lining people are happy because their walls won’t be damaged, but the painters are annoyed as they have to completely seal the installed kitchens to allow for the painting process.
Today, I also spent time talking to one of the painters and saw his passion for excellence; they are managing a balance of spray painting and micro-fibre rolling to optimise the use of paint and achieve an excellent finish. I could also move on, the metal cladding team (who spent hours touching up the Vitor and the flashings), the drain-layers who are laying drainage that is gorgeous to look at. Yes – a manhole with a pipe bend can be gorgeous. There are an abundance of trades involved and all really good to chat to.
But what I see is that they are intimately driving their own businesses. The teams on my job are giving it more than their all.
COVID has frustrated and pushed all of us – Auckland’s mood is struggling, money is stretched but these teams have not compromised their quality or dedication. A thank you to them and all of these people across developments past, present, and future.
