Confidence in Construction
“I was first exposed to the building industry when I was five years old. My mum was having a new home built, and ever since then, I’ve had a passion for building.
Ten years later, my mum discovered that she owned a leaky home. I witnessed first-hand the stress and disruption this caused, and because of this experience, I’m highly empathetic with those in a similar position.
Unfortunately, this story is not uncommon. Between 1991 and 2005, New Zealand had 350,000 homes built to a very poor standard using either; untreated timber, direct fixed cladding, imported or untested materials, Mediterranean style architecture, or a combination of these factors. Sadly, this led to NZ’s biggest manmade disaster – the leaky building crisis.
Geoff Nash – Chief Executive
A decade later, I embarked on my self-managed major renovation. Like many projects before me, my project was plagued by time and cost overruns due to deficiencies within the existing structure. My wife and I were living on-site, we were robbed twice during construction and had to contend with three (yes three) one in 100-year storms. Oh, how I longed to know when the costs would stop going up and the project would be finished!
In my time, I’ve seen the industry struggle with more than just the leaky building crisis. Prominent companies have pulled out of the vertical construction market, liquidated, or gone into receivership, leaving a trail of destruction and devastation, from incomplete and defective buildings to unpaid subcontractors and unhonoured warranties. This all has adverse effects on the public’s perception of the industry, which we need to work hard to change.
This challenge presents a real opportunity for people in construction. Those committed to continuous improvement and education, who aren’t afraid of change and challenging the status quo, will make a positive difference, ultimately restoring confidence in construction. This is precisely what we’re doing at Brosnan, and with a dedicated and passionate team who place this shared purpose and vision at the heart of all they do, I think it’s an exciting time for our people, customers, partners and the next generation of construction professionals.”
-Geoff Nash, Chief Executive –