Welcome to Our Place

Flying south

WE LIVE IN A playground for grown-ups, a fact I try not to take for granted. Our place, clinging to the underside of the globe, is a natural balm that balances the dynamic forces at play when you’re building houses. For me, a recent trip to Martins Bay, a deserted sweep of beach at the end of the Hollyford Track, put things into perspective. It only takes a couple of days immersed in the wild constancy of a remote environment to recharge the body and reset the mind.

Within the New Zealand market, David Reid Homes is something of a constant itself. What began as a one-man band in Christchurch, way back in 1993, has grown into a respected brand with robust roots. Initially our franchise network spread through the lower South Island but now, after welcoming the Rodney and Wairarapa districts to the fold, we can boast locations that spiderweb across Aotearoa to form a close-knit family.

In three decades we’ve seen a lot of change. During the GFC, as the market plunged off a cliff, our share of it actually lifted as clients gravitated towards trusted builders with a proven track record. So even though there is a current focus in the news media on economic uncertainty, we’re facing it with clear-eyed optimism. Supply-chain issues have been largely resolved, good sections are more readily available, and sought-after builders are becoming easier to secure. Our secret weapon within the design-and-build arsenal has always been our people: franchisees who deliver a quality product. We’ve been doing it for 30 years.

While escaping to the great outdoors is a tonic for the soul, being on familiar ground also has its therapeutic merits. There’s nothing like a good homecoming. For our clients, the joy of new is multifold. You may buy a house that speaks to you but when you build it yourself, it speaks of you. These personalised dwellings not only manifest our clients’ design ideas but put them into a practical form that is warmer, quieter and more efficient to run. Stepping through the doorway of a home you’ve had a hand in creating from the ground up is a feeling that can’t be beat.

In the third issue of Our Place magazine, we share the stories behind some of our recent projects and hope to inspire you with genuine lived experience, from first homeowners to retirees and everyone in between. The owners of our cover home in Waimate had been planning the build in their heads for 15 years and it was a privilege for us to bring it to this standout conclusion with vernacular barn-like volumes and stylish coloursplashed interiors. Not too far away in Christchurch, a monopitch dwelling on a south-facing section was a triumphant second-time build with David Reid Homes for clients who appreciated being able to work with many of the same subcontractors to ensure a finish of equivalent quality. A couple who returned to New Zealand after several years living overseas has built their forever home in Wanaka, an ambitious project which includes details such as rescued red bricks and appliances bought in the UK that reflect a family history. Further north, projects include the Horowhenua home of two semi-retired poultry farmers who have discovered a whole new ease of living after downsizing to a lowmaintenance house at the beach that comprises two intersecting pavilions and is much warmer than their previous place. We pride ourselves on being able to adjust our thinking to any situation and the Hawke’s Bay home for first homeowners on a lifestyle block in the country is pared back but perfect for a growing family. The couple say it feels surreal to have achieved their dream.

Each build brings its challenges and rewards. It’s a process that I like to frame in terms of undertaking one of New Zealand’s Great Walks. The key is a fastidious plan, to surround yourself with a good team, and acknowledging up front that there’ll be ups and downs en route. Still, with a mindful attitude, you’ll really enjoy the journey. And at the end, you may well discover your own Martins Bay. P

Ben Allan Managing Director, David Reid Homes

10 Slow Burn

This award-winning home in Waimate has been a long time coming ‒ but worth the wait