BOND OF BROTHERS

Brothers Scot Pearce and Royce Parker have been in business together for 12 years, with a focus on doing what they can to help.

AUTHOR: NICK WALKER

Scot Pearce and Royce Parker used to talk about going into business together one day—but it ended up being forced on them in 2011, when Scot fell off a roof. Scot was running a one-man-van outfit and his brother Royce had only recently finished his plumbing apprenticeship. Scot says it was a textbook case of what not to do from a health and safety perspective.

“We were heading out on a family trip, and I had to stop and look at a quick job. I put a ladder up against the house and climbed up onto the roof thinking, ‘This won’t take too long.’ Wrong! The roof was dusty from pollen, and I ended up slipping.

“I slid all the way down, tore some of my fingernails off, tore about 20 metres of spouting off and bounced off the fallen ladder onto the ground. The ladder actually saved my life, because it was concrete below. Luckily, I only ended up fracturing my tailbone.”

As a sole operator, being off the tools wasn’t an option for Scot. He called Royce, who handed in his notice from his job and got on board ASAP. This eventually doubled their ability to service clients in West Auckland, and in the 15 years since Water to Waste’s inception, it’s grown to be an indemand plumbing and drainage outfit for commercial businesses, private customers, schools and film production companies.

Lights, camera, action

“The film work is really cool,” Scot says. “It’s a lot of temporary bathrooms and kitchens for film sets and locations, paint and plaster wash stations, concrete production facilities... plus a lot more we can’t talk about!”

It’s an area of plumbing that could be easy to overlook, but talking to Scot, it becomes clear just how much is involved.

“You’ve got to facilitate all the extras and crew on sets and locations; they’ve got to be fed and provided with toilets etc. There can be recycled rainwater harvesting requirements if they’re in remote locations.

“Then you’ve got the greens department where you feed the grass and trees, so they stay alive. We’ve done mobile makeup and hairdressing facilities, plumbed inside rental trucks with fresh and wastewater holding tanks underneath.”

With key team member Rory Hosegood, Water to Waste has developed its own Wicked Washroom service. Bespoke portable bathrooms are available to hire for bathroom renovations, functions, events and filming. They’re fitted with flushing toilets, gas water heaters, a full-sized shower and vanity. A plant room hides all the pipework and macerating pump.

The Water to Waste team has changed over the years, employing up to 14 people plus contractors at one stage. The 11-strong team currently includes three Masterlink apprentices. Scot’s mostly off the tools, focusing on running the business, arranging and pricing the bigger projects, and handling areas like marketing and governance.

Royce deals with the day-to-day of the main projects, which means they only tend to cross paths at their 6am coffee. For the last 18 months, Royce has been mostly onsite at a 90-home subdivision, which is approximately halfway through completion.

Helping out in the floods

Water to Waste’s focus is to better accommodate their existing customers by being a full-service plumbing and drainage company. In saying that, they did revert to answering call outs in the flooding across West Auckland early this year and last year.

“We had a lot of regular customers that needed help with machines and equipment,” Scot says. “We did what we could with what we had. In those times, it’s not about the money, it’s about the relationships and making sure our team members, customers and family are taken care of.”

For many people, this year’s flooding wasn’t the first time they’d ended up underwater. Scot says a handful of other storms over the last few years have led to people wanting to ensure their homes can handle more extreme weather.

“I’ve been out most of the last 10 or so days pricing extra drainage for people where their systems were inundated. Even with some of the new drainage systems, the water went straight over the top. People are now wanting bigger and better systems that can handle a greater capacity.”

Scot sees part of the fallout from this year’s heavy rainfall being a greater need to invest in good drainage. He says it’s been a huge wake up call to customers that it’s worth putting in the time to get things right at the beginning.

It takes a team

As well as helping locals with flood clean up and plumbing work, Water to Waste is a keen supporter of community organisations, schools, kindergartens and sports clubs. They have a focus on social responsibility, recycling and environmental efficiency.

Team culture is another thing that’s important to Scot, and it’s clear on the company’s website that they enjoy a laugh together. They have quarterly team meetings where they stop work for a day, go over things like health and safety, compliance issues and team birthdays. Occasionally this involves going to a manufacturer or supplier for extra education.

Whether it’s for his own staff or their clients, Scot’s mindful of doing what he can to help.

“Life wasn’t easy growing up, but with the input and influence from others, some hard work and perseverance, we have got to where we are today. It’s important for me to give back where and when we can.”

MASTERLINK CELEBRATES TURNING 21 AND CONGRATULATES THIS YEAR’S MASTERLINK OUTWARD BOUND SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS!

Ten Go Outward Bound

Masterlink is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2023 Masterlink Outward Bound Scholarships.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of Methven Caroma, our 10 winners will be heading to Anakiwa in the Marlborough Sounds on 28 June to join other construction industry apprentices on a fully funded 16-day Building Leaders course, worth over $3,000 per person.

Congratulations to you all and we look forward to hearing about your adventures!

Jason Beijerling

Jack Anderson

Andrew Smith

Christopher Linehan

Russell Hohaia

Helping Mates Turn The Corner

Masterlink got behind our apprentices at Hardy Plumbing & Gas who climbed Lake Hawea’s spectacular Corner Peak in support of Wānaka builder Glen Thurston’s Turn the Corner challenge, with funds raised going to MATES in Construction. Glen climbed the peak 53 times over a 53-day period to raise awareness for mental health in the construction industry. Each year on average, 53 people in the sector take their own life. Glen’s project aimed to connect more tradies with the support they need.

Jack Conder

Jakob O'Dwyer

Henry Cooper

Raphael Smith

Lachlan Cuttance-Dunne

New Regional Manager For Lower South Island

Masterlink is an official partner of MATES in Construction NZ, a non-profit organisation dedicated to encouraging positive wellbeing in the sector and preventing suicides.

Masterlink welcomed new Lower South Island Regional Manager Raewyn Meharg in March. Rae joins Masterlink from Plumbing World, where she managed their trade sales operation. Rae has lived in Queenstown with her husband and four children since 2007. She is looking forward to getting to know all the Masterlink hosts and apprentices in her region. Rae can be contacted on 021 356 748.