The Right Direction: Builders are about to get busy

The Right Direction: Builders are about to get busy

By Hamish Firth

Despite past lulls in building, the addition of council red tape and regulations, the new law requiring builders to obtain costly and time consuming licences, the building industry is about to boom. With the implementation of the Auckland Spatial Plan, we will see thousands and thousands of homes called for in the next twenty years.

This turnaround in the building industry has been called absolutely necessary by Auckland experts, everyone from town planners to architects. With the Auckland area’s rising house prices, pressured by a lack of housing to accommodate a consistently growing number of newcomers, architects, developers, investors and buyers are eager to get in the game.

Even with banks unwilling to lend and regulation red tape, there is strong evidence in the resource and building consent industry that council is cooperating more and moving quicker on certain build approvals. And ever-optimistic builders are starting to report more people ringing them up with questions. This indicates to us that there will be strong growth in the building industry in 2013 and that this is a great opportunity to turn up the heat and grow your builder business.

How do I grow my business in this current climate?

As resource and building consent specialists, by working with developers, owners, buyers and investors, we see certain trends in successful builder businesses. First, do everything possible to deliver an extraordinary buying experience for customers. Second, keep cleanliness and orderliness throughout the construction process. These are two important ways to distinguish yourself from competitors. Most importantly, remember that everything you do needs to be of value to your customer. Keep communication going throughout the project and make sure that they know what you are doing for them.

1. Take pictures of your work while you do it. Post those pictures on buyer’s Facebook pages. The average Facebook user has 230 friends.
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3. Find first time buyers. Go to them. Colleges, bridal fairs, home buying seminars are all good places to start.
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5. Brand yourself to convey empathy for customer’s needs. Do this by advertising, articles, etc.
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Everyone wants to own a home, regardless of what some that are afraid of growth are loudly trying to convey. The dream is alive and well. We have just been waiting for council and government to understand the need for new builds (which is happening gradually). All in all, the future is looking bright for builders.

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