After more than 36 years of successful operation, Ohakune building company Eves Construction is evolving with the industry with a fresh young face and a new modern outlook slowly starting to take over the helm.
Company founder Rowan Eves took his son Ryan through his apprenticeship some 12 years ago. Ryan went to Perth to work in the mines for a few years before coming back home and joining Eves Construction. His part in the day to day running of the company has been increasing ever since.
This year, Eves Construction’s entry into the Registered Master Builders House of the Year competition was a project led by Ryan, a six month build completed last October of a 240sqm home at Whalefield Mountain Estate, Ohakune, a premium residential development of 1ha lots and strict covenants.
“It’s a totally finished product,” Rowan says. “I’ve always been a fi rm believer if you are going to enter a house in the Master Builders Awards, they’ve got to be finished 100%.
It’s not about the property or the landscaping, but it makes such a difference when you drive into the driveway. It should all be finished and look like a show home, which is exactly how this and our last entry have looked.”
Eves Construction’s last entry into the competition was in 2012, and it won House of the Year for Wanganui as well as the Supreme Award, New Homes $600,000 – $1 million, the Outdoor Living Award, and the Craftsmanship Award.
Rowan says every build has its own challenges, and in Ohakune, that is generally to do with the weather. “It’s cold and wet, and the house we entered this year was a winter build.
We just have to carry on and get it closed in as quick as we can.” Rowan is locally born and bred and well used to putting his coat on and getting to work.
Ryan on the other hand has swapped sunny Perth for Ohakune, but is still enjoying being back home, and now has a young family. Rowan says Ryan’s fresh approach and modern outlook are huge strengths for the future of Eves Construction.
“The industry has changed so much in the past 30 years, all the compliance stuff is making running a small business almost a nightmare,” he says.
“The building side of it hasn’t really changed, but there is so much more paperwork. “It makes it easier for Ryan having worked a few years in the mines where health and safety was a huge part of his job.
He has come back with a clear idea of how to run health and safety as part of his everyday working life.”
In a small town like Ohakune, word of mouth is the main source of work for Eves Construction, so the company’s reputation has been built on providing high quality and value for money projects in a timely fashion.
Eves Construction’s award winning Ohakune home, left, and the new Waiouru toilet block.
Eves Construction’s projects consist of holiday homes for clients from out of town or out of the country, other residential builds, and some commercial work including regular maintenance at the local pulp mill.
This article was brought to you in association with the following businesses…
- Wanganui Furnishers
- PlaceMakers
- Alpha Doors
- Vistalite
- Byfords Readi-Mix Concrete Ltd
