Immersed in a booming Hawke’s Bay construction market is Latitude Homes Hawke’s Bay, providing high quality homes at affordable prices and helping to get Kiwis into their new homes.
Company owner Debbie Middleton has been running Latitude Homes Hawke’s Bay since 2009.
She has pulled through the recovery from the global financial crisis with the support of the Latitude Homes head office and her local subcontractors and suppliers, and has found the past 18 months to be bringing a ‘crazy’ amount of demand.
“There has been a lot of demand in Central Hawke’s Bay recently, because Hastings and Napier are both running out of land,” she says.
“We started building on a little rural subdivision in Waipawa about halfway through last year and the next thing, six or seven sections surrounding it all sold. “It has been very good for the economy in central Hawke’s Bay, and we’re currently building eight houses down there.”
Latitude Homes Hawke’s Bay looks after the affordable housing market and the company is getting first home buyers into their own new homes on Central Hawke’s Bay lifestyle blocks. “You can get a section there cheaper than you can in Has tings.”
The building boom means those relationships with subcontractors and suppliers that Debbie has built up over nearly 10 years are even more important. “You need good subcontractors who can handle the workload when you get busy,” she says.
“They can handle it while you’re ticking along, but when you get busy you are asking a lot more of your subcontractors.”
Latitude Homes Hawke’s Bay has the right mix of subcontractors, including a Hastings-based builder and a concrete placer who have worked with the company since it started.
Down in Central Hawke’s Bay, Debbie’s son Matt is the company’s main builder, having completed his apprenticeship through the former family business Totalspan then starting his own business.
Debbie also has great support from project manager Graeme, and Catherine who has taken over the administration role.
Latitude Homes’ core values have always been around providing New Zealanders with good quality, good workmanship, and affordable prices, and in this climate where section prices are rising to ridiculous levels, a large proportion of new home builders require affordable housing and value for money.
Debbie says Latitude Homes achieves this by always providing good quality products through nationwide supply deals.
From Latitude Homes Hawke’s Bay’s showhome and office in Mahora, Hastings, the company builds a variety of homes from budget 60sqm baches and first homes through to expansive and luxurious 283sqm homes.
Its Kaimanawa showhome – a 233sqm, four bedroom, two bathroom, two living area home – is designed and built to Latitude Homes’ standard specifications, so people know exactly what they will get.
“Our showhome has plenty of room to grow in and to entertain from,” Debbie says. “With a lovely pale grey colour scheme, it has a really nice feel to it.
“A lot of people love the second lounge, they say they could put their kids in there and close the door for peace and quiet!”
This article was brought to you in association with the following businesses…
- Plumbing World
- Bay Electricians Ltd
- Cupolex
