Wellington’s most prolific residential housing developer Russell Properties is a family-run business. Director and operator Mike Russell says the company, which was established in 1994, has only ever concentrated on building homes and its building systems have proven a winner.
“We started out in the early years building four or five homes a year and now, nearly a quarter of a century later we’re constructing forty to fifty, year in year out, such has been the growth in demand for new, affordably priced, high quality homes.”
The company has concentrated its building to two large Wellington subdivisions; Churton Park and Grenada Hunters Hill, both settled in the city’s northern suburbs.
Churton Park, a stone’s throw north of Johnsonville first began development in the 1970’s and today boasts a population of over 6,500 residents. Today it is still rapidly expanding and within the next two decades will grow to over 12,000 residents.
“There are probably 600 to 700 sections left and the homes we build are priced from mid$800,000.” The subdivision also has a mix of town-houses peppered throughout.
Lot 840, Rochdale Drive, a 248sqm five bedroom, three bathroom, two level home constructed of weatherboard, features four bedrooms upstairs and one downstairs. Bedroom 1, upstairs has its own en-suite and walk-in-robe while downstairs Bedroom 5 has its own en-suite.
The home’s kitchen is nestled in a large Lshaped room featuring the dining space on one side and the family room on the other. A quality feature of the kitchen is a granite bench and walk-in scullery.
The kitchen is in the perfect space for food preparation, while being involved in family-time. Then from the dining room a separate lounge offers plenty of extra living space. It’s just a very nice design throughout and is currently on the market.”
Grenada Hunters Hill was previously known as Lincolnshire Farm and is a new greenfields subdivision positioned between SH’s 1 and 2.
It’s location places it close to Porirua, Hutt Valley and Wellington City. In time, over the next 15 years the subdivision will be home to upward of 900 new households; a mix of stand-alone homes, townhouses and lifestyle blocks.
“This will become a very nice subdivision in time, offering employment opportunities from a designated business area along with recreational spaces.”
At 210qsm, 37 Trelawny Terrace, Grenada Village has four upstairs bedrooms. Bedroom 1 with its own ensuite and walk-in-robe. Featuring weatherboard cladding the downstairs living spaces offer plenty of space for family activity.
Russell Properties concentrates its building work to two large Wellington subdivisions, Churton park and Grenada Hunters Hill.
Windows are doubled glazed throughout and the home, like all Russell Properties Ltd houses has a 10 year Master Build Guarantee. “It also has a study space on the ground floor,” he says.
“This is a popular plan we have used a number of times.” Mike says the sorts of homes the company builds also appeal to overseas buyers who may want to have elderly parents also live in with their own bedroom and bathroom, offering them privacy and independence.
Over the years building trends have come and gone. These days, the average size home built is between 210-220sqm“Sections have become smaller too, as developers off-set escalating sub-division establishment costs.”
While the company works with a team of 14 labour-only qualified builders, to construct the number of homes it does in a year, it also employs apprentices.
“I like the way we offer apprentices an opportunity to gain their qualifi cations and to see how we approach building. We have two building supervisors, one responsible for liaising with contractors and the other dealing with the completion of the houses. It’s a system that works well for our size.”
Along with these staff, Russell Properties Ltd works with two architects, one in-house, an interior design consultant, a recently hired Quality Assurance person and a part-timer responsible for Health & Safety.
Mike says he’s confi dent that demand will continue for many years to come, driven by an economy which is performing well.
“Since we began, we’ve built over 400 homes in Wellington and the team we’ve got and the systems we work to will continue to stand us in good stead.”
Lot 840, Rochdale Drive, a 248sqm five bedroom, three bathroom, two level home constructed of weatherboard, features four bedrooms upstairs and one downstairs.
Inset: Rochdale interior detail. At 210qsm, 37 Trelawny Terrace, Grenada Village (bottom right) has four upstairs bedrooms, one with its own ensuite and walk-in-robe.
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Mike Russell, director and operator of Russell Properties in Wellington.
