Business Spot

Talk to anyone in the real estate business - and that includes architectural designers and builders - and they will tell you Northland is on a bit of a roll. Our enviable lifestyle is likely the big attraction but given Auckland house prices, as an example, it's an enticing proposition to be able to sell there and move north to be mortgage free and have money in the bank.

Many are doing just that and if there's a trend that's developed over the past year or so in the construction industry it's that more people are seeking expert design and build advice.

Chris Leibert from The Design Room in Paihia, a multidiscipline 'one-stop-shop' of architects, engineers and project managers, says he has noticed a greater public awareness about compliance with council building requirements and that's over and above the changes in the Building Act regarding home owner obligations.

Moreover the company notes an increase in the number of people asking about seismic evaluations of existing buildings as a result of the Christchurch earthquakes.

"We are being asked more about project management and the benefits that accrue from that. It makes the building process less stressful and also helps to keep the build on track in terms of both time and cost," he says.

The Design Room is a division of Fraser Thomas Limited. The Paihia office employs 10 people and nationally there is over 100 staff. Some of the testing design projects to emerge from the Paihia office include designing and engineering a nine-metre-high Gabion basket retaining wall in Opua which was one of the remedial slip projects
they have been involved with over the past few years, and recently they were asked to extensively reconstruct a small beach-front bach.

"The big challenge was to keep the integrity of the bach while creating a modern home around it," says Mr. Leibert. "And we needed to make sure the overall design, which had to include large areas of wooden retaining wall, was sympathetic to the surrounding coastline and bush back-drop."

The Design Room has been awarded the contract to prepare five and ten-year maintenance programmes in several Northland schools - making sure the schools attain the best value and resources for their budgets - and each school has different needs.

While the building industry has tightened up its collective act with more stringent requirements in place for professionals and with builders required to be licensed, it can seem complex for clients. As Chris Leibert points out, there is nothing worse than finding a hidden surprise part way through a build.

"We find clients say it is worth spending time with a professional to discuss and plan the project. It is repaid over and over again when they end up with a better result and a high-value asset."

It's a truism that nothing beats local. The Design Room's Paihia office can call on years of Bay of Islands' knowledge and are au fait with constantly changing Local Authority requirements.