Future bright for building industry

By Tom Clarke

The outlook for the building industry - a barometer of the economy - is looking good, says Arthur Grant, the new president of the Registered Master Builders' Federation.

The buoyant outlook in the business community is being mirrored by the confidence in his industry, he says.

"Building is one of the industries that is affected very early by any upturn or downturn in the economy. It's looking quite a bit brighter now than it has for some time, and I feel reasonably optimistic.

"We're in 'go-forward' mode, and we're excited about the future."

Mr Grant says he is optimistic both for commercial and residential building. The improved outlook, he says, is being partly driven by low interest rates.

The federation plans to promote its commercial members after a "very successful" campaign to promote residential members, who make up 75 per cent of its membership.

A recent survey showing 92 per cent public awareness of registered master builders and that has been a "huge boost to our members," he says.

Mr Grant says the public clearly has a very high level of confidence in registered master builders, who are continuing to increase their share of the market.

Much of the home-building campaign was based on master builders' high standards of workmanship.

Their work, Mr Grant says, is regularly monitored and they are re-certified.

This means, he adds, that clients are guaranteed a satisfactory outcome.

Mr Grant says this has separated the federation's members from the "cowboys" in the industry and he expects the campaign for commercial builder members to have the same result.

Because of the size of most of the projects in the commercial sector, there's less likelihood of shoddy workmanship and financial collapses. This does happen from time to time, however, he says.

Mr Grant is based in Dunedin and runs his own construction company, Projects Industrial Ltd, which he set up last year.

He has been in the construction industry for 25 years, specialising in food processing industry projects. For most of the past two decades he managed industrial and commercial building operations in the lower South Island for Fletcher Construction.

He has served two terms as president of the Otago Master Builders' Association and been on the federation's national council for five years.

He takes over the presidency from Francis Yates of Gisborne.