Showhomes > Down to the smallest detail

Down to the smallest detail

Unfortunately, building a new home isn't always the positive experience everyone hopes for. It can be disappointing and exasperating when delays end up pushing out the finish date by months and the budget somehow gets blown through the roof. And some owners even discover their new home isn't exactly as they'd imagined because they weren't given the right advice in the first place.

But it certainly doesn't need to be this way. James Hardie endorses the philosophy of companies such as G.J. Gardner Homes who pride themselves on offering great value, quality craftsmanship, design versatility and exceptional attention to detail. The result is a home that's not only finished on time and to budget, but one that lives up to each customer's expectations.

Grant Porteous, managing director for G.J. Gardner Homes New Zealand, says that while G.J. Gardner Homes is the biggest group home builder in the country, it's the attention to detail and high standard of craftsmanship of their local franchise builders that helps deliver that combination of quality and reliability that homeowners trust.

“We want to provide new homeowners with a house that incorporates everything on their wish list, and all at great value,” says Grant. “Our aim is for all of our customers to recommend us to their closest friend. They'll only do that if they have a positive experience.

“As well as providing inspiration for people's ideas, G.J. Gardner Homes is able to keep costs down by building smart. We work hard on efficient cost and value engineering of our client's homes. Additionally, our local franchise builders place a strong emphasis on craftsmanship and attention to detail, and we also use building materials that really perform. That's why when we're going through the options with our customers, we recommend James Hardie products.”

Grant says that like G.J. Gardner-built homes, James Hardie products are made to a consistently high standard and offer durability, reliability, and cost-effectiveness – all of which sit perfectly with G.J. Gardner's philosophy of building great quality homes that last.

It also features Hardisoffit on the eaves and Villaboard in the two upstairs bathrooms and downstairs powder room.

G.J. Gardner Homes builds all kinds of homes from small townhouses to large country estates, based on customers' plans or any of its range of around 80 designs. While some new homeowners will go with a G.J. Gardner Homes design exactly as it is, the majority choose to customise the plans to suit their lifestyle and specific requirements.

Cheryl Brown, owner of the G.J. Gardner Homes franchise in Taranaki, says it's also possible to mix and match elements from different plans and your own ideas to get the final design just right.

“Most people have a very good idea of how they want their home to flow – where they want the kitchen, how the home should capture the sun. Uncovering what their needs are at an early point is the best way to make the building process go smoothly,” she says. “It's all about finding out about them to build up a picture of who they are and how they live.”

But the G.J. Gardner Homes philosophy also extends to homeowners' future needs to ensure their home fits their requirements in 10 or 20 years' time.

“We look at all the details, even down to the placement of power points and light switches," says Cheryl. “For example, if someone's left handed, we need to make allowances for this. That's why we get our customers to walk through with the electrician early on and say exactly where they want their light switches.”

Visit this showhome at 5 Harrow Glen Dr, off Oteha Valley Rd, Albany.