Very humbling and privileged to be acknowledged by some incredible people and truly value the recognition that my team so gratefully deserve on the beautiful houses we have created. We can only but keep growing and learning and appreciate all the feedback we receive along the way.
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T Russell Fredric - Business South September 2022
Cromwell Building Contractors owner Garry Morton is passionate about how he and his team can help clients achieve their needs and dreams, either for a new build or an existing house. A recent new house built for a family of five in Hawksburn Road near Cromwell is an example of a high quality project that Garry loves to be involved in. The architecturally designed house is situated in a dramatic rural/semi wilderness location 500 metres above sea level with views toward the Pisa Range. The client’s brief prioritised separate spaces for themselves and their children, resulting in a generously proportioned, 260 square metre ‘E’ shaped, pitched roof house with three north facing gable ends. “One end is three bedrooms and two bath rooms for the kids, the centre part is the kitchen, lounge, dining and media room and the other end is the master bedroom, the ensuite, laundry and the garage,” Garry says. The exterior is a combination of plastered Integra panel, vertical cedar and stone pillars which fit nicely with its surroundings. To cope the wide variation of the summer to winter climate, the home incorporates a high level of insulation, thermally broken double glazed, low emissivity windows and a RibRaft concrete floor. The roof is vaulted inside and features a tongue and groove lining and high windows which follow the shape of the gables to create the effect of a cathedral ceiling and of considerable space and light. This is further enhanced by the walls and ceiling being painted white, contrasted by dark-toned flooring. Heating and cooling is handled by a wood burner with a wet-back and a ducted heat pump system. “All the internal walls are insulated as well which I always recommend to the clients.” The kitchen, which has a separate butler’s pantry, has an island bench that doubles as the dining table and, with large bi-fold doors just 1.5 metres from this bench, is perfectly designed for indoor/outdoor flow to the The exterior is a combination of plastered Integra panel, vertical cedar and stone pillars. adjacent courtyard and ideal for Central Otago living. Garry is strong on reinforcing a high standard of workmanship and attention to detail to his team and is very pleased with the result as well as the extremely positive feed back from the client. “It’s been an awesome build and the clients were outstanding to deal with.” Cromwell Building Contractors is a family affair, with Garry’s son Codee, 29, being a foreman and youngest daughter Jacinda, 25, a former airline auditor, recently taking on an apprenticeship, however there have been no family favours, Garry says. “I believe that people should start at the bottom and work their their way through.” Although Jacinda is doing a building apprenticeship, she will have other options such as quantity surveying or project management to chose from when she is qualified which highlights the multiple career paths available in the industry, Garry says. On Garry’s insistence, Codee, who has been working for CBC for about eight years, initially undertook his apprenticeship with another builder, but completed it in the family business before working in Christchurch for 18 months on earthquake projects. Like Garry, Codee has a passion for alteration and extension work which, in some cases, involves working on century-old plus houses. Garry loves the complexity and lateral thinking often required for these projects as well as the outcomes that are possible for clients. “Doing a house that is a hundred years old is a wee bit more challenging. You’ve got to try and replicate what’s there and that comes down to skills with tools rather than ringing up and ordering materials.” Because of the skyrocketing cost of building materials, a renovation/extension is a good option for some compared to building new.

Build Business - ​Garry keeping up with the pace in Cromwell.
With 38 years in the building trade under his belt, Garry Morton has seen plenty of change in the industry and in Cromwell where his business Cromwell Building Contractors is based. “It’s hard to describe what’s happened over the last 20-odd years. The growth, the expansion of the town is just incredible,” Garry says. With several subdivisions underway, demand for residential construction still very strong and there is plenty of work for everyone. While it is not difficult to recruit and train apprentices, as in most parts of New Zealand, qualified builders are harder to find.
Since it was established, the company, which employs five staff, has trained seven apprentices. Garry has developed a good working relationship with Gary Todd of Gary Todd Architecture, based in Dunedin, a collaboration that is proving win-win for both businesses and clients. Garry says a good architect/builder relationship is a key to a successful outcome in any new build, particularly as architecture is a creative process, but one which needs practical input to see that process come to fruition. “You’ve got to have faith in each other and obviously as a builder we sometimes wish to alter things, but these reasons need to be relayed back to the architect and client for input and approval,” he says. A house recently completed in Bannockburn, near Cromwell, is a good example of the collaboration between the two businesses. The 210 square metre house is situated on an elevated section to take advantage of the stunning vistas through its generously glazed windows and doors. Relating to the area’s heritage, it is a contemporary barn styled design, a combination of two simple gabled roof buildings crossed for the house with a courtyard to separate gabled roof garage.
Ironsand coloured corrugated steel on the walls and roof blend it into its Central Otago setting. Glazed doors each end of the living area allow the views to been seen from the courtyard through the house, which means the owners can choose the best side of the house for exposure or shelter from the sun and wind. The interior features polished concrete floor in the living area, complemented with warm natural plywood sloping ceilings and black strikingly used for the kitchen joinery and various fittings. Gary Todd says the client sought a modest building which highlights the fact that engaging an architect does not required an unlimited budget, but faith in delivering them the best value. “They were looking to create a cost effective home which is sympathetic to the area and that’s been achieved by paired them with Garry Morton; as we selected the builder for them,” Gary says. “It’s a simple but refined home, well designed and constructed, achieved with good client input.” This design and construction is a good example of how an architect, client and builder can create a home which not only meets but exceeds everyone’s expectations, even on a tight budget, he says. “We have a history of completing several projects with Cromwell Building Contractors where cost efficiency has been delivered on residential projects for many clients through good collaboration,” says Gary. “We have a proven track record of working with Garry Morton, and like us, clients say he’s easy to work with.”