T. Russell Fredric 

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 bathrooms for the kids, the center 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 Rib Raft 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 which as well 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 meters from this bench, is perfectly designed for indoor/outdoor flow to 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 feedback 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 way through.” Although Jacinda is doing a building apprenticeship, she will have other options such as quantity surveying or project management to choose 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.