Renovation features perfect blend with existing structure

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Clarke Construction directors Sarah and Ant Clarke believe the credibility gained and the reassurance of a job well done are the biggest business advantages from winning the PlaceMakers Supreme Award for the Registered Master Builders 2011 Renovation of the Year.

The young company is relatively new to the game. Mr Clarke set up the business in Christchurch in 2002, before moving it back to Marlborough in 2007 where he became a Registered Master Builder.
“We thought RMB would be a good organisation to be affiliated with,” Ms Clarke says.
“Since we’ve been involved we’ve been getting such great support for the company.
“We’ve had a lot of background support for the office to help us get our systems in place, especially because we’re quite a young company,” she says.
“I actually couldn’t recommend it more to someone starting up a [construction] business.”

The first-year entrants were overwhelmed when their company took out the Supreme Award.
“It’s great recognition for our company’s hard work. It’s reassuring to know that as a team, we made it all come together.
“There’s a lot you have to overcome to make it all happen, and at the end it was great to get what the client wanted and make it a well-finished job.”

The family home in Blenheim was a careful renovation of a period villa, and saw seamless integration of old and new, modernising the home while retaining its original character.
The home’s extension consisted of three separate pavilions which were cleverly connected through modern flat roof sections that blend perfectly with the existing structure.
Competition judges described the renovation as “sympathetic craftsmanship, with exquisite attention to detail and great teamwork between client, builder, and architect”.
“The renovation replicates the original home to a ‘t’, with faultless workmanship delivering the best of the original design and home, with contemporary living. A stunning result for a first-time entrant in the competition,” they said.

Clarke Construction’s 10-strong team is currently working on a number of projects throughout Marlborough, including new home builds, renovations, commercial projects and hardscaping.
“Our latest venture is building swimming pools. It works well because often clients want to continue a relationship with the builder, so it’s nice to be able to come back six months to a year later and put in a pool and related hardscaping,” Ms Clarke says.
“We always try to keep a great relationship with our clients. More often than not we end up becoming really good friends, because we have had such a close relationship throughout the job.
“Communication and getting what the clients want at the end of the day is important for us,” she says.

The company is entering the House of the Year again this year, with a Marlborough property in the New Homes $600,000 – $1million category.
Entries for the Registered Master Builders 2012 House of the Year, in association with PlaceMakers, have now closed.
The Awards are made possible through the support of PlaceMakers, James Hardie, Gib Living Solutions®, Nulook and the Department of Building and Housing.

For more information about the competition, visit the Registered Master Builders web site at www.masterbuilder.org.nz.

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