The 7 best builders in Christchurch

The most important stage of a new build isn’t the framing, or the roofing. It’s the quoting. Get this part right and you’ll be set for a smoother build process - and you might even get the job done on budget. 

Give a detailed brief - get a detailed quote

Every building quote/contract will include PC sums, an amount estimated for items that haven’t been specified yet. This is often stuff like your bathroom, and kitchen fittings, finishing touches, door handles, lighting and appliances.

The problem is, PC sums have a knack for blowing out and costing more than you might have expected, putting the budget for the entire build out. The trick to avoiding this is to make as many decisions as possible before the work starts - choose every item that’s going to go into your house and specify every piece of work required. This is a big job so it may be a good idea to work with an interior architect for help sorting out as much detail as possible before you go out and get quotes.

Estimate VS Quotes

Your builder will generate a list of prices from all the trades required to do the job prior to starting. 

• These prices are usually estimates - or in other words, educated guesses. If there's more work than expected the tradesman will charge more (which is obviously not ideal). 

• What you really want are fixed price quotes, which will require the trades to do more work upfront to figure out costs. The good thing about these are they’re fixed, giving you a more accurate idea of costs from the get-go.

Underquoting

Builders sometimes provide a project estimate that’s less than what the actual cost will be. They may do this to win your business in a competitive market, or because they haven’t done the work up front to accurately calculate costs. Whatever the reason, it’s important you do everything you can to spot low quotes and avoid them.

The best way to do this is to get several quotes; at least three, and if one’s suspiciously low be sure to ask plenty of questions.

Choosing a builder

So you’ve got three or more quotes, now it’s time to choose a builder. Consider the cost of the project, how detailed their quote is, whether or not you liked and trusted the builder, and what their communication was like (and how they prefer to keep in touch). Look for someone with lots of similar experience, maybe a finished house you can go and view, and plenty of good reviews from past customers. 

Zen Builders have 36 perfect reviews, with happy customers praising their can-do attitude, cost effective pricing, and willingness to go above and beyond. These guys specialise in work with older homes, extensions, and renovations, and can help with the entire process, from design to construction. 

Unlike many builders they’re happy to help with smaller jobs. Have a look at their completed projects on their website - they’ve done some beauties. 

S.C Harris Builders are a local Christchurch builder, based in Lyttleton. The business is owned and operated by Sam Harris, who’s passionate about the value in older things - doing mainly renovations and improvements on existing, and heritage homes. It’s clear that he knows what he’s doing too; reviews praise his artful retrofitting of older homes, and mention delivery on budget, on time.

Rise Residential is a building company that helps with everything from residential new builds, to renos, and even small maintenance jobs. Reviews mention the founder Ben’s great communication, and impressive workmanship, with a few mentioning that their projects were finished on budget and ahead of schedule (well done Ben). 

Fortified Homes are a family-orientated local business, run by Canterbury local Mike Kidd. They’ve got cracking Google reviews, but they’ve also got a few industry awards, including a gold in the MasterBuilder awards many years in a row. They can help with design and build homes, building your design, super affordable Kiwisaver-friendly homes, and decks and fences. 

If you’re planning a premium home or renovation, D.J Hewitt is a great option. The company was started by Daryl and Tara Hewitt in 1994 and has won over 50 Masterbuild Awards, and been a finalist in the National House of the Year awards. They provide a full service, from planning and design, to consents, project management, and construction. 

If you want an affordable, low stress, turnkey home build, with landscaping, and window coverings included in all packages, Oakridge is a fantastic option. They provide a range of low cost house and land packages, with a selection of spec designs, and their reviews are stellar. 

Their customers praise their communication throughout the build, attention to detail, and the quality of the finished product.