Good job’s a winner
S & R Residential have a humble office in Tawa, but their award- winning renovation is anything but humble.
The company, formed six years ago by Adrian Russell and Tayn Stefanidis, cleaned up at the Wellington Wairarapa Registered Master Builders House of the Year Awards on August 31. Their nine-month renovation of a Karori home won the award for a renovation over $500,000, the GIB Living and craftsmanship awards, and PlaceMakers supreme award.
Mr Russell says they are still buzzing about their achievements.
‘‘We don’t tend to rise to the occasion for that sort of stuff [ public speaking], but it was such a special night. The craftsmanship award was something we both wanted, so we’re really happy to come away with that.’’
The Karori project was big and gave them plenty of challenges but also the opportunity to show off their skills. Over 30 subcontractors were involved as they added 120 square metres to the top of a 1920s home, with rimu and matai throughout.
Both men spent plenty of late nights and weekends to finish the job and enjoyed sharing their success with their clients.
Judges said the renovators maintained the charm of the original building and acknowledged the difficulty in carrying out the alterations.
‘‘It was really rewarding, sitting at the dinner with the owners, we shared this with them,’’ Mr Stefanidis says.
The awards have given the duo further belief in an extremely competitive market, where constant work is never guaranteed.
They decided to form their own company at the height of the building boom but have faced plenty of quiet patches since.
‘‘It is tough out there right now and being recognised like this does give you confidence,’’ Mr Stefanidis says.
‘‘We put our heart and soul into every job we do, from the $50 fixer-ups to a million-dollar renovation. These awards are great but we need to make sure we stay competitive and offer our services right across the board.’’
The Karori home will now come under the scrutiny of national judges, who will announce winners in November.