Speaker 1: 0:28

Hello and welcome, Catherine Hi.

Speaker 2: 0:31

Hi, how are?

Speaker 1: 0:32

you. I'm wonderful. How are you doing? I'm good, so many. So, catherine, you're from Stonewood Homes. I am, yes, how exciting a female in the building industry.

Speaker 2: 0:43

Yeah, pretty different yeah.

Speaker 1: 0:45

That's really cool. We're seeing more and more females, I think, coming into this, so today I wanted to have you to share the knowledge around the building industry, what's going on out there. You know tips and tricks for our maybe first home buyers or even people that are looking to upgrade, and how you can come and help them and, you know, get them into their brand new homes. Yeah, sure, so tell us a little bit about your company and the vision.

Speaker 2: 1:11

Okay, yeah, great. So I guess we own Stonewood Homes Manawatu, Horowhenua. We also build in Wellington as well, so we've got quite a big area that we look after. But I guess the difference between us and other companies is you're dealing with the directors or the owners of the business, so we're pretty invested when it comes to getting it right for our clients. I mean, building a house. Most people will only do it once or twice in their life, maybe three times if you're lucky. So, yeah, it's really a process where I like to help people. You know, walk them through the journey, guide them where they need to be guided. You know, walk them through the journey, guide them where they need to be guided whether that's colour consultant choosing bricks with them, taking them to build sites yeah, oh, that sounds really cool.

Speaker 1: 2:05

I mean, I love building. I'm one of those strange people in the world that after I built my first house I was like cool, let's build again. It excites me. But on the other hand, I have seen clients that have been through the building process and they're like never again. They get very stressed out by the whole thing. And so with the Stonewood Homes, what would be your point of difference? Making sure clients don't get stressed and don't go through those feelings of never again?

Speaker 2: 2:28

Yeah, so I mean building a house. It's not an overnight thing, so there's many cogs sort of to keep the project running. But my biggest thing is communication. You know we're dealing with so many different trades every single day suppliers, getting them to the right sites and things. So you know there may be the occasions where it doesn't go completely right, but if you communicate, that people are understanding and, yeah, we'll get through it. Yeah, One step at a time, right.

Speaker 2: 3:02

A hundred percent. Yeah, and I mean it doesn't have to be stressful. It should be an exciting time. You know you're, you're building, for most people, their dream home. They've had input, they're designing it with you and things like that. So yeah, it's pretty special.

Speaker 1: 3:17

Do you guys have set plans that people can choose from, or can people come to you with their plans? How does your model work?

Speaker 2: 3:24

Yep, so a bit of both. Stonewood Homes probably have the biggest range on standard plans. We've got something like 450 standard plans in our range now. Yeah, they go from one bedroom right up to seven bedrooms, so it's sort of something for everyone. And all of those plans can be changed on our software. But also if a client has an idea or a vision and they've drawn it on a piece of paper, we can put that into our software and that's their unique home and build it for them.

Speaker 1: 3:57

Wow, that sounds really cool. So how many builds have you got going at the moment, and what sort of types? I'm really keen to know.

Speaker 2: 4:05

Yeah, sure, so we just finished one today. Actually, this morning we did handover with our clients so they were pretty excited to be moving in before Christmas. And then we've got your mainly residential in Crofton Down seems to be the place to build at the moment. We've got a few at the beach Waitawere Beach, foxton Beach and we've got another one starting shortly in Levin. So, yeah, mainly residential family homes at the moment seems to be what people are choosing to build.

Speaker 1: 4:37

And are people building for themselves or is it an investment property?

Speaker 2: 4:41

So we've got one in live-in that's an investment property and all the rest will be owner occupied.

Speaker 1: 4:47

Oh, wow. So that's really exciting that you get to deal with people that are actually going to go in and live in it and, as you say, as you're helping them to choose their colors, they can envision themselves. Oh, that's really exciting. Okay, and in terms of your own journey, what led you guys to get into the Stonewood Homes? Let's dig a little bit into that.

Speaker 2: 5:08

Yeah, sure, so my background previously wasn't in construction. It's actually in a completely different line of work. I used to work rehabilitating offenders and second chances in life, things like that. So it's definitely a big change for me. However, my husband, he's a builder, so he wanted to continue in that line of work. He loves it. The opportunity came up for us to look at a franchise. A lot of due diligence. It took nearly two years of behind-the-scenes training and things before we said, yep, let's do this. So for me it was going from a role where I'm helping people, you know, make better choices, to a role where I'm still helping people, but it's in another sort of way, by helping them achieve their dreams and things like that. Yeah, that's really cool.

Speaker 1: 6:03

So why Stonewood Homes, though? Because there's so many other franchises out there in New Zealand.

Speaker 2: 6:08

Yeah. So Stonewood Homes, if you were to do a bit of research into it, they've been through some pretty tough times. The current owners brought Stonewood Homes so the original Stonewood Homes went into liquidation in 2016, and it was brought out by the current owners, john and Michael Chow. They have completed over 200 homes that were unfinished from the previous owners, so it's a brand that's gone through the test of time. And, in regards to quality, yeah, the quality of our homes, compared to maybe some of the competitors out there, is just next level.

Speaker 1: 6:51

Yeah, no, that's really good to hear because I remember funny, you mentioned 2016,. So that's when I was finishing my first build and in the area where I was building, they had a few show homes. They had GJ Gardner, they had A1, they had eHouse and they had Stonewood Homes. And I remember going there before we started to build, absolutely loved the concept, loved the guy, it was great. And I signed a contract with Stonewood Homes and then, at the same time, I was also negotiating with Versatile Homes, but Versatile was just a little bit more pricey. And then the Versatile guy came to me he said hey, did you know? Stonewall Homes is actually going under. I was like what? We just signed a contract but because we haven't started anything, we were able to cancel the contract and we ended up building with Versatile Homes.

Speaker 1: 7:35

So then, fast forward to now, and I remember it was last year that you guys, I think, opened your franchise. Yeah, yeah, I was in Foxton for your opening, yeah, and I was like it's amazing how the company, just you know, turned around, turned around, and it just made me so happy because I like the brand. I think there's a lot of good that you guys are doing, and especially with these brothers jumping in and rescuing so many households and finishing the builds for them, because I know there was a lot of uncertainty and there was after the Christchurch earthquake as well wasn't there?

Speaker 2: 8:12

That's correct. Yeah, and I mean it was a time, you know, in Christchurch there was a lot going on and things like that. But yeah, again, the current owners could have chosen to start a new company or develop their own brand, but they took on a brand that had been through a lot um, and today we continue. You know, um, I think in the last two years we've had four new franchises, so we know we're no longer the newbies on the block. Um, four new franchises, and we've now entered the Australian market as well stonewood homes. So, yeah, watch this space. It's a pretty fast growing business so it's really good, right.

Speaker 1: 8:48

That's, um, I guess, reassuring for people as well when they're building, because they want to be building with companies that have larger buying power. 100, yeah, because that's what it all comes down to. That the average folk probably don't understand, but the the bigger the company, the bigger the buying power. So do you want to talk a little bit about that?

Speaker 2: 9:07

Yeah. So the two major things I say is always with Stonewood Homes, it's the buying power that we get, so the national agreements, the prices that we can get, which in turn make the build cheaper for our clients, which in turn make the build cheaper for our clients.

Speaker 1: 9:26

And the second is just stability of knowing you're going with a large company, that it's nationwide, yeah, exactly Because it's all good and well if you want to build by yourself or if you want to get someone to build for you, but if there is no fixed price contract in place, or even if there is fixed price contract in place, sometimes things blow out. Do you see that often with your contracts?

Speaker 2: 9:50

Yeah, and I mean not with our contracts, because we'll do fixed price contracts. We understand and we work closely with the banks mortgage advisors like yourself that it's really important. Clients can go to their bank, say this is how much my build's going to cost, and majority of people will only be able to get a mortgage for that amount. There's no money tree where it just falls down and they can keep adding things to their build. So it's sort of our obligation as well to make sure what we're saying we can build it for, we do it for.

Speaker 2: 10:28

It does say to me in the construction industry that there's still companies out there that will say they're offering this and that their price, the bottom dollar, will always look cheaper. But if you read into the contract, there'll be so many exclusions. You read into the contract, there'll be so many exclusions. And unfortunately, if you're not in the construction industry day in, day out, knowing what to look for, that's when it can hurt the person that's building and it becomes really stressful for them because they think you know their earthworks were included and now they have to pay an additional $10,000, $20,000 and where do they get that from? And it becomes a really, really stressful exercise. So yeah, we're in the game where we try and avoid that with all costs.

Speaker 1: 11:11

Yeah, yeah, no, that's really good to know, because I have seen things that do go wrong and you know where do people find money in the last minute to finish, Exactly, yeah, and I mean some companies then go under as well. Building industry what's your feel on this year? How has it been for you and what have you seen in the industry.

Speaker 2: 11:32

yeah. So construction over the last 12 months it's been pretty tough out there. Um interest rates when they're high, construction always slows down because, you know, investors don't build as many homes. First home buyers might not be able to get the full mortgage, so everyone sort of tightens their belts, sits back and in turn, that means less build. So it has been tough. However, you know, with the latest sort of interest rate drops and things we have seen sort of coming out of that turn, yeah, we've signed up quite a few contracts in the last couple of months, compared to this time 12 months ago. So I think, going forward, it's a pretty exciting time. So do you think we've turned a corner? Fingers crossed, yeah, another interest rate drop would be good. And then I think, yeah, we'd really be turning the corner.

Speaker 1: 12:25

Yeah, hopefully, Catherine. In terms of price per square metre, let's talk about that. Back in the day when I was building my first home, it was about $1,800 per square metre. Fast forward to when I was building this house, it was a little bit more. So what is it now?

Speaker 2: 12:45

Yeah. So that's like the question we get asked every day and there's just so many factors to factor in on what makes up that square meter rate. You know you'll have some companies that will say they can build from 2,500 a square meter and you'll find out that doesn't include any sort of earthworks, landscaping, driveways, water tanks, all these sorts of things that you have to factor in still to a build, depending on the build, the finishes. You know different claddings, things like that it can go up to $4,000. So between two and four, you know, which is a huge range for people.

Speaker 2: 13:27

So I say to people when they come in, the first thing is we talk about budget and I know that sometimes it sounds like it's a target. We want to know your budget so we can build and you can pay that much for your house. It's not that it's. We want to make sure what we're or what you've got a budget for, we can deliver and with 400 odd plans, we'll be picking the right plan for you. You know, if you're a first home buyer and you're looking at a two-bedroom sort of house, I wouldn't necessarily be showing you a $1.7 million seven-bedroom house. So it's all into trying to fit it into what works best for our clients.

Speaker 1: 14:12

Okay, that leads me into that question of what tips do you have for the buyers? What should they be thinking of when they come in to talk to a building company, apart from the budget?

Speaker 2: 14:25

So I guess at Stonewood Homes one of our biggest things is people come to us really really early on in the progress. So they've jumped on our website and they've fallen in love with the house and they click on it. They make an inquiry. They then get a phone call from myself or one of our team and they haven't actually done their research into where they're going to build. They might not have the land yet and definitely haven't done their research into actually how much they can borrow.

Speaker 2: 14:55

So my biggest tips are to always reach out to a mortgage advisor like yourself who knows about construction loans. Construction loans are a little bit different and a bit more complex than just going out and buying a house that already exists. So maybe you can talk to people a little bit about that. But also it's about getting a plan that meets majority of their needs. So looking through our website again is a good start, because that will give you the layout of a house that you like. Always cheaper to make minor changes. It gets more costly when you're dragging out walls, moving the garage to the other side of the house and things like that. So out of those 400 plans, there's normally a plan that will suit someone.

Speaker 1: 15:52

Oh your hopes hold. That's why you've got so many. Okay, Now that's really good to know Five seconds of fame for your own franchise. Where would people find you? Are you on social media? Yeah?

Speaker 2: 16:04

sure? So we are Stonewood Homes Manawatu Horofunua on the Instagram, yep, Facebook, and our showroom is 1 Clyde Street in Foxton.

Speaker 1: 16:15

Awesome, and you were recently finalists in Electro Business Awards, so congratulations on that, thank you. Yeah, finalists in Electro Business Awards, so congratulations on that, thank you. Yeah, that's awesome for a company that just started to get into the finalist category and I would highly encourage you to apply again next year. That's with my other hat on. I love how, in this show, I can put various hats on and talk to people. This is me with my Electro Business Awards hat. So, because I find that with those, you know things that you're into, the judges are looking at the performance of your company and to get into the finalists, that shows that you know your company is right, good, well on track. So congratulations on that, thank you, and, yeah, can't wait to see what you guys can achieve next year. I've got some more quick fire questions for you. Yeah, sure, fire away.

Speaker 2: 17:04

What gets you out of bed? My clients? A hundred percent yeah.

Speaker 1: 17:08

Do they call you at like five o'clock in the morning?

Speaker 2: 17:11

They can do Change the color of a brick.

Speaker 1: 17:15

I love it. I love it. What keeps you positive?

Speaker 2: 17:18

My children, yeah, my daughters.

Speaker 1: 17:20

Oh, that's nice, you haven't mentioned husband. Anyway, I'm worried. Okay, what's your favorite beverage?

Speaker 2: 17:27

Husband, are we talking daytime or nighttime?

Speaker 1: 17:32

Oh, that's a good one. I haven't had that question before.

Speaker 2: 17:34

Coffee during the day definitely Live off coffee Nighttime.

Speaker 1: 17:38

Gin and tonic oh gin and tonic Lovely, okay, now that's cool. And just one final quick question is what's the most memorable house that you've built so far out of all your projects? Do you have one that, like stands out because it had funky kitchen or bathroom or something? It?

Speaker 2: 17:59

stands out because it had funky kitchen or bathroom or something. You may have to watch this space, but maybe the house we handed over today it's going to be in our. We've selected it for House of the Year next year, so yeah, that's awesome, Catherine.

Speaker 1: 18:13

thank you so much for coming along. It was an absolute pleasure to have you. I hope you didn't feel nervous, but you know fun, fun. Definitely chatting with you, Thank you, and I look forward to having you back here and talking more about you, know the industry and what's going on out there.

Speaker 2: 18:30

Yeah, definitely Sounds good, thank you, thank you.