There’s something pretty special about a roof shout. Even better when we celebrate it from the boat moored in front of the build!
The Renall build hit that milestone recently. But instead of standing around on site, we got to admire the framing from the water. On their boat. Looking back at their house taking shape in the Whitianga Waterways.
That’s Coromandel building.
Not textbook. Not standard. But there is something about it, that just makes it extra special.
Fair to say, most of our clients come from out of town. Auckland, across the Waikato, and further afield. Yes, often they’re from the city.
They’re used to systems. Straightforward sites. Easy access. Everything close by. You know when you run out of something, and you can duck down to a supplier and pick it up? That’s what we’re meaning.
Then you come to Whitianga, Tairua or even Paunaui. And it can be a different story.
To get elevated ocean views, sections can be tight to access, sloping or quite exposed. Deliveries take planning, in advance, to ensure we have what we need, when we need it.
And the weather. Yes, we know the Coromandel is a slice of Paradise (the eastern side is called the Paradise Coast), but like any tropical environment, we do get rain too.
All these factors combine when you’re looking to build in the Coromandel. We’re not saying it’s harder. But it is different.
We had a conversation recently with a client looking at a steep site overlooking the Thames harbour.
He turned and asked, “Is this even buildable?”
Short answer, yes.
Real answer, it depends how you approach it.
That’s where experience comes in. Not just technical, practical.
We know what a 45-degree site actually means when it comes to building. How to position a home so it works with the land, not against it. How to make access work. How to think through the details early.
On sites like this, you’re not just building a house, you’re engineering it.
“Large, expansive views require structural steel to support the house,” explains Bennet Gage-Brown from Alted Engineering in Tairua. “It also requires large cranes for lifting these portals and frames into place.”
We work closely with local suppliers across the Coromandel to make that happen. If we wouldn’t use them for our own build, we won’t use them for yours.
As past client put it, “They also know all the right people to get the job done which counts for a lot in a small town.”
From the outside, or to anyone driving past a new build, it can look simple. A sign goes up, house gets built, people move in.
But we all know there is a lot that happens before we see any action on the site. The valuable time where we work together. Brainstorm ideas, adjust designs, add in larger boat parking, and solve problems.
The detail is in the planning. And it’s also the part that makes the biggest difference to how smooth the build feels.
When asked about their build in Wharekaho, Lee Stratford said “They will follow up, constantly communicate and also check in – even after the project has finished.”
We know that follow-through matters.
One of the biggest pressure points for clients is decision fatigue.
Colours. Finishes. Materials. How everything ties together. There is a lot to consider.
From our design office in Whitianga, we’ve built that support in-house. Including our interior design and colour service, so clients aren’t left trying to piece it all together themselves.
“Tanya’s expertise with our interior design… we have ended up with a beautiful home that we are very proud of” shared Bryce and Carolyn Shuker about their build.
Tanya is quick to point out, “it’s not just about picking colours”. It’s about creating something that actually works for how you live here.
This is the part people don’t always say out loud. Yes, there are more and more builders in the Coromandel. People travelling in for work, looking for projects to support their city workflow.
We know people will shop around. We do encourage that. Have conversations, ask your questions, be inquisitive. Because at the end of the day, we want you to work with a team that you connect with. That you want to pop by and chat with throughout your build journey. And those who will pop a bottle of bubbles with you at the end and celebrate.
Building in the Coromandel isn’t just about price. It’s about who understands the place.
The conditions. The process. The people.
Because when something needs sorting, you don’t want to be dealing with someone who’s figuring it out as they go. You want someone who already knows.
The house matters. Of course it does.
Just as it also matters whether the boat trailer can back down the driveway into the garage! For Terry and Lee Stratford who built on a steep slope in Wharekaho, Dan did just that. He backed a trailer with a boat on it, down the driveway to show them it could get into the garage before we locked in the final concrete pour.
When we look back on projects like the Stratford and Renall builds, it’s the moments around it that stick. Backing the trailer down the driveway, or standing on a boat for the roof shout.
That’s the bit people remember. And we know they do. When we asked Jan and Kevin Marret, they said “We would do it all again with Urban.”
And that’s probably the best measure of a build you can get.
If you’re thinking about building in the Coromandel, start with a conversation. Not plans. Not pricing. Just a conversation with people who understand how it actually works here.
Tanya and Dan in our Whitianga office are always up for that.