A sole builder and his apprentice were responsible for constructing the beautiful Taupiri farm house which wowed judges at the 2017 Registered Master Builders House of the Year awards.
Andy Spiers of Aspiers Building Ltd took out the Nulook New Home $700,000 to $1 million Award category at the national competition.
The home features interior passageways lined in vertical macrocarpa timber milled from the client’s family farm, and the home is encased in metal sheeting.
Mr Spiers says he built the house with only the help of his apprentice, Jarrod Sager.
“We were surprised to take out the top award because we were up against some big companies with all their resources,” Mr Spiers says.
“The build definitely aged us, but it was entirely worth it.
“The home just sits so well on the hill and it functions perfectly as a farm house. It blends in so nicely with the surroundings.”
The owners are over the moon with the home, he says. “The style is clean and minimal, but it is still warm because of the use of timber inside.”
Although the home looks simple and stripped back, Mr Spiers says the lack of trims and skirtings to hide the junctions between metal and timber left no room for error.
“The finishing had to be precise, to the millimetre. Even the windows run into metal cladding — there were no cover plates or beads to hide anything,” he says.
The home’s external walls do not run parallel with the roofline, and few walls — internal or external — meet at 90° angles.
The roof is all but hidden thanks to internal gutter slopes, and Mr Spiers says these design features all required extensive thought and planning.
The judges described the striking result as a unique and interesting home.
“Good design with a sensible approach to detailing by the builder has made this house feel special. A high standard has been achieved throughout.”
In the 2014 Register Master Builders House of the Year awards, Mr Spiers won in the same category for the Waikato regional competition.
“Although it’s a big process for a small company like ours, we would absolutely enter again if the right house comes up,” he says.
Mr Spiers became a Registered Master Builder 10 years ago, and says he appreciates the support, backing and prestige his membership provides.
House of the Year is made possible through the support of PlaceMakers, Master Build Services, GIB, Nulook, CARTERS, Plumbing World, Resene and Bunnings Trade.
