One to watch in Waikato

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At just 29, Daniel Kraayvanger of DK Builders has already made his mark on the construction industry, having scooped awards two years in a row in the Registered Master Builders House of the Year, in association with PlaceMakers.

The young Te Awamutu builder has only entered the competition twice, but has taken out awards both times, achieving a Gold Reserve and the local New Homes $350,000 – $450,000 category in 2010, followed in 2011 with the National Award for the same category.
But he didn’t see the National Award coming in 2011. “It was a bit mind-boggling!” he says.

Mr Kraayvanger is not new to building success though, impressing peers with his skills even back in secondary school.
“I did really well in my building class, topping School C building in fifth form at Te Awamutu College, and I won the Furniture Making Shield the year after,” he says.
In 2000, he studied for a year at Wintec, before undertaking his apprenticeship with Brian Legg Building, where he stayed for three and a half years.

Taking a year off from construction to help out on his parents’ farm, he returned to finish his apprenticeship with Terry Lasenby Builder in 2004.
“Terry signed my apprenticeship off straight away, and I stayed with him for another three years.”
A

t just 24, Mr Kraayvanger went out on his own, starting DK Builders Ltd in 2007.
“I didn’t want to work week to week, or live wage to wage. I had the opportunity to build a house and I jumped at it, and the company has grown from then on.
“There are three of us in the team. We’re all really passionate about what we do, and we like to do a good job,” Mr Kraayvanger says.
“My foreman, Tau, is excellent. He has a passion for building and has the same sort of standards as me. We both understand that we want a good finish, and we won’t stop until it is good enough.”

While he has a bit of office work to do here and there, Mr Kraayvanger builds day to day.
“Most of the time I’m on the tools, but I also manage and oversee every job, keeping the quality control and making sure it is up to standard.”
It’s no wonder DK Builders has done so well in the House of the Year. When asked what made the 2011 winning home in Te Awamutu stand out from the rest, Mr Kraayvanger says “workmanship, of course!”

“And, I reckon it has good street appeal. It is raised up on a platform so it stands out and utilises as much of the view as possible.
“The platform was the main challenge. We built all of the retaining for it, so there was quite a bit of work on that, but nothing’s too great of a challenge for us. Challenging situations are what keep us building,” he says.

The judges described the build as one of “exceptional work and talent, from a very driven young builder, who is demonstrating exceptional craftsmanship early on in his career.”
Mr Kraayvanger believes that the best part of being a builder is having satisfied customers.
“That, and having a project finished that you can be proud of and can say, ‘I built this’,” he says.
Joining Registered Master Builders in 2010, he is pleased to be part of the organisation.
“The information they give you is really useful, or if I have any queries on anything, I know they’re there to help me out and are only a phone call away.”

He is also a Licensed Building Practitioner, getting involved with the scheme so “people will have even more trust” in him.
“It’ll also get rid of those builders who are a bit shady and don’t do a good job,” he says.
With a lot on his plate, including a child on the way, Mr Kraayvanger is having a rest from the House of the Year competition this year.
“But I’ll have a nice house to enter next year, that’s for sure, probably in the New Homes $450,000 – $600,000 category.”

Entries for the Registered Master Builders 2012 House of the Year, in association with PlaceMakers have now closed.
The Awards are made possible through the support of PlaceMakers, James Hardie, Gib Living Solutions®, Nulook and the Department of Building and Housing.

For more information about the competition, visit the Registered Master Builders web site at www.masterbuilder.org.nz.

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