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29/10/2026

Over the past three months, we’ve been catching up with some of Auckland’s leading builders and industry experts to hear their stories, challenges and lessons learned along the way.

Here’s a look back at some of the standout moments and insights from these conversations.

WG de Gruchy Construction Ltd Fortified Construction Concept Build Group 360 Glass Ltd Lewis Build Code Projects NZ Builders Ltd. Eye For Detail Construction Henry Dunham Building Cheyne Construction Cmbuilt Ltd

22/10/2026

Rounding out the series is Cam from CM Built!

Cam has been in the industry since leaving school at 17 and has been running CM Built since 2017. He knows the challenges of moving from the tools to running a business, with plenty of lessons learnt along the way about pricing, managing a team and growing at the right pace.

Swipe across for our final feature, covering his biggest business lesson, advice for younger builders and what gives him confidence in where the industry is headed.

Cmbuilt Ltd

How did CM Built begin, and how are you finding the current market?

What advice would you give to younger builders?

Growing too quickly can put pressure on your team and the quality of your work.

Cam’s advice is to take your time. Focus on doing a good job and building a reputation before taking on more.

What’s the hardest lesson you’ve learnt?

“No one teaches you how to run a business. A lot of lessons are learnt the hard way, and you’ve got to figure out plenty for yourself.”

Learning the trade is one thing. Running a business brings a whole new set of lessons.

For Cam, pricing has been one of them. Allowing for a team to complete a job is different from pricing it around doing the work yourself.

What gives you confidence about where the industry is heading?

“It’s important to have people around you who you can turn to and ask questions.”

You won’t have every answer when running a building business.

Cam’s advice is to have people around you who you can ask. Talking through a challenge with someone who’s been there can help you make a better call.

15/10/2026

Next up in the series, Lee Cheyne from Cheyne Construction.

Lee has been running Cheyne Construction for over three decades. In that time, he’s worked through several downturns, delivered a wide range of projects and seen first-hand how much the demands on builders have changed. It’s a perspective built on years of running a business through both busy periods and tougher markets.

Swipe across to hear his story, how he’s approaching the current market, and his advice for younger builders finding their feet.

What’s your background and how did you start your business?

How do you adapt when the market slows down?

What advice would you give to younger builders?

Don’t get so caught up in the flash ute and the big boat that you lose focus on getting the job done.

Lee’s advice to younger builders is to keep their priorities in check. After a run of good years, it’s easy to get distracted by the extras and lose sight of the work that got you there.

When the market gets tougher, the focus still needs to be on delivering good work and doing what you said you would.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt?

Getting qualified doesn’t mean you’ve learnt everything.

After over three decades running Cheyne Construction, Lee still learns something new every day. That includes learning from the younger guys, whose different perspectives can be just as valuable as the experience he passes on to them.

There’s always more to learn, as long as you’re willing to listen.

How has the role of a builder changed over the years?

What does the construction market feel like for builders at the moment?

Why are reliable subcontractors and trade partners so important?

The team delivering your project includes every subbie you bring onto site.

For Lee, those relationships matter just as much as the people he employs directly. He wants contractors who know what’s happening on the job, can answer questions and care about the result.

Working with the same trusted trades gives Cheyne Construction consistency across its projects. When a client hires them, it’s that whole team working together that delivers the finished build.

08/10/2026

For our ninth feature, we have Henry Dunham.

Henry started building at 16, with his time working in London shaping his interest in high-end homes. Over the past 19 years running Henry Dunham Building, he’s learnt what it takes to run a business while staying close to his team and clients.

Swipe across to hear Henry’s story, the lessons that have stayed with him, and his advice for the next generation of builders.

Henry Dunham Building

What’s your background and how did you start your business?

Henry always wanted to be a builder and six months into a plumbing apprenticeship, he got the opportunity to make that move and took it.

Building then took him to Australia and the UK. Working on high-end homes in London opened his eyes to a level of building he hadn’t experienced before, and gave him a clearer idea of the work he wanted to pursue.

When he returned, he went out on his own. Nineteen years of Henry Dunham Building followed, all starting with that early decision to follow the trade he wanted to be in.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt?

When Henry’s business was bigger, he became more removed from his team on site. It was only afterwards that he learnt some of his staff hadn’t been treated well.

Finding that out was hard, especially knowing it had happened while he was responsible for the business. It showed him how much can go unseen when you lose that direct connection with your people.

That experience helped shape the size of company he wants to run. For Henry, keeping it manageable means staying close to his team and clients, and knowing what’s happening on his watch.

What advice would you give to younger builders?

Getting started on your own comes with enough pressure without feeling like you need everything an established builder has.

Henry’s advice is to stay lean and be patient. Relationships take time to turn into work, and building a business is a long game.

Seeing what other builders are doing online can make you feel like you’re behind. Keeping your attention on your own work, doing it well and letting the business develop at its own pace is a better place to put that energy.

How do you manage the stress of

01/10/2026

For our eighth feature, we have Alex Carey.

Alex is the second generation behind Eye For Detail, a building company started by his dad 37 years ago. Since taking over in 2019, he’s grown the team, stepped further into the business side, and learnt how to adapt as the company has changed.

Swipe across to hear how Alex has approached growth, where he’s learnt to focus his time, and some of the biggest lessons that have come with running the business.

Eye For Detail Construction

What’s your background, and how long have you been in business?

How Do You Manage the Stress of Running a Business?

The pressure of running a business can build quietly, until eventually it starts showing up in ways you can’t ignore.

For Alex, reaching that point forced him to recognise the warning signs, make time for himself again, and stop treating stress as something he could simply push through.

Looking after yourself isn’t separate from running the business. Sometimes it’s what allows you to keep running it.

How Have You Managed Internal Growth?

A bigger team doesn’t always mean a stronger business.

Alex makes the point that growth can look like better systems, stronger financial control, knowing which clients are the right fit, and building a network you can rely on.

Sometimes the biggest gains happen behind the scenes, long before another person joins the team.

Who Do You Turn to for Support in Business?

One of the most valuable things Alex has found is having other builders around him who understand the same pressures.

Whether it’s a site issue, a staffing problem or just the weight that comes with running a business, there’s usually someone else who has been through it before.

That perspective can make a big difference when you’re trying to work everything out on your own.

How Have You Adapted to the Changing Market?

What Advice Would You Give Young Builders?

How Do You Balance Small and Large Projects?

Where Do You Add the Most Value to Your Business?

Alex has learnt that his biggest value comes when the team can keep projects moving, while he focuses on finding work, supporting clients and working on the business itself.

Sometimes stepping back fr

24/09/2026

For our seventh feature, we have Blake Cooper.

Alongside business partner Jesse Bird, Blake has built NZ Builders into a respected name in Auckland’s building industry.

Swipe across to hear what Blake has learnt about sharing the load, and why a slower market has pushed them to rethink how they operate.

NZ Builders Ltd.

What advice would you give a builder starting their own business?

Being a good builder doesn’t automatically teach you how to run a business.

A lot of those lessons only come when you’re the one making the decisions and living with the results. You can learn from other people, but you still have to go through it yourself.

How have you adapted to the slower construction market?

What changes have made the biggest difference to how you run the business?

How do you approach taking risks in business?

There’s a point where weighing up every risk can stop you from getting started.

Blake’s approach is to think it through, back the decision, and put in the work to see it through.

It helps to have people beside you who share the same vision.

How have you freed up time to work on the business?

What’s it like running a construction business with a business partner?

What does success look like for your business going forward?

A great portfolio only tells part of the story.

For Blake, success means doing great work and giving clients a good experience throughout the build. The finished project matters, and so does what it was like to get there.

17/09/2026

Next in the spotlight, Cody Greening.

Cody is part of a new generation of builders coming through, building Code Projects while learning how to navigate a market that’s changing quickly around him.

Still early in the journey compared to some of the more established names in the industry, Cody has already shown a strong ability to adapt, tighten the way he operates, and keep moving the business forward.

Swipe across to hear the lesson he’s learnt so far, and the adjustment that’s changed the way he runs Code Projects today.

What’s been the biggest learning curve when it comes to running your business?

Some of the most important work in a building business is the work that doesn’t pay off straight away.

Pricing, networking, marketing and putting better systems in place all take time, often without an immediate result to show for it.

But making space for that work is what gives the business a better chance to grow in the long run.

10/09/2026

Next up in the series, Ben Lewis.

Since starting Lewis Build off the back of redundancy in 2009, Ben has spent the past 17 years building the business, learning firsthand what it takes to turn a love for building into a successful construction company.

Swipe across to hear Ben’s story, his perspective on the industry, and some of the key lessons and advice he’s picked up along the way.

Lewis Build

What’s your background and how did you start your business?

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt.

Losing work is never easy, especially when you’ve put the time into pricing it.

But for Ben, losing jobs became part of learning who the right clients were for Lewis Build, and being comfortable walking away when the fit wasn’t there.

Sometimes the job you don’t win is just as important as the one you do.

What does the construction market look like for builders right now?

What advice would you give to younger operators facing a tough market?

You don’t need the biggest jobs to start building a strong name.

It comes from being good at what you do, getting around the right people, and taking opportunities that help you grow without forcing it.

Reputation is built over time, one job and one relationship at a time.

What was the turning point in how you ran the business?

How do you manage the stress of running a construction business?

Why are reliable subcontractors and trade partners so important?

How important is time with family for switching off work?

03/09/2026

Our fourth feature of the series is Stu Shirkie.

For the past 12 years, Stu has been building 360 Glass, navigating the challenges that come with growing a trade business and keeping it sustainable along the way.

Swipe across to hear some of the biggest lessons Stu has learnt through that growth, and how the tougher market has changed the way he runs the business today.

360 Glass Ltd

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learnt?

One of the biggest lessons Stu has learnt is that keeping work coming in isn’t enough on its own.

The work still needs to be charged at a level that leaves enough margin to properly support the business and make the cash flow worthwhile.

Otherwise, you can stay busy without really moving forward, and unforeseen costs can quickly start to hurt.

How has this changed the way you run your business?

As 360 Glass has grown, Stu has seen how quickly overheads and labour can start to weigh on the business when the market slows.

One of the biggest lessons has been the need to stay organised around every job, from programming the work properly to managing labour hours and making sure those costs are covered.

That extra attention to detail has become a big part of keeping the team productive and each job running the way it should.

27/08/2026

For our third feature of the series, we have Henry McGarry

Henry started his journey as a building operator back in 2017, and like many builders across Auckland, the past couple of years have forced him to take a closer look at how the business operates and where things can be done better.

Swipe across to hear Henry’s perspective on the current market, the changes Concept has made, and why tighter processes and greater efficiency have become such a focus.

Concept Build Group

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learnt?

For Henry, one of the biggest learnings from the past couple of years has been the importance of taking a harder look at how the business is operating.

That’s meant cutting unnecessary expenditure and tightening up processes, because when the market gets tougher, it forces you to find better ways of doing things.

How has this changed the way you run your business?

Over the past couple of years, staying ahead of the pack has meant taking a much closer look at how Concept operates and where the business can become more efficient.

That’s meant reducing unnecessary overheads, building their network, tightening up processes and making sure the team understands exactly what’s required.

A big part of that has been understanding those processes from A to Z, so they can keep improving how the business runs in a tougher market.

Address

7 Goldfield
Wairau Valley
0627

Opening Hours

Monday	6:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday	6:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday	6:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday	6:30am - 4:30pm
Friday	6:30am - 3:30pm

Website

http://www.nextleveljoinery.co.nz/

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