Building a new home is an exciting process but not something most of us do every day.
Like anything new, jumping into the unknown can be pretty nerve-wracking, so it’s important to get to know the team who’ll be taking care of your build. Clear communication, trust and an upfront approach set the foundations for a positive, stress-free, committed relationship with your building team.
Get to know Pete Roden, Director of EasyBuild Bay of Plenty and Rotorua, and find out why EasyBuild Homes offers a smart solution to building new in the Bay of Plenty and Rotorua regions.
Tell us about yourself
I started Adobe Construction in 1999 and have been a business owner in the residential construction industry in the Bay of Plenty since then.
I joined EasyBuild in 2017, and there were a few key drivers behind that. I was keen to add another string to our bow as a business to help differentiate us in the local market, and had a keen interest in modular housing as it is a much more carbon-footprint friendly way to build.
Outside of work, my wife Vanessa and I have three adult children. I’m also focused on supporting our local community and among other projects, built a couple of pump tracks for local youth – I love getting outdoors on my bike, and wanted more young people to have the opportunity to share this passion too, as well as keeping them active and enjoying time away from screens!
Who makes up the EasyBuild Bay of Plenty team?
We have a great team supporting us here in Papamoa, including Vanessa who looks after our operations, Arna who works on the admin side of our business and Scott our project manager.
On site we have Darren, who’s our EasyBuild knowledge box and has been working on our EasyBuild projects since we joined back in 2017.
Recently we’ve also taken on two apprentices who came to us from the Ōpōtiki community on a multi-home project we are working on with Whakatōhea Maōri Trust Board. It’s great to have them on board and to be training the next generation of builders.
What’s your favourite part of the build process?
What I love about every house is when the roof goes on. Once the roof is on, you have so much more control of your progress because the weather stops dictating so much of what you can do.
This is part of the reason I like EasyBuild homes so much, because you can get to this stage so much more quickly than conventional builds – and that is a pretty exciting thing.
What makes EasyBuild a great choice for building in the Bay of Plenty and Rotorua?
The durability and thermal efficiency of EasyBuild homes makes them a great choice in the Bay of Plenty, so when it’s hot, you’re able to effectively cool your home and it stays cool, and when it’s cold, you can heat your home and it stays warm.
Another factor is environmental friendliness. The percentage of waste both in the EasyBuild factory and on site is really, really low, so our clients can feel confident that they’re making a good choice for the environment as well as getting a quality new home. Our teams in the office and on-site are also focused on minimising waste as part of our everyday jobs.
What EasyBuild home designs are your clients choosing for their Bay of Plenty builds, and why?
EasyBuild’s Thames design is by far the most popular home design in our region. Our clients love it for its spacious living area and double bathrooms. We’re really finding our two-bathroom models are proving to be the most popular in recent times!
What motivates you to do a great job for your clients?
Client satisfaction and client relationships have probably always been one of my favourite things about the job. Seeing a happy client, who’s stoked with their new home is always something that’s been a powerful motivator for myself.
We’re currently working on a ten-home project in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, and the very best thing about it is knowing that we’ll be providing quality, energy efficient homes to a group of people who will really benefit from them. The clients are SO excited, and I’m just blown away by them. Knowing how much this means to them makes me hugely motivated for our team to do the very best we can.
What do you think makes EasyBuild stand out from other new home providers?
What I love about EasyBuild’s homes is that we have a real focus on minimal waste, a real focus on thermal efficiency and a real focus on durability. Our clients can trust they are getting a really comfortable, robust and easily maintained home, and they’re going to get it quickly.
We’re putting less in the landfill compared to other homebuilders, by a mile. For the average conventionally built 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home, approximately 21m3 goes into the landfill. I challenge my team to have a maximum of 9m3 waste per house. It’s a big difference.
Our team has a long-standing history of successful projects and happy clients in the Bay of Plenty, so I encourage you to talk to us today about your new home projects, and let us help make your new home dreams a reality.