Did you work with the builder and the designer throughout the process?

“I called Toby up and said ‘Hey, we’re thinking about purchasing this piece of land, what do you think? Do you think you could come and have a look?’ And he said he would pop around from the office. From that point onwards, it was very easy – I knew it was just a good fit. When things are right it’s easy, and it just felt easy.”

What ultimately convinced you to proceed with Altbuild as the building partner for your family home?

“We decided to engage Altbuild from the get go. So yes, pricing was all part of that, but Toby was involved from the design point all the way through. So we worked with Lloyd Bassett Smith, our designer, Toby as project manager and us as the clients. We all designed the house sort of together, and I thought that was invaluable. Having the builders input into the design from a very early stage – it meant that we could change things if we needed to as we went. So we kind of talked about the budget all the way through.”

As a tradesperson yourself, what were you looking for in a builder?

“As someone in the industry, one of the biggest things was getting a builder that we trusted. I have a little bit of an advantage, because I was working with Toby on other projects prior to this [as a sub-trade] so I knew how he treated his subcontractors. And I think that’s a big telling point you know, how you treat other people, not just the client who’s paying the bills. So I had a bit of an insight into that beforehand. And for me, it was important to have someone that was obviously skilled and competent in what they were going to do but also was kind and thoughtful and pragmatic. And with Toby and Mark there’s no ego, and you can tell that straight away.”

What unexpected challenges popped up during your build? How did Toby and Mark work to solve those for you and your wife?

“I guess with every project there’s always something that doesn’t go super smoothly, but there was nothing here that was massive. But maybe that proves that, like they (Toby & Mark) were the buffer between stuff happening and us as the clients. So if there was anything that happened it was kind of like: ‘this thing is potentially an issue, here are the solutions, which one do you want to pick?’ There was no big, big issue that was unforeseen and then dumped on us and then, oh, by the way, it’s going to be this much extra money, and we didn’t know about it. There was nothing like that. But maybe that was part of going through the design phase altogether as well.”

There’s quite a lot of technical details to this house, how do you think the attention to detail and that technical expertise compares to others?

“From my experience, there are different tiers or levels of craftsmanship with every trade, you know. And so I would put Altbuild at the very top of that, of that tier, on par with, you know, the best around and attention to detail and forethought into the specific detail, so that you’re not having to chase yourself later to achieve the detail that you wanted at the start, you know? So there’s that thinking 3-4-5, steps ahead. That’s what differentiates the best from good, if you know what I mean.

There’s a lot of steel work in this house, it’s a very contained site, and a very contained building, as far as we have a lot of open space, so we don’t have a lot of walls, spare walls to run cabling and piping and all that sort of stuff. So all of the steel work, all of those holes and penetrations had to be spot on, and they were all thought of and done at engineering and design stage. It wasn’t a last minute thing on site ‘by the way, now we have to get this one replaced,’ or whatever it was. All just thought of beforehand.”

So, on handover day – you’ve got all the bells and whistles that you designed in with everybody along the way, what did that feel like?

“It was very surreal. It didn’t feel real at the start. You know, it felt like I was walking around someone’s grand design house just going for a tour. It took a while for it to sink in. Just, just amazing. What an incredible feeling, you know, just this thing that is especially for us. From seeing this land go from nothing, just with a couple of feijoa trees, and then going through the whole design and just living that – you live through it. It’s the biggest thing that’s happening at that point of your life, so it becomes all consuming. So then at the very end, it’s like this big release.”

What can you tell us about building and living in a house with these high performance elements?

“From the start, we wanted a house that was not just beautiful aesthetically, it needed to perform for us as a family, and part of that was the feeling of what it feels like to live in a really healthy house. And so all of those design choices, along with a lot of Toby’s input along the way, were made with that end goal in mind. Ultimately, I don’t even think about it, right? I just live in the house. But when I think back and I reflect like we’ve just come through winter, all of our living is upstairs, and so it was just completely warm, dry. There were no issues. I don’t think we got sick this winter, you know, like to be honest, it’s not something that, I’m thinking about all the time. It’s just a lovely place to be.”

And going from your old place to this, how has living in a healthy home changed how you live?

“Our old house was quite damp. In the winter, it was quite dark, and it was hard to heat and then it was really hard to keep cool in the middle of summer, when it was really hot. So for us, and for my understanding of what a high performance house is, it’s the opposite of all those things. So it’s a dry, clean environment to have your family in. It’s easy to cool, easy to heat. And we have a solar system with batteries, so that means it’s also cheaper to run.”

What was the communication process like during the build?

“We got weekly emails with photos of progress on the site, and then a detailed description, and then just any time of the day I could call or text with any questions. And Toby is still on my favorites list, we would talk almost every day.”

Because you understand the construction industry, what do you think is the most valuable thing that Altbuild brings?

“The most valuable skills that Altbuild brought to this project for us were:

• Now that it’s all said and done, we stuck to budget within about half a percent, something crazy, and I know from experience and talking to other people that that’s quite rare.
• Their pragmatic approach. What I mean by that, is that they’re very approachable, like I said, there’s no ego. So it’s not like you’re scared to say, Hey, can I get a bit of clarification on this? Or why is this happening? We never felt silly for asking potentially a silly question. Even though I come from the industry and a lot of that dialogue was very easy – my wife doesn’t. So we felt very comfortable.
• We’re in good hands and just trust. Trust is ultimate, because the builder is spending your money, and at the end of the day they have to do what they say they’re going to do. And that’s what Altbuild did right the way through.”

How was the after handover support?

“There’s always minor teething issues as the building settles. It was the same thing, it wasn’t an issue – it all got sorted out. And we’re still, like, good friends now, you know? And that’s awesome. There’s so many horror stories of people falling out with their builders at the very end, or people being not quite satisfied or whatever, but I just don’t have a bad word to say, honestly.”

What would you say to someone who is thinking of building a performance house?

“They need to find a builder that understands what they’re trying to achieve. I haven’t met any other builders locally that have such a focus on performance in the home. And I do chat to quite a lot of builders about that sort of thing, especially going through this process.”

Creating a healthy family home on a challenging site requires more than just standard architectural building expertise, it demands foresight, technical knowledge, ECI – early contractor involvement, and a collaborative approach. This client’s experience demonstrates the value of tackling complex projects with specific performance goals in mind, by working from the start as a team.

The success of this project highlights the value of engaging a builder at the earliest stages, from initial land assessment through collaborative design and into construction. With Altbuild’s focus on high-performance homes, the result wasn’t just a visually stunning house, but a healthy living environment that performs efficiently year-round.

For those considering building on difficult sites or prioritising health, comfort, and energy efficiency in their new home, this interview outlines valuable insights into what makes a successful building experience. The combination of technical excellence, transparent communication, and budget precision created not just a house, but a healthy, comfortable home perfectly suited to family life in the Bay of Plenty.

If you’re considering building your own home in the Bay of Plenty, we’d be happy to share our approach and discuss how we might help bring your vision to life.