Swaffield Road
3 Level Apartment Block
24
Units
1,785
Square Meters
14-15m
Duration
Family firms working together to bring security to other families who need a helping hand – that’s the secret behind Loveridge Building's latest successful venture in Papatoetoe.
The project faced numerous Covid-induced challenges with late nights and plenty of head-scratching for Adele and Mike Loveridge. But Project Manager for Tilyard Plumbing, Josh Tilyard, has nothing but praise for their efforts to keep the complex build going.
"Adele's awesome — real good with the communication, the way she tees up everything in the background," he says.
And despite that holdup, Loveridge Building and its contractors hit the ground running as soon as the Auckland lockdown lifted. "We expected to take just under a year on this project," says Adele. "But because we were ahead of schedule when we went into lockdown it meant that the handover wasn't pushed out by much."
grid_view Return to DevelopersThe biggest project we've undertaken to date.
Adele Loveridge
Director
Taking building to the next level
The Swaffield Road project was a fantastic experience for the Loveridge team and "the biggest project we've undertaken to date," explains Adele.
Most of Loveridge Building's community projects have been two-level blocks, so to take it to three storeys was a step up in size and complexity.
Take the decks, for instance. Apprentice builder Kalione Hala says that building those balconies brought his high school trigonometry lessons alive. That could have been a blessing since it gave him something to think about while he was three storeys up.
"Normal decks have one fall; these decks had eight different degrees of fall, so yeah, it was a bit challenging." Especially for a Tongan who doesn't like heights!
Keeping the standards high too!
The design of the Swaffield Road apartment block is unique. Community housing is often strictly practical. However, Loveridge has created an aesthetically pleasing design while keeping all the functionality you'd expect.
The open-plan kitchen, living areas, and sleek modern bathrooms are pleasant, practical family spaces. But outside touches like the intricate decorative panels on the exterior staircase, the ripple-effect concrete pillars and carefully landscaped gardens make this building both functional and beautiful.
Teamwork: a key to success
As Managing Director, Adele says the secret to success on all our projects is having the right teams working together.
Loveridge Building has a solid long-term relationship with many of its contractors. Like the Loveridges themselves, they've grown from small grassroots family businesses to busy teams capable of handling these complex projects.
"In a nutshell, we complement one another," says Adele. "The relationships between our staff and theirs is awesome to see, especially when they are all working together on site. Everyone has respect for one another and helps one another.
The fact we have worked together for so long, understand what's expected of one another and treat each other with respect makes a project this size flow through to completion a lot easier. The relationship built up over the years and helping one another out when in need is what makes the difference."
Loveridge cares
The Loveridges and their contractors poured their hearts into this build. Now, when you stroll down Swaffield Road, you can't miss the new apartment block with its crisp black, white and cream exteriors and sleek design.
It takes teamwork and cooperation to bring a build like this to completion, but that's where Loveridge Building and its contractors excel.
