Home and Garden Awards 2020

2020 Home And Garden Awards BUILD 13 Jan20153 eginning in 1993, and now drawing on more than 150 years’ collective staff experience, Customkit Buildings is a Kiwi-owned and operated firm offering a complete range of building options. From the supply of kitset packages to design and construction services through a network of experienced designers and expert builders, this firm takes pride in its ability to offer services that stretch and challenge the norms of the industry today. At a time where the world is focused on climate activism, Customkit Buildings is taking proactive steps to almost exclusively utilise timber as a solid and strong building. Alongside its ability to sustain a positive environment, timber also has a myriad of other benefits for clients. Serving the entirety of New Zealand, Customkit Buildings can use its timber to create many different kinds of structures for clients, focusing primarily on barn-style homes, houses and cottages, as well as barns, sheds, lifestyle buildings, and a range of stable and equestrian complexes. Creating a dream home can be a daunting task at the best of times, but Customkit Buildings’ range of solutions can make it infinitely easier, exuding natural warmth, light, and quietness upon completion. Whether a professional pony clubber or a fresh-faced horse hobbyist, the range of stables and equine facilities can suit a range of equestrian lovers. Each of the buildings uses timber of the highest quality, and it fulfils a range of purposes far better than steel ever could. First and foremost, timber is a sustainable and natural product when gathered from forests that are also sustainable, with durable properties that far exceed any of its competitors. When treated with the correct level of preservative, and properly maintained, timber can last for a hundred years, and probably more. Free from issues of corrosion thanks to its lack of rust, the timber that Customkit Buildings uses also doubles as a regulator for levels of humidity in a space. When the level of humidity rises, timber can absorb moisture from the air. However, when the air is dry the timber does the exact opposite, instead desorbing moisture. Timber is a far more adaptable form of building material than steel. Fast and flexible, Customkit Buildings’ timber allows for modification and tweaks to be made to layouts during the construction process. In stark contrast, pre-fabricated and pre-cut steel frames from factories which have been designed for a very specific use do not allow for any sort of malleability in the design and construction process. B Best Eco-Friendly Wood Building Company - New Zealand Aside from the stunningly rustic aesthetic that it provides for homeowners today, there is a great deal of other major benefits when building with timber. From sustainability and eco-friendly usage to its resistance against fire and earthquakes to its cost-effectiveness, timber is a fantastic building material. Taking full advantage of this is Customkit Buildings, a building company based on New Zealand’s North Island. We profiled the firm, following its success in BUILD’s Home & Garden Awards 2020. Being a timber-only firm can also make for impressively easy assembly once all the materials have been safely delivered to construction crews on site. A very accommodating material, timber can cut, nailed, drilled, and bolted without fear of causing lasting damage. It does not require specialist equipment, or indeed, a variety of trade specialists on-site to help with its construction. When screwing and fixing small items into the timber that Customkit Buildings use, it doubles its usefulness by enabling the complete thread of the screw to be fully embedded in the wood for maximum strength and hold over time. Whilst New Zealand may be one of the most naturally beautiful countries in the world today, it is also one of the most fearfully powerful and volatile. Earthquakes can be a regular occurrence for residents, and finding ways to live with them can be hard. However, timber yet again provides an excellent solution. Given that wood absorbs energy, the timber frames built by Customkit Buildings are especially ideal for people who live in areas that are prone to earthquakes striking. Fire also poses a great threat to Australasia, with rising temperatures and powerful sweeping wildfires. However, the insulating properties of timber provide built-in fire resistance. Large timbers burn slowly, forming char on the surface. The unburnt timber retains its strength and stability during a fire, ensuring a strong structure even during harrowing times. Contact Details Company: Customkit Buildings Ltd Contact: Hannah Richards Website: www.customkit.co.nz