The Construction Source Australia

Welcome to the latest issue of Construction Source Australia, the magazine that highlights the best of the best in building and building products across the country. In this edition, we’ve shined our spotlight on some of the developers and builders behind some of the country’s most acclaimed projects. The company on our cover, Apexx Group, is a prime example. They are the developer behind the AZURE Burraneer, a dual-occupancy luxury waterfront development in Sydney. That project – as designed by EMK Architects and built by Arcadia Projects & Design – is a “development of the future,” according to Mike Day, Apexx’s Managing Director. That means it not only has the highest standard of inclusions and finishes, it also features the latest in home automation. With the project’s stateof-the-art home automation system, residents can control virtually everything in their home from a touch screen panel or mobile phone – everything from the lighting, to the window coverings, the air conditioning, the underfloor heating in all the bathrooms, and the home audio visual equipment. It can even answer the doorbell, as well as unlock the doors, lifts, and front gate. In our conversation with Mike Day, he broke down all those features and more. He also talked about Apexx Developments’ as a whole, and about their guiding vision, which is to improve the lives of their residents and to improve the communities in which they develop. He explained how they are doing that with AZURE Burraneer and how they will do it with every project moving forward. For more on that project, and on that vision – and to learn about the vision of other leading developers and builders, such as Townsville-based RJG Builders, and SA-based House to Home Solutions – just keep reading. All the best, The Editorial Team We will keep adding business units that enhance our offering and separate us from our competition. “ ” Editor From The Dear Reader,

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The Construction Source Australia Group Publisher Jermaine Poulsen General Manager Alexandra Box Operations Manager Josh Stewart-Boyd Production Manager Vicki Lee Head of Editorial Content Michael Hinden Editor Zach Janes Graphics Design Pranim Thapa With over 58,000 senior executive readers, The Construction Source Australia is proud to offer an attractive platform to share your message with the people that matter most - your customers. Whether your objective is to promote a new product, to attract financial investment or to build brand recognition, we stand ready to help. To find out more about being featured in TCS Australia, please contact our Group Publisher Jermaine Poulsen e: info@theconstructionsource.com.au The Construction Source Australia Suite 11.01, Level 11, 175 Castlereagh Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia info@theconstructionsource.com.au ABN: 42 976 059 923

NOVEMBER 2022 Industry INNOVATIONS APEXX DEVELOPMENTS Achieving property dreams RJG BUILDERS Solving problems HÄUSLEIN TINY HOUSE CO The Magic of Häuslein Tiny Homes HOUSE TO HOME FINISHES All Of The Care, None Of The Hassle ROSELEIGH HOMES A True Family Business DEVRITE All about clients Product of the Month The Kights Scanner IN THIS ISSUE NOVEMBER 2022 HÄUSLEIN TINY HOUSE CO. ROSELEIGH HOMES

NOVEMBER 2022 Aluminum expected to accelerate worldwide adoption of electric and self-driving vehicles Material takes on an ever-widening role in tomorrow’s vehicles For more than a decade, concerns about fuel efficiency have been encouraging OEMS to replace steel with aluminum on vehicle bodies, doors, trunks, hoods, bumpers, crash boxes, brakes, cables and wheels. With the advent of electric and autonomous vehicles, OEMs worldwide are discovering new uses for aluminum. The need for battery casings and heat exchangers in electric vehicles, combined with autonomous vehicles’ demands for high visibility and structural integrity, is expected to exponentially increase the use of sheet aluminum in tomorrow’s cars, trucks and buses. Supporting the transition to battery-powered vehicles Four major design challenges confront OEMs in their transition to electric vehicles. Extending vehicle range Improving battery and passenger safety Increasing passenger comfort Optimizing cooling systems for lithium-ion batteries The substitution of sheet aluminum for steel helps resolve OEM concerns. Industry INNOVATIONS

The Construction Source Australia The lighter the vehicle, the longer its range. According to Ducker Worldwide, aluminum is expected to contribute more than half of the anticipated vehicle mass reduction demanded by electric vehicles (EVs) to extend range. Ducker reports that in North America alone, aluminum content in EVs will increase to nearly 565 pounds (256 kilgrams) per vehicle by 2028. The larger the vehicle, the heavier the battery and casing required to optimize the EV’s range. It is the larger EVs, i.e., sedans, SUVs, taxis, trucks and buses, that will realize the greatest benefits from a steel-to-aluminum conversion. In the U.S., a vehicle’s gross weight determines which class of commercial driver’s license (CDL) will be required. Without lightweighting, some EVs could demand a higher-class license or additional endorsements due to the added weight of the battery. In older European cities like Brussels or London, some bridges and tunnels only allow vehicles up to 3.5 tons in weight, a target that is very difficult to meet for larger EVs without lightweighting. For heavier material transport EVs such as trucks, weight reduction enables an increased payload, providing a significant monetary benefit. Generally, the larger the vehicle, the higher the payback. Particularly relevant for larger human transport EVs such as buses and taxis, the weight reduction made possible through aluminum provides the added benefit of reduced CO2 emissions and improved air quality, of value not only to vehicle operators, but to the communities they serve. The thermal and anti-corrosion properties of aluminum make it ideal for battery frames. Sea-water resistant, highly formable, highly surfaced aluminum alloys provide the strength necessary to pass side-impact crashworthiness testing, protecting passengers and the battery should impact occur. Casing floor plates made out of aluminum are not only strong, but also capable of resisting corrosion related to weather exposure. These characteristics enable aluminum battery casings to resist weather-related deterioration and impact from road debris, minimizing the risk of related fires and further securing passenger safety. Optimizing battery and human safety Extending range Dispersing heat The batteries used in EVs produce energy while charging and decharging, requiring the use of heat exchangers to dissipate heat. But the types of heat exchangers used in vehicle air conditioning systems are inadequate to meet this new challenge. Aluminum clad brazing (which connects multiple layers of aluminum together to disperse heat) requires heating in a controlled atmosphere (e.g., a vacuum) to achieve optimum joining. Aluminum heat exchangers designed specifically to meet the challenges presented by electric vehicles can use as many as five types of aluminum sandwiched together, with the layers providing gradient properties to optimize cooling. These specialized processes and materials address OEM concerns, ensuring adequate dissipation of the heat generated by battery-powered vehicles. An experienced aluminum processing partner can help OEMs specify the right process and alloys to meet specific vehicle temperature thresholds, ideally working side by side with OEM engineers early in the design process to maximize the performance of electric vehicles. IT IS THE LARGER EVS, I.E, SEDANS, SUVS, TAXIS, TRUCKS AND BUSES, THAT WILL REALIZETHEGREATEST BENEFITS FROM A STEEL -TO-ALUMINUM CONVERSION .

NOVEMBER 2022 The luxury sedan market will likely be the first to transition to self-driving electric vehicles. Passenger comfort and safety, and an expansive view of the surrounding environment, are expected to be top priorities for this market. The hefty B pillars used in conventional vehicles to meet structural requirements for crashworthiness are undesirable in a self-driving scenario. To enable large windows and an unobstructed view without sacrificing passenger safety, lightweight aluminum will be the strong material of choice. Supporting the eventual transition to autonomous vehicles In addition to the design challenges presented by EVs, society’s demand for sustainable solutions will likely continue to be a driver in the transition to aluminum-lightweighted vehicles. A Forschungsgesellschaft Kraftfahrwesen mbH Aachen (fka) study, using a Volkswagen Golf as its reference vehicle, determined that an electric aluminum-based vehicle could meet the same safety standards as its steelbased equivalent, while emitting 1.5 tons less greenhouse gases over its lifecycle, taking into consideration production, a total driving distance of more than 93,000 miles (150,000 kilometers) and eventual recycling. Ongoing environmental concerns Conclusion Aluminum alloys are ideally suited to the design challenges presented by electric and autonomous vehicles. By aligning with aluminum partners deeply experienced in developing processes and alloys to meet demanding performance requirements, transportation vehicle OEMs are accelerating the pace of EV and self-driving vehicle adoption throughout North America. .

The Construction Source Australia

NOVEMBER 2022 Business World Australia

The Construction Source Australia Business Worl d Australia

Achieving property dreams

Apexx Developments is a modern and dynamic Sydneybased property development company specialising in luxury dual-occupancy and multi-residential projects. Powered by an industry-leading team of experts in architecture, building, and town planning, they take a systemised and strategic approach to their work in order to deliver boutique, innovative-designed homes, on time and on budget. The leader of their team is Managing Director Mike Day, a veteran of the property development industry in both Canada and Australia. He founded Apexx with the goal of “helping others achieve their property dreams” and “improving our community while we do it.”

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Mike has personally been active in the property industry for approximately 20 years, but he has been passionate about the sector for virtually all his life: “I’ve always loved property and knew it would be my driving force and passion. I knew it’s what I wanted to do to make a living,” he says. “But it’s much more than just making a living for me. It’s what I love to do. It never feels like work to me because I love what I do.” “Managing consultants and contributing to the design process of beautiful custom luxury residences is the most fulfilling and rewarding type of work for me. I love the creative design side as it allows me to put a little bit of my flair into a project. Even more enjoyable and fulfilling is bringing the projects to life, seeing thembuilt by my own carefully-vetted and researched team of builders and professional consultants. “ Mike began his journey in property industry in the early 2000s when he started educating himself about property in Canada. When he started out, he did a few small boutique developments “to dip my toes in,” he recalls – just a few single custom architecturally-designed homes and a renovation project. “Through doing these smaller projects I developed a system that worked but I knew I could improve on it.” THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRAL IA “I’ve always loved property and knew it would be my driving force and passion. I knew it’s what I wanted to do to make a living,” he says. “But it’s much more than just making a living for me. It’s what I love to do. It never feels like work to me because I love what I do.”

NOVEMBER 2022 Mike came to Australia following the sale of his last development in Canada. There, he spent the next 15 years working for a Fortune 500 company in project management and contract management, honing his skills and systems in project management. In 2018, he officially struck out on his own and commenced Apexx Developments in Sydney. More recently, Apexx Developments took on the lead role as Director of multiple entities with an equity stake in the project as well as end to end project management on their latest large project called ‘AZURE Burraneer,’ which started construction in February 2022, and is “progressing beautifully,” Mike says.

Apexx Developments specialises in bringing out the full potential of prestigious waterfront properties or sites with spectacular water views through re-development. This is achieved either by knocking down and rebuilding a new luxury single family dwelling or conversion into multiple dwelling properties depending on zoning of the land. Their project pipeline is growing as they are also currently in negotiations on multiple other new premier development sites in the high-end of the Sydney real estate market. “Waterfront or property with spectacular and expansive ocean views is where Apexx can bring alive older properties to rebuild something exquisite for that location that its future buyer will truly love,” Mike says. “Revitalising these premier locations brings a lot of joy and excitement to me.” Target markets & business model THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRAL IA

The company’s other recent work involves contracting for other developers and private clients to assist them with project management services and feasibility studies. In addition to developing their own projects, they are also fullservice development company with the capability to service many client types. Apexx Development’s preferred target area is the Sutherland Shire Council area within greater Sydney. They also work in multiple other local government areas (LGAs) in Sydney, namely the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney and Lower North Shore suburbs where water views are abundant and the high-end luxury market is on a whole other level. Their other aspirations are of soon branching out to Southeast Queensland, but Sutherland Shire remains their home base. Mike chose the area after carefully researching all 30plus Sydney LGAs and finding the Sutherland Shire Council area to be in the top five for development applications and development approvals. “Understanding where our target markets are profitable for our business, its investors, and where we can make a difference in the community is critical to our success,” Mike comments. From an,,operational standpoint, Apexx’s business model is set up to use their own capital and also utilise investor capital contributions. They partner with investors who become shareholders or joint venture partners on each project, depending on the structures that are deployed to meet those investors’ needs. With the help of those investment partners, Apexx is able to acquire property in the best premier locations for their development sites. According to Mike, those investors are drawn to Apexx Developments because of their “carefully-calibrated systems, proven process and systemised approach of due diligence” which they use to select the best development sites. “We are very selective of the sites we look at ensuring they meet the criteria of our brand and the returns our investors are looking for. Apexx, to me, is the pinnacle or peak of highest achievement. This is what we deliver on each of our projects.” “My attention to detail and long-standing history as a professional project manager gives our clients a lot of confidence. Once our investors see the detailed analysis provided for in our investor packages to make an investment decision, we tend to have an over-subscription of capital. We then select the investors who are best suited. This always produces the best results in partnerships. This is why we are developing our project pipeline quite aggressively at the moment to continue having projects for our investors to participate in.” NOVEMBER 2022

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Typically, the projects Apexx get involved in are small boutique projects such as dual occupancy’s,,multi-residential townhouses,,and two-to-eightunit multi-residential apartment-style buildings. Their current project meets their boutique style and is a very unique custom dual occupancy. Rather than the more-typical side-by-side duplex with a single car garage, this project features a top and bottom configuration of the residences, with double car garages in a basement car park and private lifts to each residence. That current project is the aforementioned ‘AZURE Burraneer,’ which is located on the waterfront in the upand-coming Burraneer suburb in the Sutherland Shire. Mike selected the Burraneer suburb because has been ranked the AZURE Burraneer NOVEMBER 2022

top suburb in all of Sydney for growth by CoreLogic and REA in 2021. It also boasts some of the most exclusive locations on the waterfront through Port Hacking. “This is the type of suburb people want to buy in as they know they will be making a great investment in their future with good future capital growth,” Mike explains. “The migration of people and families from the Eastern Suburbs, Northern Beaches, Northshore and Inner West has never been stronger. People are coming south to enjoy the lifestyle Cronulla and Burraneer has to offer. With the beaches, café culture, national parks and waterfront aspects on multiple peninsulas, the Sutherland Shire offers a unique lifestyle not found anywhere else in Sydney – making it the perfect place to develop these types of properties as there is a shortage and huge demand in this area for newly constructed homes.” The AZURE Burraneer project began with a single house, which Apexx is knocking down to build two luxury waterfront residences. Each residence includes a single floor, threebedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms, and a two-car garage. Each residence also features shared access to a private grassed and landscaped area, its own private beach, and a jetty and pontoon for parking and launching boats, jet skis, SUP boards, or kayaks. AZURE Burraneer was custom designed by EMK Architects, a firm that’s renowned in the Burraneer area for their stunning designs and quality planning capabilities. EMK also did the interior design for the THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRAL IA

project. According to Mike, they “spared no expense and have designed beautiful spaces and in that process selected only the best inclusions and finishes for these residences.” “We are building the homes of the future here,” he says, “and as such we need to have and integrate all the required inclusions and finishes a luxury home on the waterfront should have.” “Our builder, Arcadia Projects & Design, is renowned for their quality craftsmanship and excellent,customer service experience as a boutique home and project builder. They are leading the way in bringing this gorgeous luxury development to life. The Managing Director, Joel Williams, sharesmy passion for luxury boutique developments, and aligns with the Apexx values of being ‘honest, strategic and transparent.’ Aligning with companies and businesses that share our values is a key driver to our success on AZURE Burraneer.” (You can check out all of Apexx Developments project partners ontheAZUREBurraneerwebsite at OUR TEAM. Each project partner was carefully selected by Apexx Developments using the same calibrated and systemised approach.) In order to build the homes of the future, Apexx is incorporating features in these residences that they say, “will become the standard in every home in years to come.” In particular, they are utilising the latest in home automation, called Control4. This home automation system will control everything in the home from a touch screen panel or mobile phone, from the lighting onoff or dimming, to the window coverings, air conditioning, underfloor heating in all bathrooms, and home audio visual equipment. It can even answer the doorbell, unlock the doors, lifts or front gate. Each residence will be keyless entry with Key FOBs for all main doors and private lifts to each residence. There will be video intercoms to chat and see guests at the front gate on the street prior to entry. The security systems and fire protection systems will also be state-of-the-art. There will be four CCTV cameras to monitor the entire grounds of the properties including the garages. There will also be a fire protection system installed that is a “far and away much higher spec than your typical home with smoke detectors.” This system has an automatic thermal fire detection system that warns residents through audio alarm speakers and contacts the fire department that the system has been triggered. “A quality product is not the only thing buyers are looking for when purchasing ‘the home of the future,’” Mike adds. “Our chosen subcontractor, Select Electrical, will be providing an amazing after-sales-service whereby they will visit each residence once their new owners are all moved in to assist them integrate all the devices to their new home automation, security and fire protection systems. This ‘next level’ of service offering is the type of trades we at Apexx Developments have on our projects to provide that step up from the rest to our buyers coming into their brand-new luxury homes.” To round out the luxury inclusions of this development, the ground floor residence will have a beautiful pool and spa overlooking Gunnamatta Bay and its large storage space under their pool will house all the gear of any water sports enthusiasts looking to live on the waterfront would have. There will also be private lifts – each level will enjoy their own private lift directly to NOVEMBER 2022

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NOVEMBER 2022 their home, located just steps away from their garages in the basement. The lifts are custom manufactured in Europe and delivered to Australia. Each lift is fully Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) compliant for guests or residences who are in a wheelchair. Furthermore, the property is ideally located on the eastern side of the Burraneer peninsula, with a northeast facing aspect toward Cronulla. “Perfectly located to get all day sun from sunrise to sunset,” Mike says. Plus, the Royal Yacht Club is only minutes up the road and the local marina and boat ramp is just around the corner “for all the convenience you could ask for in a waterfront property.” Other local amenities are also conveniently placed. They include cafes, bakery, fruit shops, bottle shops, flowers, pool shops, dental offices, and dry-cleaning – all just a little more than 200 metres up Woolooware Rd from the property. To top it off, the Woolooware Train station is just minutes up the road, making the property “perfect for the busy professional who prefers to commute to the city via train rather driving in daily and fighting the traffic.” All in all, the perfect local for even the most discerning buyer looking for their waterfront home.

Apexx Developments’ investor group is the backbone of the company’s success. “I am very thankful and grateful to have such an incredible group of investors that are fully aligned to our project vision on our AZURE Burraneer Project,” Mike says. “It’s exciting that all our investors will be joining us and continuing their wealth creation strategies with Apexx into our next project together. We are equally thrilled to also have multiple new investors wanting to join us on the projects we have in our pipeline off the back of the success of AZURE.” The project team behind AZURE Burraneer’s success includes EMK Architects as the architect and interior designer, Arcadia Projects & Design as the builder, The Collective Co as their marketing team, and Dane Moller of APG Moller Projects as the sales agent, among other key stakeholders. Mike describes those partnerships as Partnerships of the future THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRAL IA

“critical” to the success of AZURE Burraneer, and he predicts those partnerships will also be critical to Apexx’s success in the future. When it came to EMK, Mike says theywere selected the same way that Apexx selects all of their professionals – “through our carefully calibrated systems and research.” He acknowledges, however, that selecting an architect “is a little bit different.” “Each architect has their own flair and design style. They have to be a good fit for Apexx, as working with an architect is like a marriage. If they want to design something you hate that doesn’t represent your brand it will never work out. So, I spent many months researching the Sutherland Shire and driving down every street to identify who had the quality designs we were looking for. I wanted to see whose design spoke to me and evoked the feeling that could represent my brand at Apexx Developments.” “EMK Architects Director Emil Kucevic was very warm and welcoming. Our styles are different, but we sync’d up immediately based on deign principles and philosophy.” “EMK also had the required proven track record,” he adds. “They have worked on luxury dual occupancy’s and multi-residential townhouses and apartments buildings that have set sales records in the Burraneer and Cronulla area.” “In short, EMK had the track record, experience and design ideology that made for the perfect partnership with Apexx Developments.” Mike similarly did his homework before selecting Arcadia Projects &Design as the builder. He recalls introducing himself to Joel Williams, Director of Arcadia, roughly two years ago. “Arcadia Projects & Design do a lot of luxury high end duplexes year in year out,” Mike explains. “They have a following of clientele that will only live in an Arcadia-built home. So, I then followed them through multiple builds watching them build some very high-end high-cost luxury duplexes and single-family homes. I found that they met timelines promised, they delivered highest quality finishes and craftsmanship, and their workmanship and dedication to quality is second to none.” “Joel is very meticulous and has a system for everything, as I do at Apexx, so we are naturally a very good fit,” he adds. “Arcadia Projects & Design also had the proven track record – ‘PTR,’ as my mentor called it – and the reputation and most of all the same values as Apexx Developments. This is why we have chosen to partner with Arcadia on this project and we will certainly work together on many more of these small boutique luxury home projects in future.” Then there’s Dane Moller, who Mike describes as “a huge asset to have on the team.” “Dane’s 12-year-plus career in the luxury high-end market of the Sutherland Shire has produced an amazing result with our first off-plan sale coming just three weeks into our marketing campaign of AZURE Burraneer. Having both Dane Moller and our marketing company The Collective Co has been an integral part of getting that sale so quickly.” “Partnerships are critical to our future success at Apexx Developments,” he reiterates. “We want to create long-term project partnerships and we see these long-term partnerships with EMK, Arcadia, and Dane Moller continuing into the future.” NOVEMBER 2022

Moving forward, Apexx Developments aims to scale up slightly, to have two-to-three developments in Sutherland Shire Council area around the waterfront suburbs per year, as well as two-to-three projects in the Eastern Suburbs and Lower North Shore areas which would include Woollarha Waverly, Mosman, Lane Cove and North Sydney Council LGA’s. Even as they grow, however, Mike says they want to “maintain a small boutique feel and atmosphere within our company culture.” “We’d like to stay away from becoming a large corporate developer,” he explains. “I feel that when things get too large they lose the unique special feel and passion that we put into every home, residence or building we develop. “ According to Mike, the culture at Apexx thrives because they Improving lives THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRAL IA

are committed to five key fundamental values, which they “promote, live, and expect from all our consultants.” Mike describes those values as including: • Passion for success – “We strive for growth and constant improvement above all,” • Communication – “We practice open and honest communication.” • Commitment – “We operate on principles of extreme ownership of everything we do and expect the same of our team of professionals and consultants.” • Action – “We action what we commit to and we deliver that commitment when we say we will.” • Purpose – “We help others achieve their property dreams and improve our community while we do it.” In line with those values, Apexx Developments is also committed to building and developing more sustainably. Currently, for example, they are researching the incorporation of ‘Building Biology’ for their next project. They may even partner with a specific interior designer who is also an architect who specialises in Building Biology. What is building biology? It’s a science that studies the holistic relationship between humans and their living and work environments. It looks at every aspect in a built space that can influence our health, both positively and negatively. “We are very passionate about designing and building homes that will improve people’s lives,” Mike explains. “We want to build not just a home, but a place that will help you to be your best through the material sections and design.” To that end, he says they will endeavour to implement principles of Building Biology in as many of their future projects as possible. He also says the company will continue looking for waterfront or water-adjacent premier locations, as those locations offer fantastic lifestyle opportunities for residents. As a result, he hopes Apexx Developments will build a reputation and a following among clients who share their values. “I want to build Apexx Developments to be a reputable brand within the Greater Sydney area,” he concludes. “I want to have a following of clientele that only want to live in a sustainable certified healthy home. I want to connect people to their homes like never before.” NOVEMBER 2022

THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRAL IA Apexx Developments recently worked with the marketing specialists at The Collective Co. to develop the Apexx brand, re-launch their website, and to brand the AZURE Burraneer project. To visit the company’s re-launched website and learn more about becoming an investor, their unique approach, their team, their services, and their projects, check out www.apexxdevelopments.com.au For more on AZURE Burraneer, specifically, and everything it has to offer, visit www.azureburraneer.com.au

RJG Builders Pty Ltd is a Townsville-based construction company, specialising in medium scale commercial construction projects. Founded only a few years ago, they have quickly advanced into becoming a leading contractor for clients in the clinical, government, and commercial sectors, all across northern and regional Queensland. The company credits their growth to their highly skilled and reputable team, and to their unified commitment to providing their clients with superior workmanship, environmental sensitivity, and the best advice possible. Solving problems

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“We work closely with clients to get them the best result,” says Joe Painter, Operations Manager. “We place a really high value on service. We really try to solve their problems.” “Almost every build has problems come up,” he adds. “When that happens, builders have a few options. One of the options is to push it back to the client and say ‘Well, that’s for you to organize, come back to us when you have a solution.’ That’s not our approach. Our approach is the opposite. When a problem pops up, we come up with the solution. We work through those problems with the client.” James Redman, Construction Estimator, says that by taking that approach, RJG has built some extremely relationships with various stakeholders – not just owners, but also architects and subcontractors. He further credits the strength of those relationships to RJG’s “open mindset.” “We pride ourselves on being adaptable,” James explains. “We are quitewilling towork with our subcontractors and architects and clients. As long as people are being fair and honest, we’re quite flexible.” “We generally just want the best outcome for a project,” he adds. “We don’t just want to make as much money as possible on every single job. We want a good THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRAL IA “We work closely with clients to get them the best result,” says Joe Painter, Operations Manager. “We place a really high value on service. We really try to solve their problems.”

NOVEMBER 2022 reputation. We want a good lasting relationship. We want clients to keep coming back to us for the next five, 10, 15, 20 years. That’s what’s important to us. It’s not important to us to make an extra thousand dollars on an unnecessary variation when we can solve the problem some other way.” RJG Builders began as ‘Rod Johnson Group,’ named after founder Rod Johnson. When the company started growing faster than Rod anticipated, he brought on some partners and the company changed their name. In the early years of the company’s life, RJG Builders did a lot of work in the education sector,mostly on refurbishment projects ranging anywhere up from $200,000 to $800,000. Since then, they have slowly but steadily expanded their portfolio. Today, they are doing a lot more design-and-construct work, particularly in the private sector. Their projects are now typically valued at over $1 million. Their near-term aim is to take on even bigger projects, the kind of projects valued up to $5 million. According to James, clients with those larger projects should choose RJG for a number of reasons. One of the big reasons is their aforementioned flexibility and their willingness to work openly clients to meet their individual needs. Another big reason is their ability to meet timelines, even if it means solving problems along the way. “Completing a job on time is one of the best ways to keep a client happy,” James says. “We do that. And if there’s ever a problem, we are open and honest straight away. We tell clients sooner rather than later. Then we really discuss it and figure out how to beat it quickly. Rather than giving clients problems, we try to give them solutions. That seems to be working for us.” “We believe that you’re up front and honest and you keep everyone informed, then you’re building the foundations for a

THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRAL IA solid relationship,” Joe adds. RJG Builders also consistently delivers their projects to a high standard of quality – that’s another thing they do to keep their clients happy. James credits the company’s consistency of quality to their systems and processes, particularly the cloudbased software they use to oversee inspections and defect rectifications. He also credits their regular roster of subcontractors and suppliers – a lot of whom have been working with RJG Builders for many years now. “We try not to shop around for suppliers and subcontractors too much. Provided they are doing a good job, and provided have the resources to complete projects in the timeframes we need, we’re quite loyal.” As an example, RJG Builders enjoys a loyal and lasting relationship with JS Welding Services – a Far North Queensland company that specialises in supplying, fabricating, and installing structural steel across a range of buildings, including schools. Like RJG, JS is known for being proudly local and for providing opportunities to the local and regional industries. Also, they are known for their top quality products, competitive prices, and their impeccable safety record – all qualities that RJG looks for in their longstanding partners.

One of RJG Builders’ early flagship projects was the Towers Jockey Club in Charters Towers, Queensland. After proving themselves on that job, RJG has worked pretty consistently Charters Towers. For example, they are currently contracted to do about $11 million worth of work in Goldtower Central – which one of North Queensland’s newest and most coveted commercial precincts, located in Charters Towers. They have also been contracted to do a brand new gym in town. Moving forward, Joe says that RJG will continue to pursue those kinds of higher-value projects, in both the private and public sectors. As the company continues to growand continues to prove themselves to clients, he expects to take on both more projects and larger projects. He predicts the company will double in size within the next two-to-three years. Growing from within NOVEMBER 2022

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For RJG, however, internal growth is more important than external growth. Their highest priority is “growing from within” and developing their people. James is an example of that. He first joined RJG as an apprentice carpenter roughly five years ago and now he’s a project manager. “We are quite a young and energetic building company,” James says. “We pride ourselves on in-house growth. We have multiple people who started off as carpenters and who now are supervisors and junior supervisors. Our previous administrator has been put through an advanced diploma, so she’s now transformed into contract administration and safety.” “We’re very big on in-house growth,” he reiterates, “especially in these times, where there’s a shortage of staff around the world and it’s a challenge to find good people. We believe it’s important to help develop those people inhouse. We try to grow in-house before looking elsewhere.” NOVEMBER 2022

THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRAL IA For more on RJG Builders, their services, their capabilities, and their process – and to get in touch with their expert team today – visit, https://rjgbuilders.com.au/

The Magic of Häuslein Tiny Homes

NOVEMBER 2022

Häuslein Tiny House Co. is a tiny home company based in Port Macquarie, NSW. Since their inception in 2017, they have become one of the main tiny home construction companies in Australia, doing business all over the country for both commercial and residential projects. Using a unique style for their builds, coupled with their director’s many years’ experience in the joinery and construction industry, Häuslein has been able to gain a large amount of the market share in Australia and is continuing to grow today. Häuslein started when one of its directors, Scott Rohdich, came to a crossroads in his career about five years ago. After working long hours since he was a teenager in construction, it had taken a toll on his back and body, leaving him with the desire for a career change. Having built a shipping container home alongside his wife Sarah back in 2012, Scott was interested in doing something similar as a commercial venture. After seeing the success of tiny homes in the USA, Scott realized that the market for tiny homes was still up and coming in Australia, leading him to choose this as his venture and change of career. Thus, Häuslein was born, with his wife and two of his best friends as business partners. The name in German means ‘small house’ or ‘cottage.’ Scott’s extensive career in construction, and personal experience living tiny, gave him a unique perspective when it came to creating tiny homes. After conducting some research in his target market, he adopted a more Scandinavian style Häuslein’s style. This seemed to appeal and lead to significant sales and success for the business, and the company was soon selling to locations all across Australia. THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRAL IA

NOVEMBER 2022

In the beginning, Häuslein targeted customers who were looking for a unit for personal use. Häuslein established themselves as a more unique provider, mainly due to the standardandqualityofmaterials they chose. In particular, the use of natural timbers helped their homes stand out, putting them on the path to success that we have seen them follow. Häuslein’s uniqueness enabled them to carve out their own individual side of the market, which quickly grew from clients looking for personal units into clients looking for AirBnBs and other sorts of short-term rental properties. Today, Häuslein’s homes come in a wide range of sizes, with their smallest model, the ‘Gunyah,’ comprising 18 square metres, and the ‘Grand Sojourner,’ their largest model, comprising 34.5 square metres. Häuslein don’t typically embrace full custom builds. Every variation in a small space has a thousand implications and they’ve worked hard to take a lot of the headaches out for their customers with tried and tested designs. There are still plenty of options available to make each tiny house ‘home’ for their customers. Pre-thinking, testing, honing and offering limited variations on designs also enables Häuslein to build more efficiently and seek to keep costings competitive For customers in a rush, Häuslein also regularly builds homes at their warehouse to be shipped out at a moment’s notice. This represents another significant point of difference, as it means they can appeal to clients with particularly tight timelines. Value and certainty THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRAL IA

Another one of Häuslein’s chief selling points, and something that keeps customers coming back, is the quality of the product. Scott credits that quality to two key factors. Firstly, he credits their material selection. He says Häuslein does its best to provide an authentic build that doesn’t skip out on any of the quality materials, which means using real timber and metal to construct their build, not resorting to chipboards, MDF, vinyl’s etc. This leads to a product that lasts and ages well. They know that when it comes to providing living space, there’s nothing worse than something that fails, looks shabby and ought to be replaced in no time at all. The second factor Scott credits it their multi-disciplinary team. Häuslein takes pride in having Powered by Christian values NOVEMBER 2022

a large team of dedicated workers, consisting of builders, joiners, fabricators, managers, plumbers, electricians, and more. By keeping themajority of their labour in-house, Häuslein is able to ensure quality service and quality results. Häuslein’s team is also trained to hold themselves to a certain standard of conduct. When he started the business, Scott didn’t want to create another blue-collar construction company with a rough, vulgar culture. Instead, he wanted to create a business that creates high-quality products, by a team who takes pride in what they do and is happy to show it, both in the quality of their craftsmanship and the quality of their teamwork Scott attributes the strength of the culture at Häuslein to the fact that all the company directors are Christian. He says the values and attitude they seek to hold create a positive work environment they’re grateful for and which seems to lead to a high level of work satisfaction, care and respect amongst the team. THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRAL IA

The future of Häuslein is looking bright. The company is almost completely booked up well in advance, ensuring a steady flow of revenue. At the same time, internal expansion is also taking place, with land purchased to create a factory to assist in the construction of their homes, along with a potential tiny house village to help advertise their products in person. According to Scott, a large part of Häuslein’s continued success is their reliance on strong, specialized systems to keep everything in check. As growth continues, Scott says it’s important it happens at a deliberate pace, so that the right people and systems are in place to accommodate that growth. Moving forward, it’s clear that Häuslein has a bright future, with no shortage of newprojects on the horizon and a growing market in Australia. Small homes, big future NOVEMBER 2022

THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRAL IA For more on Häuslein Tiny House Co., their range of models, and everything that makes their company different, visit https://www.hauslein.com.au/

All Of The Care, None Of The Hassle Based in Croydon, Sydney. House to Home Finishes is a construction company that offers design and build services to customers in the Innerwest, Eastern suburbs and surrounding areas. By offering a stress free service that takes them from the drawing board to the finishing touches, their customers can rest assured that they made the right choice. Directed by Joumana and her ex-employee Shane, they have transformed many homes, bringing life to so many places.

NOVEMBER 2022

After spending a few years in the industry, interior designer Joumana had seen so many mistakes and flaws when it came to the onsite completion of projects. After repeatedly seeing how the construction was carried-out and enjoying that side of the work, Joumana decided it was time to try her hand at the construction business and create her own firm that would work with clients on projects that resulted in flawless finishes and practical planning and designs, giving them an edge over the competition. This vision is what led to the start of House to Home Finishes. Aftergettingherbuilders license, Joumana began acquiring tradespeople to get to work on projects. Over time this evolved to hiring a supervisor with their own builders license to work on jobs and quality check the work. Setting a new standard THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRAL IA

NOVEMBER 2022 House to Home Finishes’s initial work led to referral jobs and further business as the clients couldn’t get enough of the style in which they operated. By getting as personal as possible and going over every detail, Joumana was able to create strong connections with her customers, this was enhanced by the fact that Joumana had a young family herself which was the same for a number of her clients, leading to relatabilty and trust between her and her prospects. Using her knowledge of kid-friendly designs and other relevant ideas, she had in mind, she would even take the clients shopping for materials to help properly plan out the project and get a further understanding of the client’s vision. Initially, Joumana focussed mainly on kitchens on bathrooms, with the focus being on the transition of an out-dated unpractical space becoming much more visually pleasing and with increased utility. This later evolved into doing major strips and refits, and then in the last year or so, the creation of a show room, multiple supervisors and more. Nowadays they offer a onestop-shop to clients who are looking for a firm to help them build or renovate. By always having management there for the final stages of the projects, cleaning, testing etc. Joumana puts in a lot of care and effort for her clients. This high level of customer service, passion, and being so personal with the customer is what Joumana credits toher business’ early success. Since House to Home’s early beginnings, they have expanded and altered their job style a couple of times. The first was them moving into major strips and refits, these jobs were becoming quite routine for them and a steady flow of income. Nowadays customers can deal entirely with House to Homes from conception to creation, as they now have a showroom to illustrate to customers exactly what’s possible.

THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRAL IA

A project with House to Home finishes typically ranges from 300-400k all the way up to 2.5M AUD in costs. These values let House to Home Finishes tackle extensions, major revamps, heritageconservationandmore. One of the first supervisors at House to Home Finishes, Shane, became a partner after 9 years of work at the company, this has helped further expansion and House to Home Finishes as we know it today. The inhouse thorough planning helps ensure customers are getting exactly what they want while keeping the cost of the job in-budget. This all being tackled by House to Home Finishes independently has numerous benefits, as usually the full process would take 3-4 different firms, which leads to budget misunderstandings and communication issues over the final product. First starting with the planning, clients arepairedwithan interior designer to help them establish exactlywhat they are looking for. This process involves selecting materials, understanding the space available and completing a thorough design along with specifications for exactly how the space will look and function. Covering Everthing NOVEMBER 2022

Once the planning is done and they are ready to start construction, House to Home Finishes works to get the project through the council and get started on construction, they then provide the client a fixed price quote along with a guaranteed completion date to make their planning easy. At the end of the day, what makes House to Home Finishes such a successful company, is the hastle free, responsible and reassuring process they offer to the customer. They provide such confidence in the ability of House to Home Finishes, customers can rest at ease knowing they made the right decision. House to Home Finishes have two main streams of clients, the first being those coming from their social media after seeing the impressive work they complete, the others come from referrals and word-of-mouth. Both come to the showroom to see what can be done for them and find out whether or not it’s the right choice for them. By meeting them in person, they are able to get a feel for the company and see how a future would look with their dream home. THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRAL IA

To ensure quality for their clients, it is essential to House to Home Finishes that they only hire quality trades. By hiring those who have experience in the relevant areas, they can ensure that the work is all done properly and on time without silly mistakes from low quality work or inexperience. Shane is onsite throughout the construction process to manage the supervisors and check all the work. To get such a high standard of work from your tradesmen, it’s essential youlay thegroundwork for a good relationship that rewards subcontractors for taking the care that’s required. House to Home Finishes have established this by making sure every subcontractor is paid on time. With no financing done on their projects, this means that anyone who works for House to Home Finishes can go home knowing they’ll be paid well for their work and on time. In the construction industry this isn’t something you can take for granted and it helps House to Home Finishes distinguish itself as a company you want to work for. Responsibility NOVEMBER 2022

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