sourced for sustainability along with quality. They use a mold-free type of paint which is important in their region, which has high humidity. As with the timber framing, Thompson also works with local suppliers as much as possible to reduce their footprint and mileage which can put costs up. Brick work is another material Thompson shies away from. “We use brick only where it is required, so, if possible, no brick at all, which provides more room within the dwelling,” says Renita. “It takes up less wall space. We work in partnership with James Hardie who is the largest supplier of cladding in Australia. We order what we need and minimise waste. Our production team is tasked with ordering what we need so minimal overruns of waste. “ We work with a local waste bin supplier who has a full production site of waste recycling so we know they are sorting through our waste so they can recycle what they can. We’ve been working with them for over a decade and their contribution to overall recycling is amazing.” Long term relationships are part of Thompson’s corporate culture as well. “Our 25-plus subcontractors are part of the fabric of Thompson,” says Renita. “Our carpenters started their careers with us as apprentices and we have worked with and alongside them to open their own business as carpentry sub-contractors. Now they are part of the fabric of our team. This ensures we have a field staff we can deploy any time rather than looking to replenish sub-contractors. They are part of our core business.” This philosophy results in a very low turnover in staff and one big family, she says. “It’s quite a big statement, but you’ve got to remember we’ve got two main shareholders in the company who are in their mid-40s. Their core support team has been here for a long time. We have staff that have been here over 25 years. I have been with the company for 7 and I’m one of the newer ones.” “It’s important we have a family culture,” says Renita. “We do team building exercises during work, and we enjoy relaxed time together. We do outside of work catchups because for us it’s important to shift the focus from work sometimes and enjoy our day.” “We have a fun, passionate group of people who all go above and beyond. I think we know as a collective that the construction, sales, marketing and on-site teams work as best as we can together. There are differences, but we all work to be on the same page when we can,” she says. Their strong team mentality has shown consistent results when it comes to industry commendations. Over the years Thompson has worked on a number of projects that have commanded interest externally. Their most recent accolade came from the 2023 HIA awards, where the won Best Display Home Over $550,000 on the Sunshine Coast. They also recently received the 2023 HIA Award for Best Small Lot Home at both regional and state levels. OCTOBER 2024
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