North Canterbury

Our client approached us to evaluate their earthquake insurance settlement offer. Their beautiful property required extensive repairs. We undertook a comprehensive repair scoping and pricing process, including a full re-levelling of the house and chimney reconstruction designed by an engineer, and detailed pricing using a quantity surveyor. We worked closely with our client’s insurance broker to have our costs and methodology approved by their insurer. The repair costs and methodology were subsequently approved by their insurer and our client was cash settled. Our clients received a 25% increase on their settlement offer from their insurer as a result of this process. The extent of the repair work completed was also able to be significantly more extensive than the insurer had proposed, resulting in a complete re-roof and re-levelling of the foundation, instead of the limited repair initially proposed. We constructed replicas of the original chimneys, that were in keeping with the beauty of the house, whilst being lightweight and able to withstand movement over time.

We worked with our clients to maximise the opportunity within their insurance settlement to undertake additional work such as construction of an outdoor room with fireplace, new verandah and decking, a new ensuite, new roof with skylights, new windows and French doors as well as full interior and exterior refurbishment. The end result is simply stunning.

“We have enjoyed working with you both. You made it an easy build and we are thrilled with the result”

Caroline Murray

Work is currently underway on Stage 2 of our renovations to his beautiful villa. We have previously completed a complete re-roof, inclusive of upgrading and replacing timber framing followed by corrugated iron. We installed new skylights which have transformed the natural light within the house, as well as completed an electrical rewire and upgrade. The second stage of work underway is extensive renovations inclusive of new kitchen, dining area, front entrance, hallway and windows. The finished product will be a new house, yet retaining the features of a beautiful original homestead.

Our client approached us to evaluate their earthquake insurance settlement offer for two dwellings and a shed. We undertook a comprehensive repair scoping and pricing process with the use of our quantity surveyor and other expert contractors. We worked closely with our client’s insurance broker to have our costs and methodology approved by their insurer. The repair costs and methodology were subsequently approved by their insurer and our client was cash settled. Our clients received a settlement that was almost double what the insurer had initially offered as a result of this process.

We worked with our clients to maximise the opportunity to undertake extensive renovations, such as an extension of the house to create a new living room with stone fireplace, skylights, refurbished second living area, new windows, new flooring throughout and new outdoor deck and paved area. The extension and the outdoor area complement the house perfectly, and allow our clients to enjoy their award-winning and magazine published gardens. We relished the opportunity to work on such a beautiful property, and are proud of the result we achieved.

Through their insurance broker, our client approached us to evaluate their earthquake insurance settlement offer for the main homestead, workers' accommodation, garage, stables and wool shed. We undertook a comprehensive assessment and pricing process, including advice from a structural engineer, which allowed this client to be one of the first cash settled and repaired properties in North Canterbury. The scoping and pricing process was detailed, and the negotiations with the insurer were challenging over an extended period of time. The extent of repairs initially proposed by the insurer were significantly flawed, and the value of the settlement offer not even close to the true cost of repair. A team approach with our clients insurance broker, and persistent and relentless negotiations resulted in a settlement from the insurer that was substantially more than what the client was offered.

The negotiations were some of the first to succeed post Kaikoura earthquakes, enabling our client to have fully repaired and rebuilt structures long before others even had a settlement offer from their insurer. Our repair work was extensive to the main homestead and workers' cottage - including a new roof to the main homestead with new timber framing, new lightweight chimney structures, new fireplaces, re-cladding and new decking and verandahs. We also constructed a new three bay garage architecturally designed to suit the client’s requirements. We worked with our client for approximately two years, throughout insurance negotiations, and a lengthy construction process. Our successful working relationship over this period is something we are extremely proud of. Our client’s satisfaction and subsequent referral has been the source of several other projects for us in the North Canterbury community.

We were honoured to have the opportunity to repair and restore Charles Upham’s original homestead. We worked with our client’s insurance broker to negotiate a repair strategy and settlement amount that ensured this homestead could be repaired to a high standard. This process resulted in a settlement that was more than double the initial settlement figure presented by the insurer. Our repairs included removal of an asbestos roof which we then reframed and replaced to suit high wind zone requirements of the area. We removed the damaged chimney to ground level, undertook other general repairs with the additional renovation of the bathroom and front entrance.

Our client approached us to assist him to check his earthquake repair scope provided by his insurer was accurate. We undertook a repair scoping and pricing process, then presented our costs to his insurer. The repair costs and methodology were subsequently approved by his insurer and our client was cash settled. Our client received an additional 30% from his insurer as a result of this process. Our client decided to complete the indoor portion of the repair work, inclusive of an upgrade to the ensuite, main bathroom and extensive tiling throughout. 

“Mark gave me a very precise plan for the repair of my home. I was impressed by the quality and no stress approach to the job. I was constantly being informed of various stages and not being left asking, “What’s next?”. I would thoroughly recommend Mark, Nadine and the team for earthquake repairs or alterations anytime.”

Greg Booth