Meet Jack and Nick, the construction and project management specialists behind this successful building business.
What happens when high school mates end up working in similar fields then realise their skills could complement each other’s in a positive way?
Waratah Building is what happens.
Nick and Jack met at Chevalier College, and while they went off to do their own thing to start with, a few years later after working together on a couple of local projects, they realised that Nick’s skills in construction and Jack’s expertise in the world of project management (and his background as a sparky) could provide the foundations of a successful construction company.
We spoke to the guys about how that all happened, what they’re up to now and what the plans are for the future of Waratah Building.
Image :: Ella Ottaviano
1 // So, what did you guys do when you finished high school and how did that lead you to running a business together?
Nick :: I did my apprenticeship locally and worked for a few local builders and ended up in a supervisor role before I decided to go out on my own and start Waratah Building.
Jack :: I did an apprenticeship as an electrician in the Highlands working with Grant Watts of Power by Watts. I ran some bigger jobs with him which got me interested in the whole construction process, so moved to Sydney for four years to get teriary qualifications in building and construction management. I was also employed as a project manager with a high-end residential building company in Sydney before moving back to the Highlands.
Nick :: Jack was talking about moving back to the Highlands and I’d been given the opportunity to carry out a major addition at the Bowral Hotel. We decided to take on that project together and found we made a really good team, so Jack came on board with Waratah Building.
Image :: Highlands Photography
2 // How do you guys operate the business?
Nick :: By playing to our strengths and different areas of expertise. I’m on the tools mainly and overseeing the various sites we have going on at any one time. I drop in to each project and check the team is all on track, answer any questions and conduct quality control checks, whilst Jack focuses on the project management and client side of things.
Jack :: I spend a fair bit of my time in the office, liaising with clients, making sure materials are where they are meant to be at the right time, working with architects and on quoting. There is a lot of work that goes into the pre-build phase, so I focus a fair bit of my time on that.
Nick :: The benefit of working together in that way is our clients, team, contractors and anyone else who needs us can get hold of us easily, and we can answer questions or turnaround changes to jobs quickly, so the build doesn’t get slowed down.
Image :: Ella Ottaviano
3 // How many are on the Waratah Building team now?
Nick :: There’s twelve of us all up now. We’ve got some great chippies on board and three leading hand carpenters which tend to run the sites. That means I can then split my time between the projects rather than get pulled right into a build, which is great.
Jack :: We also have Alison in the office who helps us stay organised and works with me on having strong systems and processes in place.
Nick :: We use local contractors too. It’s really important to us that we support local businesses.
Image :: Ella Ottaviano
4 // So, what’s the Waratah Building difference?
Jack :: There’s a few things we believe makes the construction process much more comfortable for a client. One of the most important elements I work on is getting the estimating right at the beginning of the build which minimises the risk of things blowing out down the track.
Nick :: Our quotes are very detailed and clear. The client knows exactly what they’re paying for. It’s not just some loose number we’ve plucked out of the air.
Jack is very detailed with the quoting process but also very quick, which is great for clients wanting to sort out finance or get moving on the build as soon as possible.
Jack :: We also answer our phones and we communicate! You’re dealing with a licensed builder everytime you pick up the phone.
You’re also engaging with builders that are not only trade qualified but who also have real world construction management experience where the focus is utilising and improving tried and tested systems and processes to make sure clients receive the highest quality project in the most efficient timeframe, for a competitive price each and every time! It IS possible.
Nick :: Our clients trust us which is a big deal considering they’re spending a lot of money on the project. You need to be able to trust your builder when you’re making an investment like this.
We’re actually friends with a lot of our clients still and catch up for drinks with them or make sure we can help them out when they want to do more extensions, renos or builds down the track.
Image :: Highlands Photography
5 // What sort of projects are you working on at the moment?
Nick :: It’s a mix of custom alterations, additions and new builds. At the moment we’re wrapping up three renovations, then we’ve got two new builds in Retford Park to get started on and a new build out on Woodlands Road as well as a renovation project at Fitzroy Falls. We’ll be working on anywhere between 4–7 projects at any one time. How many is dictated by the size of the projects.
Jack :: We also offer landscaping as part of our projects so have been getting into that side of things now too. We hate walking away from a project where the build side is complete but a client is still left with an unfinished site that might be uncomfortable for them for a little while, and also detract from our finished product.
We like to give clients an idea of the cost of things like driveways, retaining walls, hard and soft landscaping prior to a build starting, and help them come up with a cost effective solution that provides a complete ‘turn-key’ experience for them.
Image :: Highlands Photography
6 // What’s your favourite project been so far?
Nick :: We’ve just finished a renovation on Lee Street in Mittagong. It could have been a knockdown / rebuild and it very nearly was, but we brought the house back to life through an extensive renovation.
It was such a dramatic change, and it was really cool to breathe new life back into the old house in that way.
Jack :: My favourite would actually be one of our other Mittagong projects where we worked with a Sydney architect to create a contemporary addition to an existing 100 year old heritage residence.
While I enjoy continually improving our services and value for money offering, I also love working with clients and architects alike to turn that vision on paper into a reality, down to the finest little detail.
Image :: Ella Ottaviano
7 // So what’s next for Waratah Building?
Jack :: Continued improvements in what we can offer our clients and the value add we can provide in those very early stages. We’ve invested in some really good construction management and estimating software that will give each client an even better experience than we aim to give them now.
We’d like to grow a little bit more while still providing a really high level of service and communication, and of course, high level construction. We aim to maintain the personal touch with all of our clients.
Nick :: That’s what we’re known for now, so it would be nice to grow a little and show more clients there are custom builders out there that know their stuff, put you first and offer a very high level organised and stress-free service for a reasonable price.
We are both passionate about building and customer service, and aim to be here for many more years to come.
Image :: Highlands Photography
Waratah Building specialises in the custom building of new homes, home renovations, alterations and additions, as well as landscape design and construction. Founded on the principles of honesty, reliability, communication and trust, this Southern Highlands business has a reputation for excellence in both craftsmanship and service. Get in touch with the team here if you have a building project you’re ready to get cracking on.
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