In the heart of Mooloo country, Sentinel Homes Waikato has been knuckling down, focussing on creating beautiful houses and five-star customer experiences.
It seems like all the hard work is paying off. Two builds took out top prizes in the Master Builders House of the Year awards, with one going on to win the nationals. The team is also set to move into a freshly renovated office.
Nate says all the glory should go to his 22-person team.
“The last two years have been really good – we’ve been hitting our straps. And we have an awesome team. That’s the key part of our success,” says Nate.
Here are just some of the things Nate and the team can feel proud of.
A builder by trade, Nate has been in business for himself for over a decade. He brought that experience to the Sentinel Homes Waikato franchise, launching into the business with a focus on continuous improvement – from its processes to the development of each staff member. That’s positioned the company to grow sustainably.
“We talk about continuous improvement every day,” says Nate. “It’s why we’re building more houses every year, but maintaining the quality.
“It’s cool for us – we’re a young team, so with there being 22 of us we’re adding a collective 22 years of experience to the team each year.”
The team has also built a reputation for exceptional customer service – something that Nate knows starts at the top.
“My role is looking after the team so they can be in a position to look after the clients,” he explains. “From the first person they meet at the office to the project manager with the keys at the end, it’s the same smile, the same good people who actually care.”
But what matters most to Nate’s clients is the finished product – beautiful homes built to exacting standards. The team’s focus on quality has been recognised this year with two impressive wins at the Master Builders House of the Year awards.
The team entered two homes and both won gold, took out their categories entirely and were named as two of the top 100 houses in the country.
“We were super stoked,” says Nate. “It’s nice to get recognised for all the hard work. We can deliver on full design and build, so we can oversee that quality from start to finish.”
The also took out the national awards with a home in Ngaruawahia and here’s what the judges had to say…
“The team have created a wonderful home that demonstrates strong collaboration between the builders and owners”
If building award-winning houses wasn’t enough to keep Nate’s team busy, they’re also renovating a new office space, right in the middle of Hamilton City. With massive amounts of natural light, space to socialise and cool design features, the office will be an inspiring environment for both clients and team members.
“It’s a vibe!” says Nate. “We wanted the building and the feeling in the office to reflect what we can deliver, so clients go in and say, ‘Wow!’”
Moving into the spacious new offices is also a reflection of the hard work and growth Nate’s team has seen in the last six years.
Gold medals and impressive new offices spaces are one thing, but if you ask Nate what he’s most proud of, he has a fast answer: the way his team has cared for clients and each other through the pressures of COVID-19.
“Clients, subbies, any of our partners – the team has just really stepped up and communicated,” he says. “I’ve had people comment that the minute they walk into the office and meet Molly at the front desk, they have a feeling. They can feel how genuine we are.
“We’ve also had mental health at the forefront, checking in on each other and working on our own wellbeing. Everyone is firing and doing a great job.”
With that energy and attitude as a foundation, we’re expecting to hear more amazing things out of the Waikato team soon!
Let’s get together for a free, no-pressure meeting with one of our team, at your place or ours.
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