Page 22 - HW November 2020

landscaping, decking & outdoor structures
BUSINESS IS BOOMING and, although somewhat hog tied by a variety of constraints (of which more below) the landscaping sector is just about keeping pace.
Experienced contractor Robert Luijten, of Luijten Landscaping in South Auckland (www.luijten.co.nz), confirms: “We are absolutely full to the hilt. Yeah. It’s extremely busy. We were full tilt before lockdown and we’re full tilt now, if not busier. It’s just gone berserk!”
Over lockdown, having been shocked at how much work simply could not be carried out at a time when business should be ramping up, Ollie Newman of Onlandscapes (https:// onlandscapes.co.nz/) now says Christchurch is also “extremely busy”, with enquiries from June-July now turning into actual commissions, to the point where his six teams of two are “under the pump”.
Another who admits to being “flat tack” when we spoke
in October, Landscape Architect Emma Johnston at Goom Landscapes in Christchurch (www.goomlandscapes.co.nz) confirms that Kiwis in droves are “investing in the outdoors”.
Much of this demand is additional business, on top of the usual rush to get jobs started before Christmas, and not just demand that’s shifted sideways, she believes.
So far, 2020 has indeed been way busier than a normal year, according to Landscape Architect Tom Evans of Christchurch’s Inside-Out Design (www.iodesign.co.nz).
“There doesn’t seem to be any let-up of work going forward into the New Year, with people investing in their property and staying put”
“People are spending a bit more money at home just because they can’t do the holiday thing,” he says, even adding that the company has designed some ‘themed” gardens evoking places where people were potentially looking to holiday, like Lake Como and Bali!
Saying “We’re pretty hectic to be brutally honest,” Stuart Baines, Director of Aspen Landscapes in Wellington (www. aspenlandscapes.co.nz), says there doesn’t seem to be any let-up going forward into the New Year, with people investing in their property and staying put to both enjoy it more and add capital value.
From FORM Garden Architecture in Christchurch, Landscape Architect Craig Wilson (www.form.net.nz) says: “People are definitely spending the money that they might have spent on travel upgrading their homes.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a result of lockdown,” he qualifies, adding: “But I think it’s been in people’s mind for a long time. They’ve seen homes in magazines, and I think lockdown gave a lot of people time to reflect on what sort of lifestyle their property affords them. And now they’re thinking, how can I maximise my property?”
Engineering with Kwila
BBI Wood Products’ latest hardwood decking offering is BBI Premium MagnaPlank.This FSC 100% 190x22mm engineered Kwila decking comes in 5.4m lengths and includes a hidden fixing system (photo top right). Being an extra wide, engineered timber, Premium MagnaPlank will stay straighter and flatter than traditional Kwila decking and therefore keep decks looking better for longer.
Also new are BBI’s FSC 100% solid Kwila posts & beams (photo above right) which can be used for a wide range of applications including handrails, pergolas, verandas and poolside cabanas. Kiln dried and machined to a smooth finish, they are available in a range of sizes. For in-ground applications, it is recommended posts be fixed to a steel bracket in concrete for long term durability.
www.bbi.net.nz
Screws make for
better timber connections
Improvements in battery technology have meant battery drills have become serious work tools. Recognising this, MiTek developed the engineered StudLok, initially for prenail production. MiTek also provided manufacturers with a StudLok stamp and accompanying paperwork for each project, to
inform Building Inspectors and save builders time and money. All StudLok fixings sit within the thickness of the panel so they don’t get in the way of the GIB and can be safely installed off-site. The latest addition to the StudLok range is the 80mm length StudLok SL80 for connecting timber members. The full range consists of the SL125 (coloured yellow, for Fabricators only), SL125 Green SL170 (blue) and now the SL80 (white).
www.miteknz.co.nz
20 NZHJ | NOVEMBER 2020
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