Alex Caddick
Managing Director
Design Builders – Canterbury
Introducing Alex Caddick. Along with Paul and Kaye, he is the newest member of the Design Builders family. The pair head up the brand new Design Builders Canterbury. We caught up with Alex to say hi.
Alex, tell us a bit about your background, and how you got into the industry.
Building has always been a part of my life. My dad, who is part of Design Builders Canterbury, has a major construction background, including property development and renovation. He was a plasterer for 25 years and retrained as a carpenter. When I was in school, I talked to my careers advisor, who asked what I wanted to do. I said, “Oh, I want to do a trade” – basically because I wanted to travel. From there I got offered an apprenticeship, and that was my start.
Overall, what does your job entail
I’m a foreman at the moment. My role is all about quality control, making sure everything is done properly. I oversee the teams, answer questions, and advise them. I’ll also work on the tools for the more complex jobs. I think it’s a big deal to be building someone’s house for them. It’s a life-time investment. And you’ve got to create a quality product. It’s their home, and you want to come up with something that they’re proud of and love. That’s my job. In terms of Design Builders, I will be doing a bit of everything, sales and project managing the builds.
What tips can you give someone who wants to build a home?
I think making a Pinterest board or having some sort of document folder that you could hand over to me and say, “Okay, this is what I like” is a really good idea. It helps get an understanding of you and your style. I also ask people to try to picture themselves in the future, and think about what you might need down the track as they get older. Also make sure you have strong open communication between you and us, right from the start.
What do you love about this region?
Within half an hour you’ve got your mountain trails that you can walk on, you’ve got skiing, you’ve got beaches, everything’s so central from here. It’s a great place to live, and that’s also why it’s a great place to build homes for people. People love being here.
And Christchurch is looking pretty amazing, it’s a really exciting city
Yes, it’s really cool. And there’s a bit of character that architects have introduced. They’re not sticking to the general norms when they’re designing new city buildings like eateries. They’re actually thinking outside the box, and it’s very cool, because it doesn’t all look the same. Everything’s quite different in the city. It’s really a great time to be here, and in ten years I think it’s going to be absolutely awesome.
What are your hidden talents?
Well, when I was younger, I wanted to be on television or radio. I was very interested in becoming an actor! I did a lot of broadcasting block courses in school holidays and all that kind of thing. I did a lot of acting including Shakespeare and all sorts of stuff. And I directed a lot of plays, and I taught directing. Acting is something I’m still very interested in – I love going to theatre sports and being part of the audience and shouting out scenarios to the actors! Theatre sports is great, because you’re at the mercy of the crowd!
Why did you decide to join up with Design Builders?
Andrew Price, the CEO, really sold it to us. He said “We’re just wanting to build quality houses and have fun while doing it”. I like the Design Builders people, everyone helps each other out. They’re all wanting to do a good job and create some awesome homes that are truly designed around their clients.
Want to know more about Design Builders Canterbury?
Enjoy a free, no-obligation chat with Kaye
Find out about our whole exciting process, from start to finish. Understand the architect’s role, work out your budget, look through our portfolio, pick up great tips and ideas, and ask questions. If you’re thinking about building, it’s the perfect first step.
Call Kaye Caddick at Design Builders Canterbury today on 027 622 7555 or send her an email.
