This year we are celebrating 30 Years of House of the Year! Over the next few months we are going to be shining a light on some of the people who have played a massive part in the competition. Keep an eye out on our channels as our members share some of their best memories as a builder.

W Hamilton Building

“Building dog kennels and chicken coops was the true beginning of me creating structures! My uncle, who was a builder, kindly took me under his wing when I was around 14 and I spent my school holidays with him, hammer in hand.

The creativity and the permanence of the projects you work on is what makes building unique. What we see as a “project” is a “home’ for our clients and we are so lucky to that they trust us to do that for them.

I established W Hamilton Building in Arrowtown in 1996 initially as a labour only contract builder. The company employed two other staff. I moved to Dunedin in 2007. I met my now business partner around that time, and Greg became a 50/50 director in 2016. The company has now grown to 25 staff including 3 office staff, a construction manager and 2 quantity surveyors.

We often provide holiday employment for students undertaking the Certificate in Construction Trade Skills (Level 3) Carpentry, and from this retain some very skilled staff. The apprentices bring modern and new skills to the table, which help to “blend” our teams together. They often come with a sparkle in their eye and a spring in their step!

I see House of the Year as bringing a professionalism to the industry, especially given that it is so well recognised and publicised. The coverage of the event is great advertising, and even an entry into the competition is hugely beneficial to your marketing. The process of entering is not difficult, and Master Builders are always encouraging and helpful if you need some assistance.” William Hamilton, W Hamilton Building Ltd