New Zealand’s heated housing market has been as much of a topic in 2021 as the current pandemic. After a year of widespread price growth and the average house sale price increasing significantly throughout the country, people are finding themselves caught up in the middle of the housing crisis. With an increased demand for residential new build housing, finding a company that delivers quality, affordability, and quicker building times is crucial. As the housing market is adapting, so is the need for building companies to level up and do the same.
Starting out as a way of meeting a need for smaller, better-designed houses in New Zealand, Manor Build has grown into a large-scale operation servicing most of the North Island. The growth of Manor Build over the years has been quite extraordinary, so we wanted to share more about the history of Manor Build before we announce what is in store for 2022.
The History of Manor Build
1990 - 2009
Cerderlands was started by Robin Suckling who employed his sons Shane and Tim. This business was based in Auckland and was the start of factory-built modular housing in the form of kitset cedar sheds, cabins, and lodges. The design was unique, involving pre-cladding panels which bolted together using a specialised joining system. They even sold ten homes in Niue Islands as part of the New Zealand Government contribution to rebuilding after cyclone Heta in 2003.
2010-2014
Successful Australian business, Uniplan, who were friends of the Suckling family, decided to invest in Cedarlands so Robin could retire. They specialised in transportable houses for the campground and holiday park market. Uniplan NZ LTD was incorporated and operated from a new site in Auckland run by Shane and Tim. Many innovative changes were made to save construction time and increase the strength of the homes. During this time, Tim fell off the roof of a house and was injured. This led to further improvements to make construction safer and faster, including having the roof built at ground level.
2015
Uniplan decided to pull out of their New Zealand investment to focus on the booming US market they had entered in 2013. At this point, Chris Herd from Taranaki (another family friend) invested in the business. Chris changed the direction of the company and moved to focus on the residential transportable home market instead of holiday parks.
2016
Early in 2016, the name of the company was changed to Manor Build. A new manufacturing facility was started in a yard in New Plymouth, and the Taranaki story began. By the end of 2016, Manor Build had moved into the old Fitzroy Yachts building, which could have 6-7 houses under construction inside the factory at one time.
2017-2021
Auckland manufacturing closed down in 2017, and full focus turned to the growth and establishment of the Taranaki branch. By the end of 2021, a Manor Build house was being delivered on average every 4 days! Further innovations in products and processes resulted in even stronger and healthier homes for people who increasingly could not afford traditional new built homes.
The Future of Manor Build
With the production line running at full capacity and building enquiries on the rise, Manor Build is excited to announce a purpose-built 7,500sqm new factory currently in construction. The launch of this new production plant will help the business grow further. It will be able to have 16-18 houses in production inside and will allow for further innovation in the manufacturing process.
The factory
Spanning over 100 metres in length, and 7,500 sqm, the new factory is located in Manor Build’s hometown of New Plymouth, Taranaki. With two production lines running simultaneously within the factory, this increased space enables up to 18 homes to be built and fully assembled at any one time. By increasing the production capacity, Manor Build can reduce lead times, helping owners get their homes quicker once contracts have been signed.
Onsite showhomes
This larger space comes with many benefits, including the addition of multiple display homes. Visitors can experience first-hand the quality that can be expected when building a home with Manor Build, and be inspired. Whether it’s exploring the different floorplan options in person or checking out the range of finishing options, there will be several examples when it comes to getting ideas for your new home build.
New offices and display centre
Our easy to access reception area will mean visitors are able to engage with a range of team members to start their prefabricated home journey. Visitors will also be able to request a showhome viewing with one of our specialists or book a time to explore the factory and understand our prefabricated home building process.
We'll also have a display centre set up showcasing samples of colours, floor coverings, tapware, door handles, kitchen and bathroom finishings, carpets, curtains and more to help customers better understand the dozens of different options and accessories available that will help to make a Manor Build house feel like home.
As we continue to build our way to the future of stress-free new home builds, the new factory will help the company meet the increasing demand for prefab homes. By focusing on creating high-quality yet affordable homes for New Zealanders in a fraction of the time a traditional build would take, the decision to invest in this new factory has been an easy one.
To explore our range of prefabricated homes, download our latest product catalogue today.
