Millbrook home takes out premier property award

Media Release
October 31 2006

Millbrook home takes out premier property award

A million-dollar-plus home at five-star Millbrook Resort took out a top accolade at the national Registered Master Builders 2006 House of the Year awards announced in Auckland this weekend.

Arrowtown-based company AJ Saville Builder Limited fought off stiff competition from around the country to walk away with the award for new homes over $1 million and the Pink Batts Ultra Energy Efficiency Award.

Company director Allister Saville said he was “absolutely shocked” to hear his name read out.

“I was humbled to be in the top ten up against some pretty flash houses, let alone win it. It was a staggering result,” he said.

The 440sqm house, owned by Auckland-based New Zealanders, was completed in May. Judges praised the attention to detail paid to the house from start to finish, singling out its use of local material, extensive use of Millbrook stone, its setting, design and practicalities.

“We had a good working relationship with the owners and it was just one of those jobs that flowed from start to finish,” said Mr Saville.

He said the award was testament to the hard work put into the project by his eight-strong team, headed by foreman Jeff Long, plus ‘subbies’. “It’s a great team and I get to pick the best. I prefer to get out on site rather than grow the company because by keeping it small I can select who works for us and control the quality.”

Mr Saville is one of Millbrook’s preferred builders who has built 11 homes at the award-winning resort in the past six years and will soon be working on homes in the new Millbrook West development. He previously made it to the national finals two years ago with another Millbrook property, and has twice been a regional finalist.

Millbrook Property and Development Manager Ben O’Malley said the resort was delighted to have a builder of Mr Saville’s standing working at the resort.

”When Millbrook wound up its own construction operation in 2000 we went looking for external builders to partner with who had a reputation for quality and also guys we could get along with. Allister met both criteria and to get repeat business with us he has had to perform consistently to high levels. The fact that he is up to house number 11 here says a lot for him and his team.”

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