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There can’t be many fencing contractors who can thank wine for contributing to their business’s success. But such is the case for Marlborough based family business Renner Fencing Contractors.

Terry Renner started fencing in 1968 with Dymoke Clunies-Ross, teaching him how to fence to the high standards set by Dymoke.

Materials used back then were flat standards, T-irons for angles and railway sleepers for end strain assemblies, with concrete posts starting to being used on the flats. Treated posts and BHP waratahs were to follow.

Shearing was Terry’s first venture into self-employment, having learnt to shear as a young man. A shearing gang was employed in 1989, adding to the fencing business, and taking the business from two to 16 staff. And thus, Renner Contracting Ltd, was formed.

The shearing run was sold in 1998, with Renner Contracting managing a farm and the fencing business. Five years later, the business purchased one tractor (leasing a second), along with two Taege post drivers and started working on vineyard developments.

Bradley Renner was the first of Terry’s sons to leave school in 1991 to help with a big fencing job up on Muller Station. Bradley was only 15 and not enjoying school at the time.

Michael (Mike) was pulled out of school in his 7th form year once the first XV rugby was over for the season. Both boys worked at the local freezing works and fenced in the off season. They also dabbled in the woolsheds from time to time, picking up other skills like wool handling, penning up and pressing the wool, and picking up the handpiece.

In 2001 Mike did what many of his peers did and took off for his OE, taking his shearing and fencing skills with him. While in Scotland he picked up some useful residential fencing knowhow and on his return to New Zealand, started up a residential fencing crew at Renner Contracting. KC Fence Systems provided training for the installation of their security fencing which expanded the business’s service offerings further.

Mike & Bradley brought into Renner Contracting in 2008 when the freezing works closed down. The money received from their respective redundancies went towards a deposit on a new tractor and truck. Both sons received a 25% share each in the business, with Terry retaining 50%. Renner Contracting continued to specialise in vineyard development and fencing, going from 4 staff to 8 permanent and 6 casual staff.

Terry says of the vineyard development work, “We were doing full development, starting with laying out of the posts, strainers and stays, driving intermediates with a subcontractor with post drivers until the diggers come on the scene. Strainers were hit in with the Taege Posts drivers and the stay done with a digger. Wire running and irrigation was run out to finish off.”

With demand for vineyard work piling up, Renner Contracting had to expand their machinery “from two tractors, two Utes, a motor bike and two trailers, refinancing to have three tractors and buying a new Revolution Post driver followed by a second a few years later” says Terry.

Mike took over the quoting side of the business in 2012 and was managing it after hours, while remaining on the tools full time (a position many fencing contractors will recognise). There came a point, Mike says, where it got too much, and elected to put a day or two aside for looking at jobs and quoting.

“I quite enjoyed the variety of keeping my hands on the tools and some paperwork. As time has gone by and with help from a business mentor, I have put down the tools to steer the ship, so to speak, running four fencing crews. I now meet new clients looking at jobs, quote, sort materials, assign staff the next job and invoice.”

Health and Safety takes up a lot of Mike’s time, along with the daily admin of emails and phone calls.

“The days have gone where the farmer calls you on the landline in the evening with a job” Mike says. “You’d turn up on the job with no phone at work, and no paperwork done. A handshake was the contract for the job.”

Owning and operating a business in 2022 comes with a different set of challenges and opportunities that business owners have to acknowledge and embrace.

“We live in a paperwork and technology-run world now and if you don’t move with it, you get left behind” says Mike.

Terry semi-retired in 2021 and is now paid an hourly rate for the odd hours he does running materials around and “checking in on the crews to make sure Dymoke’s high standards are kept in place and are in good health” he says.

Renner Contracting has been restructured further to recognise the wider family involvement and contribution. Terry now holds a 30% shareholding, with Mike holding 24%, Olivia Renner (Mike’s wife) owning 11%, Bradley 24% and Michelle Renner (Bradley’s wife) owning 11%.

The future of Renner Contracting looks solid, with both Bradley and Mike’s sons showing an interest in fencing. And, even if they don’t end up in the family business, with Terry keeping the grandkids busy during the school holidays by working for the business, they’ll know the satisfaction of a hard day’s work and have some incredibly useful life-skills to take forward into adulthood.

Article written by Mike & Terry Renner and Heather Kawan

https://www.rennerfencing.co.nz/

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Fencing.. is a physically demanding career. The output of energy your body is expending on a daily basis is massive.

If you aren’t fuelling your body with the right things to match that, not only will your energy levels take a hit, your performance and productivity will also.

The cool thing is, you can fuel yourself to meet these demands in a really basic way.

There’s no need to overcomplicate nutrition. It’s just about understanding and implementing the basics and being consistent – not perfect – with them.

So what are some options that you can put in your coolie bag when you are working out the back and beyond?

As a Nutrition Coach I like to educate people on how to “Build their Meals”. This means you are choosing what you enjoy having while ticking the boxes.

Ticking the boxes of Protein, Carbohydrates and Fats.

Why?

Protein is essential. Essential for the maintenance and repair of your muscles. It also helps keep you fuller for longer.

Carbohydrates are your body’s first choice in energy source. Bonus is that they are delicious!

Fats are essential for the hormonal health of both Men and Women.

When building your Meal you want to choose:

• A Protein source

• A few Carbohydrate sources

• One or two Fat sources

Example of how that might look:

• Protein: Chicken

• Carbohydrates: Bread, Lettuce, Cucumber, Tomato, Beetroot

• Fats: A spread and cheese

A sandwich or two that ticks the boxes.

Make it at home or have what you need in your Coolie bag to make while you sit and have your well-deserved break.

Leftover dinners are a great option for lunches as most people’s dinners “tick the boxes”.

In winter my husband, who is a builder, takes his gas cooker and fry-pan to heat up his leftovers at his lunch break.

What about when it comes to Snacks?

The need to snack is often driven from either not having a substantial “meal” or a habit.

When you fuel yourself with good sized balanced meals there is less tendency to “need” a snack and also allows your body’s digestive system to have a break from constantly working to breakdown food.

However, if you are experiencing true stomach hunger and you know it’s not from not having eaten enough, then I would recommend choosing either protein or fruit as the foundation of your snack.

Liquids during the day is important to keep your body and your brain hydrated.

Adding some electrolyte sachets to your water will help replace the salt your body is losing through perspiration and gives it some flavour as well.

You can still have a place for the enjoyment of delicious foods/liquids like chips, muffins, Coke etc, but I recommend saving these for AFTER you’ve fuelled your body with the nutritious food it NEEDS before having some of the delicious food you WANT.

Stick with the basics and focus on the benefits of how it makes you feel and perform.

 

Michele Griffin
Online Nutrition and Fitness Coach

https://www.mbody.co.nz/

Guiding and Supporting people to implement Basic Habits with Nutrition and Movement to reach their goals.

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They say you can pick your friendships, but not your family, which often rings true with your work mates. While many in the fencing industry share similar interests, having a work mate or crew that you get on with well, despite your backgrounds can make a huge impact on your job satisfaction and desire to turn up each day.

Therefore, as we all know it’s not just about having a good boss, good pay and good working conditions.

From an employer’s point of view its satisfying when workers get on and are able to work, despite task allocation and ranking within the company, as equals in their respect for one another. Its also productive both mentally and on the bottom line.

We have two such characters in one of our crews who are likely to cringe at this article, but the way they get on, have respect for each other despite their age difference and bring different life skills to the table is a huge asset to our company and their individual growth. Their friendship is great to see.

MURRAY

Murray Graham was a 17-year-old school leaver with no real work experience when he joined our company. The son of a friend who partners with Tony in a 4-wheel drive competition truck, well that’s often not a good reference. Although tall and fit he looked like the wind might just get hold of him and give him a toss down a gully, but nowadays few would keep up with him.
Murray is bright and had chosen subjects at school that were hands on – engineering, woodwork, outdoor education. With the School system advocating university Murray felt compelled to try looking for an outdoors hands on job, which is why fencing appealed to him.

Murray fits a fencer’s brief well – he’s into outdoor pursuits, hunting, fishing, rugby, has a number of 4-wheel drives, mainly Patrols but has recently picked up a Landcruiser, and don’t ask how many vintage chainsaws he has in his collection, some of which are stored under his bed.

When Murray started, we put him on the Stockade posting gun pretty much straight away, the gun nearly tipped him over but within 3-4 days he was away and as productive as any seasoned veteran with stapling. Murray has been with us 5 years and with his interest in machinery Tony has moved him onto the post driver, both tractor and remote skidsteer with Tony working on the steeper country with Murray.

“I enjoy working with machinery and all the different locations and variety of where we work and what I do,” says Murray. “I did my Level 3 fencing course in my 3rd year and started competitions with Tom Dingle in my second year, both which has let me meet a bunch of new friends and I’ve met a bunch of good people through this job.”

“I prefer the fencing side over the Hort side, though that does give me some broader work experience and opportunities to expand my skill set. I’ve had some cool trips with Tony taking us to Stewart Island with John Noakes and fishing trips.

Willy and I share a bunch of similar interests. We get on and it helps with going to work, it’s easier being able to talk with someone about the job – a problem shared is a problem halved and with his farming background he has some good ideas. He’s helped with relationship advice too,” says Murray.

WILLY

Willy Jenkins grew up and has worked in our local area with few previous employers. Having left school, he worked a couple of years at a local tree Nursery and then 18 years for Cashmores Farm, a 3000 acre sheep and beef farm. Willy and his wife Claire also leased 600 acres of quite steep country and ran 800 ewes, 120 cows and replacements. They have two children, both attending the local primary school.

With 9 dogs at one stage while Willy employed his farming job it was time for a change and to emerge from his localized environment. He had enjoyed fencing on the farm and had competed in a couple of fencing competitions with his mate Craig Wade, which he enjoyed. Knowing Tony, he asked about work and his been with White Fencing for two years.

While both occupations of farming and fencing are weather dependent, Willy finds fencing is about keeping things moving – time is money and fencing is more client dependent. The step into fencing as a specialty has earned Willys respect.

“What we did on the farm at peak times is pretty much the type of production we do every day fencing,” says Willy. “Fencing’s hard work but I find it really rewarding, learning new things and how to do them right, picking up good systems and then working through them in different conditions and terrain,” he says. Fencing’s also allowed me to grow from my isolated bubble living my life in the Orere Valley and we travel up and down roads and into areas that I’ve never been, even though it might only be half an hour away. I’ve met some good people and enjoy working with the wider crew of Tom, the two Ian’s and Patrick. I tend to work mainly in the fencing but enjoy going across to the Hort side to help out.

Murray and I get on well, we share a bunch of similarities despite our age, its good having youth and vigor and someone attached to the rest of the world. He’s even enlightened me to “Netflix and chilling”.

Article provided by Debbie White, White Fencing Ltd

Published in the Fencing Careers & Training feature in WIRED March 2022 by Fencing Contractors NZ

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Building strong relationships with local secondary schools and employers is critical to channelling young talent into the right pathways to employment.

In July 2019 Cabinet agreed to the Reform of Vocational Education (RoVE). This reform offered an opportunity to encourage more people to consider vocational education as a pathway to employment. As part of this initiative, 20 brokerage positions were created throughout the country and tendered to suitable organisations.

Here at the Marlborough Chamber of Commerce, we exist to unlock business vitality. We support local business growth through effective promotion and business development opportunities. The Education to Employment Brokerage service was a natural fit for the Chamber as we had identified a need to bring our young people into local jobs. Even prior to Covid-19 our business community was consistently telling us that the single biggest barrier to business confidence was their inability to employ skilled and unskilled people across the region.

Local businesses also told us that they were not engaged with local young people, though many had a desire to employ directly from our community. All they needed was some support to understand the Government programmes and develop relationships with our community schools and students.

Our business community has identified it is critical to address this by building strong relationships with our local secondary schools and employers, to channel the young talent within our community into rewarding, local vocational employment.

Since the commencement of the Ministry of Social Development funded E2EB service in the Marlborough Chamber of Commerce, we have worked to increase the familiarity between business and schools. This includes class trips to local businesses, or individuals spending time with employers to find out what it takes and what that industry is about.

One such employer is Mike Renner of Renner Fencing. If you know Mike you’ll know he’s passionate about fencing and the opportunities for young people to earn a living in a growing industry. Mike has taken several young people and shown them the world of fencing, both in school time and over the holidays. One student has become a regular with Mike and has the potential to move onto a fencing apprenticeship.

Through opportunities such as the one Renner Fencing offered, or school visits to workplaces, or people from the world of work coming into schools, we are able to increase young people’s awareness of the opportunities that exist in their own community.

Here at the Marlborough Chamber of Commerce we’re passionate about contextual education. In Marlborough, we’ve been working with schools and teachers to find opportunities for businesses to support learning in class. What better way to learn basic maths than to help someone like Mike lay out a fence line, calculate the number of posts, wire, staples… and of course working out the relative value of an
hourly rate versus contract.

If you think this is something you’d like to be involved in, google Education to Employment Brokerage in your local area and see what difference you can make to your industry, to young people and to your community. Or you could ring Mike and see what he has to say!

Article supplied by The Marlborough Chamber of Commerce

     

Published in the Fencing Careers & Training feature in WIRED March 2022 by Fencing Contractors NZ

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In this feature article hear from Harrison Waara who learned from experience that working hard as a trainee pays off in the long term after switching to a fencing career.

 

Kia ora, I’m Harrison Waara, a foreman for CPC Fencing.

I grew up in the city of Auckland where at the start of my high school years I moved to Whangarei. I completed high school at Tikipunga High School with all my qualifications, having the world at my feet. The next step was University where I would go to study for a Bachelor in Health Science to pursue Radiography.

LIFE LESSONS

After a year it didn’t feel right – partying, late nights and women – so I took a year off to get some work experience constructing rock walls at the Whangarei Quarry Gardens. I got to learn how to cut rocks, stack rocks and learn every rock had a special place, with every rock having its own unique size and shape.

While there I had the privilege of meeting a lot of elderly volunteers and learnt a lot of life lessons that I carry to this day. Their life stories and journeys consisted of a lot of changes and surprises and became the reason why they help the community, to hopefully one day inspire others to do the same.

Ending up back in Auckland after what had been a good life lesson, I found myself being a Dad just after my 21st birthday. This meant my journey in life would take another change – I found my passion as a Dad and began working in Aquaculture.

TAKING OPPORTUNITIES

Working at Future Cuisine in West Auckland, you had a day to learn to shuck a mussel in under 5 seconds, or else you were sent down the road to find another place to work. There were a lot of different people from all over the world, who just enjoyed shucking, but I needed more. Within a month I was running dispatch and international orders to China and Singapore, working big, long days, but I lost sight of what I had at home. This made me have to grow up fast, as a solo Dad to my son who was 1 at the time.

My son and I headed back up to Whangarei, where I had support from family and friends. I furthered my knowledge in Aquaculture working with farming Paua. It was an experience that helped shape my perspective on my love for the ocean.

I also found myself taking on the challenge of helping unionise the company, where workers who would work long days were being underpaid and had no voice to stand up for themselves. I became their voice and within a year had a skills matrix set up, where pay rises were more rewarding. For employees who hadn’t seen a pay rise in 5+ years, they could finally be happy and feel appreciated.

RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME

During my time there, I found myself at a concert (Six60) where I met my (now) partner who was a solo mother of two kids –  I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. I was getting back into playing rugby and having a 4-year-old son who never really got a chance of having a mother figure around, it was a perfect fit. I was in a place in life where I was happy, my son was happy and we were happy to try to blend our families together.

We lived in different towns and I worked 40 minutes from where I was living, so to get to spend time together was a strain and about a 3 hour round trip. The next step was to get a place together. I would commute from where we lived to get to the Paua farm. This was still taxing so I started looking for another job and another challenge.

THE MOVE INTO FENCING

During the Christmas holidays in 2018, I was talking to friends and family about a new venture, something close to where I was living. I was told to jump in the truck, and driven down to the CPC Fencing yard. There the boss asked “Do you know how to fence?” I replied “No”. Then, “Do you want a job?” I replied “Yes”.  He then asked if I wanted a beer. From there we got talking just about life, and the following day I handed in my notice to the Paua farm and have never looked back. Not knowing what I just signed up for, I knew I had to do it for my kids, my partner and my family.

The first week had to be the hardest week of my life, carrying battens all day in the summer sun, up hills, and at times I felt like just going back to the Paua farm. Trying to soak up as much knowledge as fast as possible – there were too many skills, techniques and general common sense, which I hadn’t experienced – I had to learn to be patient.

In my first year of employment I saw so many people come and go, some lasting a few days, to a few weeks, and felt like I didn’t want to be that person. I don’t give up and having something to wake up for, being my kids and partner, I knew I had to push to strive to be better and push to be the best for myself and a role model for my kids.

GROWING A FENCING CAREER – FOR MYSELF AND OTHERS

The work ethic and challenges as a fencer changes with each job and fence lines being different make every day more interesting. With the help of my employers and foreman, I took on my own crew and learned I was a leader within myself. The trust I have been given is never taken lightly.

I thought to myself “Where could I find fencers that were in my position, where I started, someone to give the opportunity as I was given?” So I put some feelers out to my local rugby team and we hired two greenhorn fencers, who had never fenced before but had the fitness to hit the hills and carry out the workload, turning every day into a training session.

We also had the opportunity to get our Level 3 Certificate in Fencing (which is still in motion) this means we can work towards becoming qualified in a trade. The training will open more doors. Level 4 is next, to help fencers who wish to become Certified Fencers and eventually Registered Fencing Contractors. These opportunities have set the pathway for everyone who chose to do the training in our crews to have a new challenge to strive for.

Fencing has opened my eyes to the realisation that hard work does pay off. With the right employers and team, any job that may seem impossible is possible if you work together. Communication is key. Understand what your reason for work is. My reason is family.

 

Article supplied by Harrison Waara of CPC Fencing

Published in the Fencing Careers & Training feature in WIRED March 2022 by Fencing Contractors NZ

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In this Fencing Careers feature article hear from Genna Allen who took a step out from her role as an early childhood educator in Central Otago to grow the Abercrombie Fencing crew.

Initially, she thought giving an old mate a hand in his business might bide some time over the summer.  A year on, she is on the tools, fencing every day across some of New Zealand’s most striking and awe-inspiring countryside.

“One of the greatest rewards of my job is the variety of office space. I’ll get up a hill and say, ‘This is a nice office for today!’ or walk away at the end of a week, looking back on an amazing fence.”

While Genna didn’t “seek out” a fencing career, she now enjoys an office view second-to-none, a workplace that doubles as a fitness centre, job satisfaction and an ideal mix of using her existing talents while building and refining new skills.

 

A team that continues to grow

Brian Abercrombie started off Abercrombie Fencing Services in 2006. His son Andrew joined in 2015 and learnt the finer skills of rural farm fencing. Since then, they have expanded into security, residential, and retaining walls. “Pretty much everything.”

Andrew Abercrombie, Genna’s boss, says many things take time for new staff to learn. “What I have found with Genna is her commitment and eye for detail.”

That sharp eye came to the fore straight away. “When I started, I’d notice when a line was off and call it. I guess I bring a bit of a woman’s perspective.”

The same close attention to detail has helped Andrew be more on the mark too.

Many residential clients love having Genna on board. “We have had a couple of female clients who have come over for a chat and advice on the aesthetics of residential jobs.”

Obviously, there are physically challenging times in the fencing game, particularly farm fencing. At Abercrombie Fencing Services most heavy and repetitive work is done by machinery. Andrew explains that over time Genna has built up enough physical strength to do what she needs to do. “She has had to find her own way around it. As long as the result’s the same I am happy.”

 

Surprising benefits

And, while Genna finds the creative aspect and the physicality of fencing rewarding, she is the first to admit that there were things she couldn’t do at the beginning. “I’d say my hand strength was zero for cutting wires with pliers. Reels of wire, netting and posts could be super heavy. I am quite capable now.”

On top of her growing hand and upper body strength, she hasn’t been for a single run since she started. “I don’t need a gym and I don’t think I could work in an indoor job again.”

”Now I carry weights over several kilometres every day, or spend eight hours squatting putting in waratahs or threading wires — and I get paid for it!”

Good quality tools make everything easier too. Andrew says if he didn’t have a Stockade ST400i stapler tool, he wouldn’t have Genna and it is her favourite piece of equipment. “If she was stapling by hand, I think she would have left a long time ago!”

“It’s true. I don’t really like hammering in staples. I think the stapler tool gives a better, cleaner finish. You are just boom-boom-boom in a straight line down the netting. It is all about controlling the angle, positioning on the post and the depth as well. That’s the attention to detail!”

“Right at the start, when you are doing five kilometres of fencing up and doing hills the tool could get pretty heavy on the arm, but since then it is literally ‘boom-boom-boom-boom – next post – boom-boom-boom-boom’. A couple of times Andrew has stood back with a smile on his face and said, ‘I’m so proud of how you do with that now’.”

 

More women welcomed to the industry

Business is good and two months ago, Becky Rae joined the Abercrombie crew as a casual employee and is loving the job.

Genna also enjoys seeing women joining the fencing community.

“It’s definitely a talking point around the region! With all the trade gear, tools, and workwear too, there is more variety and fit for women. Still, it can be pretty funny to see some of the reactions to Becky and me dressed in our gear, lifting the palings out and using the impact drivers.”

“We do a huge variety of fence construction and we are starting to do more cut steel, lifestyle, and macrocarpa fencing with new technologies. We have joked about me going into the fencing competitions. Sometimes I think I’m pretty good!”

Article supplied by Stockade

Published in the Careers & Training  feature in WIRED March 2022 by Fencing Contractors NZ

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Tekapo-based contractor Nathan Monk talks about how constructing a rabbit netting fence line in the South Island’s Mackenzie country added an extra element to this large tenure review job.

The 17km job at Simons Pass Station near the bottom of Lake Pukaki job included 6.3km of deer fencing with rabbit netting.

Nathan and his worker, with the help of some casual labour, spent more than three months completing the line.

“There was just the two of us the majority of the time, with help of casual labour mainly when putting the rabbit netting on.”

He also brought in Geraldine-based contractor Ben Haugh’s crew that completed 2.1km of the line.

Weather, timelines and a ship-load of rocks

The weather was one of the biggest challenges on the job, according to Nathan. Almost three weeks of inversion layer and hoar frost left limited visibility in which to complete the work. Time management and planning was required to get around this.

“When it cleared, you’d drop what you were doing and continue sighting lines while you could see,” Nathan said.

On top of the weather throwing up some obstacles,  keeping to the timelines that were submitted as part of the tender in the tenure review was also challenging.

“Due to the uncertain times we face, securing a date for supply of materials was a nightmare,” Nathan said.

“But the key material that was worth its weight was the Waratah rabbit netting. Its quality is second to none.”

“The scale of the rabbit netting was probably the biggest time-consuming part – having to put a rock on the apron every one to two feet apart.

“Over 17km equated to a ship-load of rocks!”

More than half a million clips

Rabbit netting added half the price again to the cost of materials, and the same again for the labour cost.

“This job, in particular, we rocked as opposed to pinning. I got a digger in to sort a pile of rocks into a manageable size.

“On Glenrock Station just recently we put seven kilometres of Waratah rabbit netting on and pinned it down as opposed to rocking because of the lack of suitable rocks nearby.

“At smoko one day we worked out that this job put us over 60km of rabbit netting and 600,000 clips.”

The control of rabbits in the Mackenzie has been ongoing for many years now, and in the early days, there weren’t a lot of fences in the area.

“What they did rabbit net was more a border for control,” Nathan says. “In today’s world, fencing has intensified and now between multiple groups are putting a plan together to intensify rabbit netting on new and mainly existing fences for easier control on rabbits.”

Ready for the next challenge

Monk Fencing has been operating for 15 years, which Nathan operates alongside an accommodation business in Tekapo township. He reckons 99.9% of their work is rural with a small amount of residential.

As well as rabbit fencing, the MacKenzie area has thrown up a few different challenging jobs for Monk Fencing. Earlier this year they also undertook fire damage repairs, replacing strainers, joining broken wires and restraining.

Article written by Rosa Parks thanks to
Nathan Monk – Monk Fencing Ltd

Read about Monk Fencing work here: Fence protection of Tekapō’s iconic Church of the Good Shepherd underway

Published in the Our People feature of WIRED December 2021 by Fencing Contractors NZ

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In this “Diversity in Fencing” feature article Custom Fencing’s Nick Terry talks about how the formation of Custom Construction has expanded his business into residential and lifestyle projects.

11th November 2011 is a bit of a big deal in my business life. It was on this day that Custom Fencing Ltd had its first day of trading. Then 9 years later little did I know that a new venture called Custom Construction 2020 LTD would have its first day of trading also.

How do you go from fencing to building I hear you ask?

Well, it’s not by getting good at doing stays and then applying for your LBP licence I can tell you that for sure!

The idea of Custom Construction came about by employing a mate (Tame) who I had met through playing rugby.

He had already been building for around 9 years with 6 of those working as a qualified builder in the same area as myself. Work for his old employer had dried up a bit and he had found himself doing jobs that he wasn’t really enjoying.

So, as we were sitting down having a beer (where most good ideas come from) I said “Come and do a few weeks for us, help us catch up on a few residential jobs”. One thing led to another and then he was asking me for a job.

 

Heard it on the grapevine

As the grapevine did its job, word got around that I had a Qualified builder on staff. Next thing I found myself getting asked to price out decks and house renovations, to which I had no idea about where to start: how long it was going to take, any variables etc. So, as you do, the two of us sat down for a beer (Speights, if you were wondering) and had a work out of materials and labour etc and put our first price in. All this was taking place while Tame was driving up a driveway to complete a building job in a ute with “Custom Fencing” written on the side… not the best look in the world.

The only real way to fix this problem was to form another company. Not a lot of point in a fencer solely owning a building company though, because if the builder left, I would end up with jobs on the books I couldn’t complete, letting down clients. So Custom Construction was formed and Tame was given a share in the company and the responsibility of the day to day running of the company. With there being a massive shortage of builders around our area I could see that as long as we provided a good service, then work wasn’t going to be too much of an issue.

So, although still very early days, things have been going very well. We currently have another self-employed builder on the books along with two apprentices and a workload leading well into 2022. There is one job they’re currently working on that they’re not making much money out of though – that’s building my house! Smokos and after-work beers are reasonably frequent though!

 

Tartan paint and other learnings

Personally, I’ve had to spend more time away from the fence line and more time in front of the computer. Which to be completely honest isn’t the reason I got into business – I never thought I’d spend more time in an office than with a hammer in my hand. But look at me now – learning about joist hangers and soffit joiners. Already knew about tartan paint so had that one sorted!

I’m enjoying the new challenge of running two businesses and learning more about bookkeeping, percentage of profit etc (especially on a day like today when it’s snowing outside). Even if you are a one-man-band I would really encourage you to look into your own books and your percentage of profit. And if you’re not too sure what you’re looking at talk to someone like “Next Level Tradie” – I’ve had a few meetings with Daniel and he’s been a huge help.

I’m really lucky that I have great staff working for both companies but in particular, the fencing lads that have been with me for a number of years and know what they are doing and accept nothing but the best from each other. It’s the two old stories: surround yourself with good people and life will be rosy; and, it’s not what you know it’s who you know!

Article provided by:
Nick Terry
Custom Fencing Ltd & Custom Construction 2020 Ltd

www.customfencing.co.nz
www.customconstruction.net.nz

Published in the Diversity in Fencing feature of WIRED December 2021 by Fencing Contractors NZ

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© Fencing Contractors Association NZ (FCANZ)

With construction sites and subdivisions popping up in most districts, there is an ever-increasing need for safety and environmental controls to be implemented. In this “Diversity in Fencing” feature article Nick Liefting talks about civil site fencing.

We are all accustomed to the health and safety protocol by now and am sure it is well embedded into each of our psyches. Environmental issues are also becoming just as important and I know a lot of us who are faced with it almost on a daily basis, it too has become part of our psyche.

So, in this article, I will explain the issues surrounding these two very important topics.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Induction

Before we start work on-site, we must go through the induction, which can take anywhere from two hours to as much as a day (yeah you heard correctly). In the induction, the following items are spelled out:

• Dangers
• Contact personnel including the first aider
• Hours of work
• Housekeeping
• Drug testing
• Nature of the site
• PPE to be worn
• Nearest A&E

We will then sign a register to confirm the induction and often get an induction number.

PPE

As well as mandatory high viz jackets, lace-up boots, and hard hats, it is becoming increasingly common for gloves, glasses, ear protection, long sleeve shirts and long trousers. To be worn ALL THE TIME. No fun in the Auckland summer!! On some sites, they have personnel specifically designated to watch for anyone not complying – then it is instantly off-site.

Our responsibility is to produce a site-specific hazard register, along with our company Health and Safety Policy.

We must also have our own toolbox meeting before we commence work, which basically states what we will do that day and the hazards to be aware of. This must be recorded and signed by each of us. It only takes 15 minutes and can be done on the way to site.

All this you might think is a hassle and a half, and yes, I do agree, BUT, if something goes bad, WorkSafe is certainly looking who to ‘point the finger at’. And believe you me, I have had this happen first hand.

Not all that many years ago, we were asked to install 120m of farm fence on a sub-division and for whatever reason, one of my staff got his hand under the post driver weight, and yes you know what happened, ‘Whamo’, lots of blood and a finger gone. Fortunately, my foreman had all the relevant paperwork in place and WorkSafe checked the machine etc, and realised it was the worker’s own stupidity. He is now permanently on a benefit. Like they say, ‘you’ve gotta have all your ducks in a row’.

I will often factor induction time into whatever I am pricing for the site.

SITE FENCING

Due to the specific consent requirements spelled out by the relevant local authority and nearby residents, the fencing can be quite involved, namely:

• Safety fencing
• Silt fencing
• Super silt fencing
• Dust fencing
• Acoustic fencing
• Security fencing

 

SAFETY FENCING

This is primarily used to keep the public out of hazardous areas, e.g., silt ponds, deep excavations, and high machinery traffic zones. It is also often used to fence around the drip line of protected trees and historical sites, to deter construction machinery from encroaching.

The construction of this fencing is generally outlined in the site plans and is mostly constructed using waratahs at 4.0m centres with a top and bottom wire and high viz plastic mesh attached. As this is an integral part of the overall construction works, the fencing must also be maintained throughout and often well after completion. At times, the mesh will need to be replaced as the UV breaks it down.

Safety fencing must also be installed above any structure that is over 1.0m high, e.g. retaining walls.

 

SILT FENCING

We are fortunate to live in a country that has strict environmental controls. This makes it rewarding when we are out enjoying our leisure activities, as there are countries that belch anything into the air and send anything and everything into the waterways.

Of course, living in this pristine country comes at a price. Environmental controls on construction sites can be an expensive commodity, which obviously must be passed on to the end-user.

There are many environmental controls but I will talk about silt fencing. Silt fencing is used to hold back silt runoff, just like a farm fence is to hold livestock back.

It is installed on the lower end of an exposed surface where vegetation and/or topsoil has been removed, and often at the base of earthworks stockpiles.

It is common for the plans to show the extent of the silt fencing, plus the Engineer can also direct where additional silt fencing is to be installed.

Prior to inclement weather approaching, often contractors are frantically upgrading and/or refurbishing silt fences to ensure all is secure, and yes, we have been on previous occasions called to a site mid-afternoon Friday to do just that – it doesn’t put a ‘smile on one’s face’.

It has happened that silt fences haven’t coped with the sudden deluge of silt and therefore failed, causing silt to go where it is not supposed to. The consequences to the contractor are not nice. Abatement notices and fines of tens of thousands of dollars are not uncommon.

With an Abatement Notice, all work on-site must stop until the silt control is adequate and has been inspected by the territorial authority. This of course does not do wonderful things for one’s attribute portfolio.

 

CONSTRUCTION OF A SILT FENCE

1. Dig a trench 200mm deep with a narrow bucket.
2. On the downhill edge of the trench, install waratahs, or supports of equal strength, 3.0m apart (2.0m apart if working on a small construction site).
3. Install one wire approximately 400mm above ground and another at approximately 800mm above ground.
4. Use 1.20m wide designated silt fence cloth and clip to the top wire then lay in the trench and backfill. I find from experience, it is best to have it lay across the trench with dirt on top, as I have seen them blow out on a windy site. There is no need to attach to the lower wire.
5. When joining silt fence cloth, roll both ends on a batten, then nail the battens together.
6. Along the length of the silt fence, a 3.0m return is generally installed every 40m or as designated by the Engineer, depending on the catchment. This is to slow the run-off down.

The silt fence remains in place until the grass has taken, or areas have been sufficiently covered in mulch, and there is no potential for silt runoff.

 

SUPER SILT FENCE

This fence is similar to a standard silt fence, but more robust, and used primarily if there is a greater slope uphill of the silt fence, and/or potential of larger and stronger silt flows.

The construction has a wire netting or mesh attached to the wire before the silt cloth is attached. The super silt cloth is double thickness, with the top 200mm single thickness for ease of installation.
Silt cloth also comes in an orange colour to double up to use in a high viz zone.

Also, you don’t need to apply much, if any, of your Golden Pliers expertise for the construction. What’s more important is what I have explained.

 

DUST FENCING

This is a very real issue and is often demanded by local residents. With the constant tracking of earthmoving machinery, copious amounts of dust can be generated. Throw some wind into the equation, well Mum next door won’t be at all happy when she is hanging out her washing!

It is common for the contractor to have water cart trucks fixed with sprinkler booms solely dedicated for the purposes of dust control. However, if for whatever reason this is not practical, then a dust fence can be erected.

The construction of this as we have previously done is a 4.0m high windbreak fence, as used in the horticulture industry. This will have a sprinkler hose attached on top which will be emitting water continuously. Dust fencing is not all that common, as most sites are not completely surrounded by residential properties. If there are properties nearby, the prevailing winds could well be blowing away from them.

 

ACOUSTIC FENCING

As much as we can have silt and dust pollution, so can we have noise pollution. With a lot of sites operating 7.00am to 6.00pm, there can often be people still asleep and families having dinner. A lot of acoustic fencing can be a permanent structure if close to busy roads and noisy facilities.

Most acoustic fencing is constructed using timber or concrete, which obviously absorbs the noise. On the recent widening of the South Auckland motorway, there was a significant quantity of concrete noise barriers installed. They attached a stainless-steel wire grid and have now successfully grown vegetation against the wall.

There was a situation not that long ago, where Land Transport, in their wisdom, installed a significant metal screen noise fence on the Manurewa Hill portion of Auckland’s Southern Motorway. As I travel this section frequently, it was sometime later that this structure was completely removed. The noise was magnified due to the bouncing and echoing effect of the steel barrier.

The most common acoustic fence structure is a timber paling fence, 2.0m high. At the base, a ground treated 150mm x 50mm rail is placed firmly onto the ground. The paling configuration can be either:

• 150mm paling with 100mm gap and another 150mm paling placed over the gap
• 150mm paling attached with no gap and a 50mm paling secured over the join
• 150mm paling attached with the next 150mm paling placed 25mm over the previous one.

 

SECURITY FENCING

On most construction sites, a security fence is paramount around the perimeter. This fence is obviously temporary until construction work is complete and permanent boundary fencing can be installed.
The purpose of the security fencing is to keep ‘Joe Public’ off the site and lessen the risks of potential accidents.

The construction of security fencing is either diamond mesh or deer netting, using timber posts. These are often installed without concrete for ease of later dismantling. Regarding deer netting, yes, I know you need big end assemblies etc, to give the tension required. Often sites can have many angles, plus ends for gateways. However, we are not dealing with livestock, but people who would climb the fence. So ask yourself the question, “Which is easier to climb? – a tight netting or one that is a little more on the saggy side”? As a further deterrent, a barbed wire is often placed on top of the posts.

Article provided by:
Nick Liefting of Nick Liefting Contractors Ltd

www.nlcontractors.co.nz

Published in the Diversity in Fencing feature of WIRED December 2021 by Fencing Contractors NZ

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© Fencing Contractors Association NZ (FCANZ)

Tauranga-based fencing contractor Darryn Astill has found glamping construction – a niche market to diversify into which he sees as a growing market.

Having been fencing for 14 years, his business Ground Up Services recently fell into the glamping and landscape construction area. Some mates and clients had engaged him to build and convert sheds, turning them into outdoor entertaining areas or hideaways, adding decking and other additions to transform them.

He then picked up work constructing framing and flooring for glamping yurts.

 

FROM FENCING TO YURTS

It all started pretty simply, he said.  “I was doing a fencing job for a mate and… he said he wanted to build a bar down by the river.”

He also built a shed by a pond for an orchard client which turned into a fantastic entertaining area. Another project has been converting a woolshed into a “bit of a boys’ room”.

“It all sort of started from there. It just sort of evolved.” Down the track, a friend was cutting a site for a yurt and got Darryn in to build the floor and the decking around it.

From there, more people became aware of Darryn’s new services. “One of the wedding venues down the road heard about me. “I did one glamping site for them and now they’re now wanting four more (yurts).”

WHAT IS GLAMPING?

Glamping is often located in secluded and off the beaten track areas for maximum privacy, which Darryn said could pose some access challenges.

“It’s generally not smack bang in the middle of a paddock. Some of the sites aren’t easy to get to.” It often involved cutting material by hand and “lumping” packets of timber down to the site, which added time and labour to the job. The floors of the yurts also take a bit of planning to make them circular.

But he was enjoying the variety of work in this area, which had offered another branch to the business, and is on track to grow as glamping became more popular, Darryn said.

“I’m onto the guy that does the screw in piles (for yurts), so he’s aware of what I do.” He doesn’t price or estimate work, charging an hourly rate and some margin in the materials.

 

BUT THAT’S NOT ALL

Yurt-building isn’t the only thing Darryn and his wife Jill have diversified into. They also purchased the local KiwiSpan steel shed franchise in October this year, having been a client for some time.
“The owner had mentioned in April he was going to sell. We managed to make it work.”

Darryn started his fencing business in 2007 and it grew from there. Many of the local clients wanted sheds built. “We started with pole sheds and ended up purchasing kitsets from KiwiSpan and building them for our fencing clients.” The foray into the shed business is paying off with nine sold in the last month and 19 builds on the go. He is now full time in the shed side of the business and has two crews out building them with one crew carrying on the fencing.

“I’ve had to drop everything else at the moment.”

With a background in engineering, building and farming, he had a number of tools to his belt to branch out into. Fortuitously, he also employed a qualified builder early on, so the transition into construction was easy.

“When you get skilled labour that can do that sort of stuff, it helps. “We became a bit of a one-stop shop for clients. We can pretty much do anything.”

 

A BRIGHT FUTURE

Diversifying into other areas had shored up his business and future prospects. “Fencing around here is (limited)… lots of small lifestyle blocks and things. The larger jobs are council jobs… (but) they’re getting few and far between depending on funding.”

He enjoyed fencing for the outdoors, keeping fit, and getting some vitamin D. But adding some more strings to his bow gave him security into the future. “At the end of the day, I wasn’t going to be able to fence forever. My long-term goal is to fence part-time and maybe set the guys up to take over in the future.”

Article written by: Rosa Watson

Published in the Diversity in Fencing feature of WIRED December 2021 by Fencing Contractors NZ

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© Fencing Contractors Association NZ (FCANZ)