About Us
John S Macdonald
When John Macdonald left school at 17 he took up a builder’s apprenticeship in New Plymouth which he completed in 1986. He immediately set up his first business in Auckland, but with the share-market crash of 1987, the appeal of overseas travel beckoned and he left to work first in Perth, but then continued on to the UK, arriving in Cambridge, England in 1989.
He fell in love not only with the architecture of this beautiful University City, but was fascinated to learn a whole different way of building, using predominately concrete and masonry products. 
Working on the restoration of historic Ely Cathedral and other projects was a whole new “apprenticeship” which he was to put to great use back in
New Zealand, seven years later.
Arriving in Hamilton in 1994 he immediately established his own business, John S Macdonald Builders Ltd, and set about building, with a particular interest in masonry construction.
Masonry and Firth Hot Block
John S Macdonald Builders has since then acquired a reputation as one of the best masonry building companies in the Waikato. Although the company undertakes any type of build, from timber-frame residential homes, to renovations and commercial developments, it is best known for its masonry villas.
John says it is the level of expertise in his company that sets John S Macdonald Builders apart. While working in the UK, he first became interested in masonry buildings, which in turn got him interested in the Firth system in New Zealand. He says this gives his business a real point of difference, as many builders in New Zealand are unskilled in concrete block construction, being more familiar instead with timber-frame buildings.
The company has now completed over 35 masonry homes in Hamilton, as well as projects further afield, including several houses in Whitianga. John S Macdonald Builders is recognised as one of Firth Masonry Homes’ top masonry villa builders. He says...
"Firth’s Hot Block system is a different way of building. The concrete blocks have a polystyrene lined interior and work on the principle of thermal mass. The concrete stores the energy and releases it slowly so the system keeps a house cooler in summer and warmer in the winter"
For further information: www.firth.co.nz
Commercial Building and JSM Construction
John S Macdonald Builders has diversified into commercial construction, with buildings in Hamilton such as Dallas Motors, the Modena complex (now Resene at Te Rapa) and Spartan Construction Head Office, in addition to, community projects such as the Tamahere Eventide Retirement Village and the St Andrew’s Church Community Centre, the “Link “on River Road. In 2010 he formed JSM Construction to cater for the commercial component of the business.
The company’s community and welfare projects include building a 32- unit rest home complex in Tamahere, Hamilton, for which it achieved a Master Builders Gold Medal Award, followed by a 19 unit retirement apartment project, which won the Housing NZ Community Development Award – Gold Award and the National Gold Reserve Award. John S Macdonald also went on to built the Dementia Unit at the complex in 2010, and this year, 2011, won the contract to build the next stage of the retirement village.
"The Conscientious Builders"
When John Macdonald was setting up his business there was one word that kept sticking in his mind to sum up how he wanted his company to be perceived – "conscientious"
"My big thing with customers is trust. It's really important to establish this by being up front and honest and giving the client what they want at a fair price"
“The conscientious builders” is proudly displayed on his business cards and the company’s distinctive green and white vehicles, and his achievements in the industry are testament that this approach has paid off. In 2008 John S Macdonald Builders Ltd won seven gold, silver and category winners in the Master Builders House of the Year Awards.
In 2009 he won seven gold awards for one outstanding property, including the top award, the Supreme Award, which he regards as the culmination of his 22 years of uncompromising quality and hard work. This superb property went on to win the Gold “Heart of the Home” Kitchen Award and the Gold Reserve Award at the National Master Builders awards in Auckland in October 2009.
He says there are no secrets to his success and it simply boils down to great staff and clients, and quality of workmanship
"It's about getting the right people, then setting them goals and challenges to keep them motivated. I am lucky to have experienced foremen who know how to get people to deliver, as well as, maintaining quality on the job"
He says it is equally important to make sure that his clients are happy and is always available to them, outside of the weekly meetings he has with them, to provide up to date feedback and to allow for any changes the clients wish to make. Each job, no matter how small, is supervised by him, and he has particular enjoyment in getting to know each client’s unique requirements, and then sourcing materials and products, and putting them in front of other people, who he knows will deliver the same uncompromising quality as he does.
He says that even after all these years he still remains passionate about building -
"It's the quality of the homes that we build; my staff and my clients keep me passionate about building and reaching for ever-higher levels of achievement. It’s pretty unreal to finish a house then stand back and look at what has been achieved. It keeps me motivated and excited about getting out of bed in every morning"
(Extracts reproduced from “In the pursuit of excellence” in Innovative Building magazine)
John S Macdonald Builders Team
John S Macdonald Builders consist of a highly experienced team of builders, block layers and administrative support staff. Currently there are sixteen fulltime members of the team, all of whom have an extensive knowledge of their trade.
Master Builders
Member of the New Zealand Master Builders Federation
John S Macdonald first became involved with the local branch of the Master Builders Association in 2003 and has since served on the local Master Builders Executive for two years as Vice President and a further two years as President of the Waikato branch. He stepped back from this role in April 2010 when he was appointed to the Board of the Registered Master Builders Federation.
To become a Registered Master Builder, building experience, trade or professional qualifications and practical management experience are assessed. Workmanship is inspected and previous clients contacted to ensure the applicant's work is of a high standard and has satisfied clients' expectations.
Applicants must also provide evidence of financial responsibility including written references from their bank, accountant and building material suppliers.
Re-certification of members occurs regularly, with checks on financial viability and workmanship.
When you engage a Registered Master Builder, on a full contract, labour-only or additions and alteration, a Master Build Guarantee for ten years is available at different levels of cover, covering defective workmanship, defects in materials and non-completions. The Guarantee offers peace of mind and a third party fund and disputes process. For example, in the event of a Registered Master Builder being unable to complete work, Master Build Services will find another member to complete the job, even assisting, if necessary, with any price variations up to 5% of the original contract price.
The Registered Master Builder offers you:
- Master Build Guarantees on residential work
- The protection of consumer friendly building contracts
- Full support and backup from the member’s local association and the national Registered Master Builders Federation.
For further information, please see Master Builders’ web site www.masterbuilder.org.nz
