A Day Back on the Tools in Devonport

Most of my days are spent carrying out pre-purchase building inspections around the North Shore and outer Auckland areas, helping buyers make confident decisions with thorough reports. But this Monday, I had the chance to get back on the tools and lend a hand on a site run by my nephews, Matthew and Robert Willis, from Willis & Co Construction.

The project was a beautiful old villa in Devonport that’s currently undergoing some careful restoration. I joined the team to help remove and replace some rafters and help remove some of the large timber joinery. Villas like this one are always a pleasure to work on — they’re full of history, character, and craftsmanship, but they also need plenty of care to ensure they stand strong for the future.

It was a great change of pace from inspections, and a reminder of how much I still enjoy working with timber and tools alongside a skilled crew. Watching Matthew and Robert run their site so well made me proud — they’re doing top-quality work and keeping the family name strong in the building trade.

I’ll be back to my inspections tomorrow, but it’s always refreshing to reconnect with the building side of things. Whether I’m preparing a detailed report for a client or lending a hand on-site, the goal is the same: making sure Kiwi homes are safe, sound, and built to last.

Willis & Co are based in Waimauku

and Kaukapapa but service most of west Auckland, North Shore and the Hibiscus coast. If you would like to contact them for a build, extension or renovation please look them up on www.willisconstruction.co.nz