Building company extends its sights

Established building company B G Beaven is extending its business into the Kaikoura district.

For the past 41 years the Rotherham-based company has been providing building services throughout North Canterbury. However, with demand growing, it has decided to extend its expertise further afield.

Barney Beaven began building woolsheds as a 21-year-old. Today, he has replaced many with calf sheds as dairying has become more prolific.

However, the company's work extends far beyond farm buildings. It now provides everything from repairing weatherboards to building $2 million architecturally designed homes.

B G Beaven can also get plans drawn up for clients from reputable companies it sub-contracts to, and has two project managers based in the office to do pricing and guide clients, while also ensuring builds meet all the building standards, rules and regulations.

Barney and his wife Wendy remain the foundation of the business, and are deeply involved in their community.

Wendy is an accountant who has managed BG Beaven's finances over the years, worked for both Amuri Irrigation and Amuri Transport for 20 years, and provided the book-work for several local community organisations. She is now lending her financial guidance to her son, Michael, who has set up a land development company in Christchurch.

Barney, who has been in the office for the past 20 years, has returned to building in recent times, with a stint in Kaikoura and also on his own home that was damaged in the 2016 quake.

The couple and their business have provided solace to many whose homes, farm buildings and other infrastructure were hit by the 7.8-magnitude quake, which had its epicentre in Waiau.

''We care about these people and are still doing a lot of work helping them scope the work needed on their properties for insurance purposes,'' Wendy says. ''B G Beaven is now trusted and listened to by insurance companies.''

Barney is patron and past president of the Amuri A&P Association, to which he has given more than 50 years of service, beginning as a Boy Scout selling catalogues at the gate. He was a member of the Amuri Ward committee for 15 years, serving six as chairman. He was also ''unofficial Mayor of Rotherham'' - serving 20-plus years as Rotherham Citizens Association chairman.