Watchfield Close - Homestar-rated Homes

New Zealand Housing Foundation's mission is to relieve poverty by providing affordable housing for low-income individuals and households.

Watchfield Close, Mangere is a multi-unit residential complex yielding 19 high-quality, affordable 2, 3, and 4-bedroom homes for families. These Homestar-rated homes provide warm, dry environments, with low running costs. Families purchase them through a co-ownership programme with NZHF.

PJM worked as the client-side project manager, providing design, project management, construction observation and contract administration services during the design, procurement, and construction phases. We were brought into the project at a critical time, with rising costs and site constraints challenging the project’s viability.

Facing project challenges, we collaborated with NZHF to run a design competition with four reputable Architects, aiming to increase the number of dwellings or bedrooms, and optimise the site layout. The Architects, client, and consultants' innovative thinking led to adding two units, reducing concrete driveways, and enhancing green space, overall development aesthetics, and ultimately boosting profitability and lowering costs for NZHF.

PJM worked under an ECI (Early Contractor Involvement) process with the preferred civil contractor and builder. We worked together to explore options for time and financial savings by incorporating the contractors' experience and advice on materials, construction staging, and methodology. This approach led to additional project cost savings and early price certainty for our client.