We are value creators for our clients, building beautiful, liveable spaces, both big and small

Our story...

We’re extremely proud to be one of the most respected building companies in the Bay of Plenty. As a family-owned business, each home we create carries our family name – something we don’t take lightly and which, we feel, is the best guarantee in the market. Word-of-mouth has built our business, which speaks volumes about our client satisfaction. We’re passionate about building with future generations in mind, creating homes which stand the test of time and have minimal impact on the environment.

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Why Thorne Group?

You can use our multiple award-winning architectural designer or select your own. 

 

Architectural Design service

Thorne Group Architecture was formed in 2015 to give clients the option of having an architecturally designed and built house within the same service.   It is headed up by multi-award winning Architectural Designer – Jon McAlpine. 

 

Jon creates what can be called ‘conscious architecture’ – bespoke designs which have a life beyond a material manifestation.  And these designs have won him both regional and national awards every year he’s been in business.

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Working alongside Thorne Group’s design-and-build team provides a valuable insight into creating affordable designs that work   “ A designer needs to be completely in touch with practical construction methodology and also construction costs.  You can have a great looking design, but it needs to be buildable to a budget” explains Jon. 

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One of Thorne Group Architecture’s key attributes is its commitment to the client, a relationship Jon believes is essential to a successful project.  And, being a boutique architectural practice, Jon and his team work with many clients and builders all over New Zealand.  

Experts in both smaller, smart homes and larger architectural homes......

 

If there’s one thing that defines us, it’s our passion for design. This passion includes a devotion to accommodating our clients’ different styles, needs and budgets.    It is the constant collaboration between designers, builders, project managers, quantity surveyor’s and suppliers, both respect to design and translating this design to construction methodology on site for both small and large homes. 

Small but smart home gallery view here

For those that want to downsize

Increasingly, we have clients who come to us with a desire to downsize. In many instances, their children have left home and there is no longer a need for a large family home, and maintenance of a large home can be inconvenient for those who want to spend more time travelling.

 

Jon McAlpine from Thorne Group Architecture has a particular passion for designing ‘small but smart’ homes. The design can include different zones so that the owners have their own space, whether it be to read in the sun, entertain and accommodate guests, or just watch television.

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“We need to make allowances for all of this while maintaining a smaller footprint, and still ensuring the clients achieve their ultimate objective of having a low maintenance home,” says Jon.

Jon has lots of ways of creating multi-functional rooms within small designs,

by adding window seats, study nooks and creating covered outdoor spaces. Reassuringly, a small footprint doesn’t mean a client has to compromise on elements which may be important to them, like including a walk-in pantry; Jon’s small but smart designs can accommodate those non-negotiable features.

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Having a covered outdoor area isn’t just about providing shade on a summery day. With planning and clever design – taking into account privacy, views, prevailing winds and sun angles – a covered outdoor area can be functional even on the coldest winter’s day. In fact, if the site permits, Jon will often include multiple outdoor areas.

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Having a smaller home doesn’t preclude the home from having ‘wow’ factor. It is not only critical to get to detailed design correct, it is also the execution. With more than a decade of experience in building smaller homes, we are confident we can add value to your home throughout the build process.

Larger homes with exceptional architectural detail  

Homes with exceptional architectural detail, large or small, involve a different way of working. They require additional planning with the architectural designer, and often also include involvement from experts with particular specialist skills. The smallest details will be thoroughly planned to mitigate problems arising on-site during the project. This can include materials that may have long lead times or have to be sourced abroad to achieve the exact standard or effect requested by the homeowner.

Architectural home gallery view here 

 

Our Quality

We are fastidious about quality, which is one of the many reasons word-of-mouth has built our business. Irrespective of budget or scope, we never compromise. We have one project manager and one lead builder working on your home, which is surprisingly unique in this industry. We don't outsource aspects of the build to different builders. We believe having a dedicated team on your home from start to finish creates a passion and sense of pride in workmanship from each individual who works on your home.

Working with the best in the business

Over the years we have established amazing relationships with our suppliers. Regardless of budget, we ensure the very best people are working on your job, some who work exclusively for Thorne Group.

We have rigorous review processes which consistently assess our sub-contractors to ensure they’re working within our very strict quality control parameters. This means you have the assurance that only people who are experts in their respective areas are working on your home. Each one shares our values and commitment to fastidious quality. There is a huge difference in the quality of workmanship within the market – quite simply, we only work with the best.

Master Builder House of the Year 2019 Awards

We have achieved a reputation for outstanding quality, often going above and beyond to achieve exceptional results, which has been recognised in the Registered Master Builders’ House of the Year competition. We have accomplished this by fastidiously honing our procedures throughout the entire build process. In a number of instances, our best practice processes are unique to Thorne Group. This includes the way we box up the floors through to the finishes touches on the home. It’s an accumulation of dedication, perseverance and years of collective experience. We invite you to discuss these specific ‘best in industry’ processes with our directors.

 

We are thrilled and excited that all three of our entries into this year’s Registered Master Builders House of the year received gold awards. This translates to the quality being 80% above the industry standard. Furthermore, two of our homes made the coveted ‘Top 100 homes in the country’ list.

Exceptional Project Mangers

Building should be enjoyable. To ensure a seamless building experience, it is critical to have an experienced project manager. At Thorne Group, your personal project manager will ensure everything happens on time and to plan. It is not only quality and design we are renowned for within the market, it is also the client experience. This is why we have incredibly loyal clients.

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We provide a detailed project timeline for each job which allows us to establish a completion date well ahead of time. We are committed to adhering to the agreed move-in date, while ensuring we don’t compromise along the way on construction quality.

 

World-class management system

Thorne Group uses a world-class project management system which provides each client with their own customised webpage with a secure login. Within this, clients can stay updated on the status of their home, throughout the full development process.

This includes:

  • regular logs from the project manager

  • comprehensive build schedule from dig out to move-in day

  • to-do lists and meeting minutes

  • regular photos of the house build

  • access to relevant documents including build contract, selections, contracts, guarantees and warranties

Interior Designer

Another element in delivering an enjoyable build experience is to alleviate any concerns about decision-making, particularly when it comes to interior design. We have incorporated consultations with renowned interior designer Jacqui from Twill as part of your interior selection process.

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Jacqui, who trained in London at the prestigious Chelsea College of Art and Design, has an eye for detail and colour, as well as extensive product knowledge of everything from flooring to kitchen materials to fabrics. Jacqui is located just across the car park from our Mt Maunganui office.

Our local native planting project

 

Value creators for our clients

 

One of the key misconceptions that clients have is that we are more expensive than other build companies. This is simply not the case, not when you compare like for like. As we are one of the largest builders in Tauranga, we negotiate the deals, then pass our volume discounts directly onto our clients.

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Being a family business, you are guaranteed open, transparent advice. This is why we have clients who are now on their second, even their third build with Thorne Group; they understand the value for money.

Value for money

As we build a considerable number of new homes each year – from the very top end of the market to more affordable developments – we have substantial purchasing power of materials. This means we get the best pricing, then pass this directly to you, so you can get better quality fixtures and fittings in your new home without paying more. Really, there is no catch – we honestly just do this.

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Even with a fixed price contract, your fixtures and fittings have a PC Sum (prime cost sum) and you have the opportunity to up-spec or down-spec these areas in your new home with no restrictions.

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Our specifications are exceptional, right down to the switches. Everything is simply “higher quality” than you’d expect from a standard specification. Our sub-contractors are some of the best in the industry, and your specifications are completely flexible.  

How much to build this house?

Please note that every home we design and build is designed for each particular site, thus ensuring optimal passive thermal solar efficiency. However, we also understand that people wish to have some sort of guidance as to what homes cost to build. In this particular case study the home cost $408,000 (including GST) to build, this works out at $2,135 per square metre (including covered outdoor area). This includes consent (Tauranga), fencing, driveways, cedar and aerated concrete panel cladding, stunning flooring, designer kitchen with soft-close drawers Silestone benchtop, garage carpet, LED lighting, HPM powerpoints, heat-pump, beautiful tiling as well as high-quality bathroom fixtures and fittings, built in office cabinetry, the list goes on. Please refer to our specifications page for more details of what has gone into this home. This is really important to understand when comparing pricing.