It really came down to one person: Rena Belcher. We first met her at the Northland Home Show, and from the very beginning she gave us her time, listened to what we’d been through, and worked with us to overcome the obstacles in our way. We’d spoken to about 15 different building companies across Northland, and Jennian (through Rena) was the only one who truly wanted to take on our build while the staff turnover at other companies led to no consistency of service. Her persistence, honesty, and genuine commitment made our decision easy.
Andrew, Michelle and Harveys Dream Home
"Having the keys in our hands now and being able to say, this is our home, feels special"
12 September 2025
Thinking back to choosing a builder, what made Jennian your choice?
How does it feel to get the keys to your new home?
It’s such a great feeling. We’ve been back in New Zealand for two years now, and it’s taken us that long to finally get to this point for all sorts of reasons. Honestly, the building itself was probably the easiest part of the whole journey. Having the keys in our hands now and being able to say, this is our home, feels special.
How did you find the Winter build?
We were fortunate with the timing — the good weather early on meant most of the site work was underway before the rain set in, so when the wet weather did arrive it slowed mostly outside jobs rather than the house itself. Dan did a fantastic job managing the process. He was proactive in keeping everything moving, had excellent relationships with contractors and council, and always seemed able to get the right people on site when needed. Dans communication throughout the build gave us confidence, as we always knew what was happening and when.
If someone asked you about building a Rural design & build, what tips would you give them?
A rural build comes with its own set of challenges. The land itself often sets the rules — from where drains and septic systems can go, to how you’ll get power connected, and even just access for construction vehicles. My advice would be to think carefully about site-specific issues like drainage and layout early on, and make sure your design takes advantage of the views while also working with the local climate. Understanding council requirements and zoning regulations is important too. And finally, weigh up the costs versus the benefits of any feature or design choice — sometimes what you imagine doesn’t quite stack up, but we were lucky Jennian were great at helping us find solutions when we hit those points.
Question for Harvey: What is your most favourite thing about your new home?
I like my bedroom, my bath, and the fireplace!
