Dave McCrea Builders started as a one-man band way back in 2006. Now, Dave works with seven dedicated builders, each with their own set of skills. This means the team can handle even tricky jobs – concrete placing, timber framing, roofing, gib fixing and more – where other firms would need to call in outside contractors.
But one thing hasn’t changed – Dave’s still running the show. He’s the first point of contact for every customer, he sorts out timelines and he’s still hands-on with every build. With most work done in-house, he can control quality and make sure every job meets his high standards.
When you work with Dave and the team, you get an incredible depth of experience and knowledge, along with a commitment to getting all the little details just right.
Our goal – to make sure every home and building we create is beautiful, functional and long-lasting. We take pride in our work, and we want to feel that pride every time we drive past one of our projects.
49
New homes
3 bedroom +
19
Renovation
projects
79
Dairy Sheds
25
Staff Cottages
2 Bedroom
Dave has been in the building business for 15 years now, but he never gets tired of seeing happy clients and a job well done. He’s worked on everything from hard-wearing, practical dairy sheds to architecturally designed homes and holiday chalets, with highlights including big commercial contracts with Ngai Tahu and Lincoln University.
A hard-working family man, Dave trained as a builder and worked for 36 years before starting his own business. He’s across every project as project manager and director, but still likes to muck in and get his hands dirty – that’s how he keeps track of what’s happening on every build.
Dave’s other half, Arlene has been involved with the business right from the start. She’s a busy woman, taking care of the admin side of things at Dave McCrea, and working part-time as a learning assistant at a local primary school.
In her spare time, she loves spending time with her family and taking in the sights around Canterbury – particularly the Hanmer Hot Pools.
Tim never wanted to work in an office. Hard working and practical, he knew early on that he wanted a job where he could see the results of his work at the end of the day. When Dave took him under his wing, he found that building was the perfect fit.
Tim has worked in the business for over a decade, developing his skills and becoming a registered builder along the way. As foreman, he loves seeing young labourers do the hard yards to become registered builders like he did. A tough leader with a heart, he describes himself as ‘grumpy but adorable’.
Mark James moved to Canterbury from the North Island in search of a change of scene. He started his apprenticeship with Dave McCrea in 2020, and likes the challenging, hands-on work. He’s looking forward to qualifying as a registered builder soon.
In his spare time, Mark-James plays rugby for Celtic and spends time with his mates.
Caleb has always liked working with his hands and figuring out how things work. He joined Dave McCrea straight out of school, and loves the challenging, varied work – there’s never a boring day on the job.
In the future, Caleb wants to start his own building company, but for now, he’s happy to keep improving his skills, gaining experience and working toward his building qualification.
Master Builders House of the Year celebrates excellence and innovation in our industry and we’re very proud to have our client’s homes recognised across many categories.
We’ve been privileged to work alongside enterprising entrepreneurs, fabulous families, terrific farmers and many, many, humble folk. We’re proud of the work we do and prefer to let our clients do the talking.