Now running a successful construction company, Kerry Hanbury has come a long way since living in a converted double garage with her single mum in a small rural town.
When she was growing up, things were tight on a single parent income. She was determined to financially help her family so became very resourceful. Aged 12, Kerry sold snacks at her school and used her profits to help with household expenses.
After arriving in New Zealand at the end of her school years, Kerry studied accounting and finance at AUT. She dreamed of becoming a forensic accountant. She held several roles in her professional career, first in the forensic accounting space for some of the top accountancy firms, later taking on accounting positions. As a young woman, she navigated cultural challenges often faced by other young professional women and those experiences had a huge impact on her. However, it provided valuable lessons that she was determined to learn from, later enabling her to better adapt and make changes having established her own company, KNS Construction with business partner Shaun Jenkins.
Arriving from an accountancy background, how did you come to establish a building company?
I met Shaun, a third-generation carpenter, two years into my role as an forensic analyst. Shaun has been building since he was 15 years old having gained permission to leave school early for an apprenticeship with his grandfather, then his uncle. That old-school building experience has been really valuable.
Shaun is an all-round good person whose friendly approach clients enjoy. We discussed starting a business that was different to what was out there. Our number one goal was to create an environment where staff felt safe, valued and essentially part of a family. We’ve achieved that goal and continue to keep it as a focal point.
How do you support your staff?
We put people first in everything we do. We have a huge focus on mental wellbeing at KNS and my team know I’m always available for a coffee catch-up or even a call. The communication is 100% open. If there are any issues with anyone in our team, we help them to deal with them. Being open and genuine both on- and off-site is encouraged. Emotions are a normal part of people’s lives and we don’t expect them to not have them at work. Our approach means issues are brought to the surface to be dealt with quickly.
How do you feel about being a female in such a male-dominated industry?
I never planned to run a construction company but I couldn’t be happier to find myself in the industry. Chances are, that in addition to KNS I’ll end up starting more businesses in the future that may not be construction related. I get so much joy from being surrounded by our amazing team and working with clients. During the early stages of our business, I would go onsite and work to help get projects done. Shaun’s favourite story is when it poured down with rain and I still refused to stop working. I had a job to finish! That onsite experience has been invaluable and has meant I have solid construction knowledge as a base to help support my team. I still try to go onsite to help out because it’s important as a leader to be willing and able to assist within all areas of the business. It’s also a great opportunity to chat with the team.
What has been your experience of working in the construction industry?
My experience from being onsite and also collaborating with suppliers and sub-trades is that the industry is made up of mostly amazing and genuine people who accept me, regardless of my gender. I have had the odd inappropriate comment such as one by a sub-trade worker who didn’t know who I was. But someone within the team shut them down quickly. I don’t feel I need to change who I am or flash my title around. I’m accepted at face value. I do site visits in dresses and pink steel cap boots. We say the industry is male-dominated, but I work onsite and offsite with many hardworking ladies every day.
Are there other women in your team?
Yes, my sister Shelly is an administrator who works remotely from home as she has two children. We’re very accommodating of family needs. We’ve also recently had two ladies join our team, one in the office and the other is an apprentice. We’ve been keen to have a female join our site team since the beginning but it took a while to find the right person. We only ever hire based on the person’s ability to fill the role and fit in. Business is busy and we’re growing fast, but our team culture remains our focus.
What work does KNS do?
As a residential builder, our focus is on high-end new builds and renovations. We understand our clients are busy, so we put a huge emphasis on being transparent with them and looking after theirs interests. Our clients can rest easy knowing we’ll keep them informed.
What do you do for your clients that’s different to most builders?
We make sure the client relationship is a good fit for both them and us, where there is honesty and trust, and that we get on well. We’re in people’s homes for over a year sometimes so you have to get along. All the elements have to be there to attain an amazing end product while creating an enjoyable journey for our clients and team. We genuinely care. We have set radio stations that we allow our team to tune in to to ensure the music is appropriate for our clients and their neighbours. We work through things with clients and ensure we find solutions to challenges that may arise. By the end of the project, we typically feel as though our clients are part of our extended family. We’ve been known to feed their cows, chickens and dogs while they’re away. We take them birthday gifts. We’ve even played taxi from time to time.
We make sure the client relationship is a good fit for both them and us, where there is honesty and trust, and that we get on well.
How do your costs compare?
We give a really fair, accurate and honest price, and work hard to bring the project in on budget. There have been projects we haven’t accepted because the client wanted a price we couldn’t provide in good faith, knowing a cheaper price wasn’t achievable. We make sure clients know of any additional costs before they occur. When additional items are requested or required, we price them up and get sign-off before proceeding.
How does Shaun’s ability as a builder contribute to the success of projects?
Shaun’s carpentry experience is worth gold when it comes to making the architects plans a reality. His experience is also valuable at the design phase as he works well with architects to translate the client’s vision into something that can be achieved onsite. He’s also someone clients really enjoy working with – they love his friendly approach.
How do your costs compare?
We give a really fair, accurate and honest price, and work hard to bring the project in on budget. There have been projects we haven’t accepted because the client wanted a price we couldn’t provide in good faith, knowing a cheaper price wasn’t achievable. We make sure clients know of any additional costs before they occur. When additional items are requested or required, we price them up and get sign-off before proceeding.
What’s next for you and KNS?
We have a mix of exciting new build and renovation projects booked in for this year, with some projects starting to be booked in for next year. We’re looking forward to 2022!
My hope for 2022 is to connect with more people across the industry and engage with other ladies carving their own path.
I invite them to get in touch with me.
Words — Vicki Holder
Photography — Victoria Birkinshaw
