Hanssen builds relationships, projects follow

PERTH builder Gerry Hanssen is a great example of the value of aligning your business with good partners.

For many years his company has been the preferred construction contractor for apartment developer Finbar Group, and that relationship has made Hanssen one of the busiest builders in the state.

Hanssen is working on five major Finbar apartment projects with an estimated end-value of $600 million.

This includes the high-rise Adagio and Au apartment towers in East Perth, and the Pelago East project in Karratha, which are already under way.

They are due to be followed by the Spring View Towers project on Great Eastern Highway in Rivervale.

Finbar started off-the-plan marketing of the 188-apartment Spring View Towers project in early February and recently reported sales of 27 apartments.

Finbar managing director Darren Pateman said construction was forecast to start in 2013, with completion anticipated for 2015.

“If sales performance for the project continues to progress well, we will look to bring forward the launch of our next Springs project, which we secured nearby in December,” he said.

While Hanssen has been contracted to build most Finbar projects, some have been awarded to REN Construction and McGovern Constructions - which were both established by former Hanssen supervisors.

Most recently, REN was contracted this year to build an $18 million luxury apartment building on Mill Point Road in South Perth.

Diploma Group has been an active apartment developer in the past, and is proceeding with projects it won a couple of years ago from the state government, including the OneAberdeen development.

However it is mainly focused on its construction contracts after running into financial difficulties last year.

Its current projects include a $100 million contract with Frasers Property Group to build the QIII luxury apartment tower on Adelaide Terrace, near the Causeway. It is also completing projects for Match Properties and TRG Properties in South Beach and Perry Lakes respectively.

Probuild, EMCO Building and JAXON have all bolstered their order book by winning apartment projects.

ProBuild, for instance, is contractor for the $12 million Origin apartment project in Burswood while JAXON is building the $60 million Baynton apartments development in Karratha.

In Subiaco, Pindan is building the NorthOne apartments, which are being developed by its sister company Otan and superannuation group ISPT.

It’s a similar story for NW Construction, which is developing the $35 million Zen apartments building on Newcastle St in Northbridge.

This includes the Washing Lane retail and commercial area.