Building dream homes with Fortified Construction

Written by

13 October 2024

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4 min read

The duo behind this Auckland construction company share what drives them, their favourite projects, and how other homeowners can work with them to craft their forever home.

Driven by a love for craftsmanship, attention to detail and building bespoke homes that will be loved by their owners for years to come, Fortified Construction has delivered many stunning projects across Auckland. Founded in 2017, the team is led by Nathan Reynolds and Julian Leighton – a partnership that stemmed from Nathan working with Julian while they were renovating Julian’s home.

Specialising in bespoke architectural renovations and new builds, the Auckland-based construction team has worked on projects such as Schofield Street, Edgars Road, Glengarry Hideaway and Radnor Road.

Whether it’s residential projects or commercial endeavours such as their College Hill project, the goal is simple: to create something stunning that will be enjoyed for years to come.

Completed in 2023, Edgars Road exemplifies modern design with a harmonious blend of in-situ concrete and cedar cladding – a striking visual appeal that sets it apart from traditional constructions.

The team's meticulous attention to detail and commitment to excellence can be seen throughout the project.

“We love doing high-end jobs, but it’s also really enjoyable to work on a smaller budget, trying to get as much value from a client’s smaller budget as possible to make a big impact on their life,” says Julian. “Sometimes it might be taking something that’s old and run down, and turning around as cost effectively as possible.”

“It’s about creating people’s homes,” adds Nathan. “The biggest shift for me was when I was doing my apprenticeship, I renovated a house quite extensively and went back a couple of years later to see the kids grow up in this place that they’ve been able to call home and make their own. Both of us are pretty pumped on families, couples or whoever it is just thoroughly enjoying their new space.”

They describe it as being a happy coincidence that the projects they generally work on are for families that plan to stay in their homes for the foreseeable future.

“I think our values align really well with those projects – the ones where people are trying to build a home for themselves and their family, whatever the budget may be,” says Nathan.

At Schofield Street, an additional level was built underneath the existing property with the original home renovated to honour its heritage.

Working with Fortified Construction

Clients often approach Fortified Construction directly to start their renovation or new build journey, and architects also regularly get in touch to collaborate. At this stage, there are usually some preliminary plans, but if not, the team can point you in the right direction to get this process started.

To avoid issues further down the track, Fortified Construction aims to provide clients with an indication of cost as early as possible in the process. For renovations, it’s best for the team to visit the site a couple of times to help understand any site limitations and establish this price guideline.

“We’ll then talk to the client about the methodology behind what they want to do. All going to plan, we will schedule them into our timeline,” says Nathan.

“If they've got concept plans, we’ll put together some high-level ballpark numbers to avoid clients getting their building consent only to find out that the work is out of their budget. When this happens, it means they have to go back through the design process, back through Council, and it just really draws out the whole process.”

The Radnor Road project involved giving a 1940s brick and tile ex-state house a new lease on life, complete with a strip out, insulation, double glazing and a ducted heating system. As part of the renovations, the house was extended with a third bedroom a second bathroom.

The Fortified Construction team were faced with the challenge of modernising the property yet preserving the unique character of the building – successfully achieved without compromising the charm and character of the original house by utilising modern techniques and high-quality materials.

By establishing pricing before the consent is issued, everything is set up and ready for the team to commence the job as quickly as possible.

“We like to put all the legwork in early on to get timelines and everything sorted so that clients have a really thorough picture of where they might be heading, how long the job is going to take, what critical stages we’ve got, and any critical decisions they need to make throughout the process. We find this is really beneficial to the homeowner and for us as the job progresses.”

If you want to build your dream home, Fortified Construction is available for projects commencing mid-2025. Explore their projects on ArchiPro for inspiration, and get in touch to get the process started.