From apprentice builder to founder of a growing architectural construction company, Matt Frost is focused on building a business where both people and projects can thrive.
Growing up with a mother who was an avid renovator and house-flipper, Matt Frost had an early introduction to the world of building. It was perhaps unsurprising, then, that he would eventually find himself working in the construction industry – yet the path there wasn't quite as straightforward as he might have expected.
After leaving school, Frost initially enrolled in a quantity surveying diploma. He enjoyed the course, but it was getting out into the industry and seeing construction first-hand that made him question whether he was heading in the right direction.
“I thought, I'd probably like to go back and actually learn how these houses are put together,” he says.
He decided to leave his studies and take up a building apprenticeship, discovering almost immediately that he had found his calling.
“I loved turning up to work and creating cool stuff, and I knew that I'd found the right job,” he says.
It was a decision that set the direction for his career. Frost quickly established himself as a capable young builder, winning Apprentice of the Year in 2014 for the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions. From there, he continued to work for a building company specialising in high-end residential projects, where he began developing a broader understanding of what goes into delivering an architectural build.
An opportunity to undertake further study in project management also opened up new possibilities. While he enjoyed the practical side of construction, he was increasingly interested in the bigger picture: how projects were run, how teams worked together and what it took to deliver a successful build from beginning to end.
The idea of establishing his own business was never far from his mind. Five years ago, he took the leap, founding BuildLab in Mount Maunganui with a focus on architectural residential construction.
Today, the company has grown to a team of 16, with a strong ethos around creating an environment where people can develop their skills and progress into more senior positions. For Frost, building a successful company is as much about the people coming through it as the projects being delivered.
That means giving staff the opportunity to take on more responsibility, with training and upskilling an important part of the business.
“We have upskilling training to move our guys into those more senior roles,” says Frost. “Both of the first two apprentices that joined when I set up the company are now managing big projects.”
A recently completed Buildlab project in Mount Maunganui.
It's a progression that brings Frost's own early experience full circle. Having benefited from the opportunity to study project management as a young builder, he understands the value of giving others the tools to take the next step in their careers. It's also an important part of creating a business that can continue to grow without relying on one person to oversee every detail.
The projects themselves have been growing in scale and complexity, too. A recent Mount Maunganui build involved a challenging roofline and extensive external screening detailing, requiring a high level of coordination and attention from the team. With that project now complete, BuildLab has already turned its attention to the next one.
For a relatively young building company, the level of work coming through the door is significant. At one point, BuildLab had over $11 million worth of projects on its books, giving some indication of the confidence the business has established in the architectural building market.
Looking ahead, Frost sees opportunities to grow the company further, potentially through establishing branches in other regions. For now, though, much of his attention remains on developing the people already within the business and ensuring there are capable team members ready to take on greater responsibility.
His longer-term ambition is to move away from working on the tools himself, but it's a transition that will happen as the right people come through the ranks. After all, the business he is building today is one that he hopes will give others the same opportunities he found when he first stepped onto a building site.
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