The Driving Force behind Maddren Homes

Maddren Homes are one of the most inventive and award-winning architectural building companies in New Zealand, and one of the few offering true design and build, where every home is created from scratch to suit the client. Meet Keegan Anderson, the driving force behind Maddrens’ continued strive for excellence, providing every client with a magical build journey to their dream home.  

Getting it right

Keegan have a mantra that says you should ‘do it well and do it once’. That is the attitude behind Maddrens’ reputation as industry leaders, not just in the homes they build but also their building solution.

With his knowledge of the industry, Keegan is confident that Maddren systems are second to none. ‘It’s pretty satisfying,’ he says, ‘and we’re always looking to keep improving.’ With no franchise rules to adhere to Maddren have more freedom to make changes. He’s in touch with what’s going on at an operational and a management level, so he can make quick and informed decisions to implement improvements.

Adaption has been a big word recently, with having to adapt to a changing environment within the industry and the world at large. It’s exciting, being flexible enough to swiftly adapt and improve.’

Luckily, Maddren are old hands at doing things differently because offering a true design and build service means that the homes they build are different every time. Maddren have created a bit of a niche market for themselves, where they really get to know their clients and fit the house specifically to their requirements.

‘We’re building a one-off piece of art with these homes,’ says Keegan. ‘We’re all a bit crazy because it’s not easy but we love it. We keep on top of what’s new in the industry and look out for different products and services to offer our clients too. Other companies might offer clients plan A, B, C or D and say let’s get on with it, but our clients want their houses personalised. It means we can sometimes spend six hours trying to work something out for a client but when we get it right, that’s the sweet spot. That’s the Maddren magic.’

A detailed and robust contract has also been vital to Maddrens’ success. In fact, Maddren have become legendary for their comprehensive contracts and lengthy signing meetings, where every clause is thoroughly explained, and they’re proud of that. ‘It’s about setting the expectations right at the start,’ says Keegan. ‘All the information is there for everyone to see – the client, the project manager and QS – so there are less surprises down the track.’

Keegan says building a house is one of the biggest things their clients will ever do and signing the contract is one of the most significant stages of that journey. ‘We want to be transparent about what is in the contract and have them understand what they are signing. We like to treat our clients right. We don’t want them to feel trapped by their contract, we want them to trust us and to build relationships with them so we can work through any challenges together.’

They also have better guarantees and warranties than the building code requires, because Keegan believe building to the code is the worst way to be compliant – they’re striving to raise the industry standard.

‘What we’re doing is a bit different’ says Keegan. ‘We have a great team around us and they believe in what we’re trying to achieve and they’re on this ride with us. It may not be easy but it sure is worth it.’

Maddren have always been a family business and Keegan genuinely care about their team, sub-contractors and clients. ‘We’re not suits and ties running a commercial operation, It’s about building some damn cool houses together with all this knowledge we have, and it’s about getting it right.’

As son of Maddren owners Tony and Terena Anderson, building is pretty much in Keegan’s DNA. On leaving school he completed a building apprenticeship and then ran his own business for five years before joining the Maddren team. After several years as a project manager and a stint learning the contracts side of the business, Keegan moved to sales and marketing where he eventually took over as manager and continues to be in charge today.

In his role as director, Keegan also helps to link up operations with accounting, doing regular health checks to ensure the business is running well. He makes sure there’s enough people on the ground to get the jobs done and keeps a good eye on finances. He knows where the company needs a bit of a push and where new resources will help the most. ‘I love having this firm handle on the business,’ he says. ‘I know it makes a difference, because forecasting is easier and it helps us make informed decisions.’

additional reading: Spec or Bespoke?