Smartway Builders | Kapiti Office | Creating Dream Homes throughout Wellington and Kapiti

REPLY TO REPLY I can only comment on the service and workmanship I got from Smartway Builders - simply attrocious! I see they list this on their site as a sucess story. If this is success I would hate to see failure! Check out the photos from my build. Now more than 2 years later and 8 months to finally agree to fix it at no cost to me, I am now being blamed for it is taking so long to fix because I said I wanted it painted in dry weather. I remedied a lot of the issues myself as I needed to make it watertight for winter and other issues weren't fixed weren't that good. You of couse, just apologise and walk away, but I have to live with the consequences forever - a huge mess I cannot afford to now fix or finish due to project going $30k plus over budget even after taking $30-$40k of work off original scope. So could have been $80-$100k over budget if all work done, which you knew I couldn't afford. REVIEW I hired Smartway Builders (Straight Edge Builders undertook the work on site) in August 2015 to do a renovation - biggest mistake of my life! Extra costs started coming in almost from the start with extra ground work required, some provisional sums were only half than the actual costs and a $2k item required for the consent that had not even been included in the price just to fit it in budget given so I would sign up for the work, and then thousands in variations charged at the end. Project just never seemed to end (and actually still hasn't 30 months after first meeting) and was told that schedule was not realistic to begin with. Came home several times to find the workers had been watching TV, in the lounge, even closing the curtains, used my kitchen facilities and went through my bathroom cupboards several times, also a couple of items I am now unable to locate. Had damage to bedroom furniture and wallpaper in the hallway, several internal doors also need repainting and my stained cedar front door was dented and their fix was to fill it with white builders bog. As for workmanship – simply appalling. Weatherboards cut so badly they needed to be redone, nails in skirting and scotia all bent and not punched in, some parts didn’t even have any. Bathroom finish disgusting, skirting boards didn't even meet the toilet, silicone left over everything the shower, even the window stay is not put on correctly screws missing, one on a funny angle and the arm fixed so high you can’t use first hook. Once the vanity was installed realised the powerpoint was halfway over it and about 1 inch above it, so couldn't install my tiled splashback. Was then told this was my own fault as wires had been there for ages and I had not said anything so if I wanted it moved I would have to pay all the costs and it would delay the project even more. Paid for electrician to move it and fixed and painted the wall myself. Afterwards I had to get the heated towel rail removed as couldn’t open the vanity drawers with it where it was. GIB for the powerpoints bedroom cut incorrectly (again fixed myself) and the floor in the master bedroom was uneven so the skirting was just then left with a gap underneath higher than the carpet would be. Downpipes put in weird places put through ramps and decks instead of putting an extra piece of downpipe in to make it go around and then downpipe brackets just hacked off and some vbare lumps of wood just nailed to the house. Backyard, and gardens left in a mess and I am still picking up nails, concrete and offcuts from the lawn. Smartway were also supposed to take care of organising the installation of the fireplace and for the tiler to do the hearth before the fire went in, but in the end I also had to do all this myself. And when they did sort out incorrect ZIP delivery (as ordered myself) charged me an $300. Unfortunately it didn’t stop there. The painters they hired were also just bad, not even sure they did any prep work on the existing house before painting and window frames left unpainted and gaps not filled and any fixtures just painted over.

Smartway Builders did an exceptional job of removing a fugly and dangerous conservatory and turning it into an outdoor entertaining deck. Other builders thought it was a challenging project, but thanks to the awesome team at Smartway Builders , they made it happen. Excellent communication, super clear and transparent pricing. Thank you so much.

We had the pleasure of working with Smartway Builders to construct two brand-new rental homes on an existing lot that already had a tenanted house. From start to finish, the experience was outstanding. Howard, Ann, and their entire team were incredibly professional and made the entire process seamless for us. They handled everything — from the initial scoping and concept drawings to the final landscaping and handover. Their communication was exceptional throughout. Our emails were always responded to promptly, our questions answered thoroughly, and they were always available by phone when we needed them. What really stood out was their meticulous planning, which ensured a stress-free process. We encountered no issues with bank progress payments, and everything ran smoothly from one stage to the next. The finished houses are of excellent quality — well-built, beautifully finished, and we were able to secure tenants almost immediately after completion. We highly recommend Smartway Builders to anyone considering a new build. A special mention must go to their female builder apprentices, who were not only polite and professional but clearly very skilled. It's fantastic to see Smartway Builders actively supporting women in the trades and providing meaningful opportunities in construction. Thank you again to the entire team for making this project such a success!

Unfortunately not a good experience for me. On reflection the biggest issue was I found they didn't listen. Too many examples and correspondence to list, would be happy to share. Others have obviously had a better experience. Good luck.

Huge thanks to Smartway Builders - and especially Anne and Tremaine - for coming to the rescue today! We had a bird trapped behind the panels of our kitchen pantry (thanks to our cat’s antics), and Tremaine went above and beyond to help us set this bird free. Tremaine was friendly, professional, and had a great sense of humour about the whole situation. It’s not every day you see a builder halfway inside a kitchen pantry on a bird rescue mission! 😂 Highly recommend Smartway Builders for their quick response, great attitude, and genuine care.