control the early critical path—earthworks, drainage, civil electrical,” Madden explains. “It removes handoffs and keeps programs honest.” WHY HIGH-END LEADS THE MARKET RIGHT NOW If there’s a single factor reshaping residential development post-COVID, it’s build cost inflation. With “cheap product” no longer economical to deliver, the market has drifted up-market—a zone Groove knows well. “To make a project stack today, most developers are moving to higher-end finishes and specifications,” Madden says. “That aligns with our DNA. We’ve always preferred to design well and build beautifully.” It’s not only a response to cost. Buyers—particularly downsizers and executive families—are prioritising location, amenity, and craftsmanship over raw size. Groove’s infill townhomes, often with internal lifts and premium kitchens/bathrooms, meet that brief while offering lower-maintenance living in established suburbs. At the same time, Groove continues to deliver volume communities—a dual capability that few builders sustain.“We can run four to six projects concurrently,” Madden notes,“and we’ll scale to 100–150 dwellings a year across townhouses, units, and select housing, without compromising standards.” A TEAM THAT GROWS FROM WITHIN Culture shows up in tenure. Groove’s construction manager has been with the business 13 years; two of the site supervisors joined as apprentices and have grown through to leadership over eight years; the project manager and accounts lead each ~eight years. Even during COVID’s labour churn, the core stayed. “I’m on site every day,” Madden says.“Sometimes one site, sometimes two. You can’t lead a construction business from a distant desk. The companies where the owner is visible—talking to teams, walking the work—those are the ones that last.” The delivery model is lean and direct: six office staff support four concurrent sites, each led by a supervisor 26 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 07, ISSUE 11
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI5MjAx