Dan Heyworth, the director of pioneering design and construction group Box & Co., talks to Verve about the evolution of the business, shifting demand, and what’s next.
What was the thinking behind splitting the business into Box Studio and Box Build?
We hate turning away work simply because we can’t build in certain locations, like the South Island. At the same time, we were getting more enquiries from designers and architects to build for their clients, so it felt like a natural evolution. It allows us to use the 15 years of experience of our building team across a wider range of projects, including those from other designers. Likewise, Box Studio can take on design work that may or may not be built by Box Build.
Giving clients that flexibility lets them engage in a way that suits their confidence and experience.
How does allowing clients to “choose their own journey” change or improve their experience?
There are a lot of decisions involved in building a new home, including choosing the right team. Some clients know from day one they want a full design-and-build experience, especially those who’ve built before and understand the pitfalls. Others prefer to see how the process unfolds and how the team works together before committing. Giving clients that flexibility lets them engage in a way that suits their confidence and experience.
Where are you seeing the most demand right now?
At the moment, it’s mainly renovations and extensions. Larger new builds are harder to come by, as people are less willing to take on significant financial commitments compared to the period prior to 2021.
What are the biggest challenges in renovation projects?
Renovations are much harder to price with certainty. Labour on a new build might sit around 15% but on a renovation it can be up to 30%, depending on complexity. Often you don’t fully understand what you’re dealing with until you open up walls and cladding. That uncertainty is the key risk, so we must be upfront with clients about the level of contingency required. It’s a balancing act – you don’t want to scare clients off, but you also don’t want to be overly optimistic about how smoothly things will go.
Rosanna Anderson joins as design manager – what is she bringing to the team?
It’s great having Rosanna on board. She’s originally from the Bay of Plenty and brings years of experience across the full design process, from concept through to consent drawings. In true Box spirit, she’s also renovating her own place on Waiheke Island and doing a lot of the work herself. Our company has always been defined by its people as much as its projects, and her energy and perspective fit naturally within the team.
How do you see Box using AI?
It’s an interesting time, both economically and technologically. We have a significant body of knowledge across completed homes, plans and costings, and the opportunity is to leverage that more effectively. AI presents a wide range of possibilities, and we’re actively exploring how to use it in ways that genuinely benefit our clients. Ultimately, it’s about combining useful technology with great people to deliver on our vision of designing and building spaces that enrich lives.
Looking ahead, how do you see Box evolving over the next 5–10 years?
We’re creative builders at heart, so we’ll continue to grow into areas that complement what we already do. We’ve expanded into smaller, more affordable homes with our Artis product, and into concrete pool building with Frontier Pools. Future additions could include areas like landscape design and build, which naturally overlap with our work. Most of our growth has come from opportunity and meeting the right people, and that will likely continue – as long as what we do reflects our values as a tight-knit team creating environments that are thoughtful, beautiful and enduring.
Find out more at box.co.nz
