IRNE – (Pronounced-ERNIE) Director of Retro Construction Ltd
Coming from a family of builders, it’s not surprising after 30 years, he still finds himself in the industry and continues to love it! His passion for creating beautiful spaces for clients, is complemented by his ability to accurately draw and design any space, which leaves most clients extremely excited and looking forward to their upcoming project. This is a great architectural skill he owns!
It’s not just his ability for forward thinking, but also his practicality, great project planning and good problem-solving traits, which makes him a successful builder. In addition, his recent qualification in the QS field, ensures clients receive fair, detailed, and structured pricing, complemented by his 30 years of quoting experience.
Demonstrating his entrepreneurial spirit he started his own business a few years after school. His journey began in Chicago, Illinois where he secured his first contracts with the City Council. Recognized for exceptional work within the first year, he received an award from the mayor, further enhancing his reputation. This company still operates as-of today in Chicago, under new management, and has grown significantly into other States too.
After returning to SA from the US, Irne started his second construction company, with a separate division specializing in concrete works, whilst the main division focused on similar building works, to those currently being done in NZ. Over a period of 16 years in SA, he employed 20-40 staff members at a time. His focus has always been on quality, as he is a true perfectionist! His work was recognised with multiple awards, and he was invited several times to speak on radio and television about his projects.
Many years back, he was hired by a New Zealand-based company for the country’s largest commercial project. After several years working on this and various other commercial construction projects, he started his own company within the last decade, being Retro Construction Ltd.
Irne has an impressive list of qualifications! He’s a professional Project Manager and holds a 2-year Diploma in Construction Management. He is also a qualified Estimator, completing the final months to become a QS.
Furthermore, he has qualifications as a Welding Inspector, so he understands the essentials of the steel industry and its application in the building industry. He further holds a National Diploma in Construction Trades, an LBP License, a two-year qualification in Business Management, that includes Business and People Development, and then there are the smaller certificate courses or ongoing training that the industry requires, or affiliations, for purposes such as Health & Safety, etc.
Achieving these qualifications, some while working full-time, hasn’t been easy, but Irne has done so through very hard work, dedication, and a surreal commitment to excellence. He adopts a friendly, “won’t give up” attitude and has performed exceptionally well academically, in all his studies over the years. This places him at the forefront of his industry and usually the person who tends to stand out. He has a natural ability to understand things quickly and because he loves what he does, he navigates through it with ease.
Irne also has a passion for contributing to the community, which is why you will always find him involved in such projects. He prioritises friendly, quick, and effective service, with the focus on fairness, and importantly effective communication. He is approachable, humble, easy to work with, and always ensures timely, high-quality work.
To make use of Irne’s skills and knowledge, contact him at 020 410 53222 / 09 532 8484 or info@retroconstruction.co.nz , or send him an email through our contact us page
