By leveraging our founder’s three decades of global building experience, Retro Construction brings the structural rigour, tight compliance control, and budget precision of commercial contracting directly to high-end residential renovations and extensions across Auckland. We focus on delivering complex projects that demand a level of precision typical builders simply cannot match. With 30 years of international construction experience, including owning and operating construction companies in South Africa, America, and New Zealand, our founder, Irne Grobler, understands that a complex home renovation requires far more than traditional hands-on craftsmanship. It demands highly systemised, commercial-grade management. That is why we are active, proud members of the Association of Professional Builders (APB).
What is the Association of Professional Builders?
The Association of Professional Builders is an international organisation dedicated to providing business coaching, elite mentoring, and rigorous operational training exclusively for custom home builders. Their core mission is to transform building contractors into highly systemised, professional corporate entities. By providing step-by-step business frameworks, deep financial training, and robust project resources, APB helps professional builders mitigate risks, protect client capital, and scale safely.
How Our APB Membership Elevates Your Build
Being an APB member means Retro Construction does not just build homes; we run a highly systemised and financially secure corporate operation. Here is how our membership directly translates to a world-class experience on your jobsite:
Rigorous Project Management Systems: APB provides us with elite, standardised tools to establish critical workflows. This ensures that every phase of your build, from the initial architectural layouts to the final Code Compliance Certificate (CCC) application, is documented, scheduled, and tracked with absolute precision.
NZIQS-Aligned Cost Transparency: Through APB’s advanced financial mentoring, we reinforce our commitment to honest, elemental pricing. Instead of vague, “thumb-suck” estimates, we utilise advanced estimating software to break down all project costs. This includes transparently structuring site Preliminaries and General (P&G) expenses, which typically account for 11 to 15% of a contract, ensuring zero unexpected financial surprises.
Coordinated Turn-key Operations: APB’s administrative templates help us coordinate our carefully vetted network of architectural designers, engineers, and trade contractors under one seamless management umbrella. Whether navigating the complexities of a structural reclad or a multi-bathroom extension, our systems keep work strictly on schedule and compliant with the New Zealand Building Code.
Continuous Industry Education: APB gives our project coordinators and on-site staff continuous access to cutting-edge education on international building standards, health and safety protocols (HSWA 2015), and operational efficiency. We are always ahead of the regulatory curve, ensuring your home is built using modern, future-proofed methods.
The Ultimate Benefit to Auckland Homeowners
When you embark on a major architectural renovation, you are not just buying materials and labour; you are investing in a builder’s ability to safely navigate Auckland’s demanding regulatory landscape and manage your capital.
By aligning Irne’s decades of structural experience with the operational blueprints of the Association of Professional Builders, Retro Construction guarantees that your back-end project management is as rock-solid as the foundations we pour. We combine photo-quality 3D design visualisations, in-house quantity surveying, and world-class business systems to deliver a turnkey project you can completely trust.
Planning a renovation or extension in Auckland? Partner with an LBP team that treats your home with commercial-grade professionalism. Contact Irne and Angie today to discuss our professional feasibility planning and conceptual design services.
