●Wānaka & Central Otago
We build the difficult ones.
808 is an architectural building company delivering high-quality projects throughout Wānaka and Central Otago.
01
Who we are
We work alongside architects and clients to bring considered designs to life.
We take a hands-on approach and are drawn to complex projects where careful execution and craftsmanship make a visible difference.
A fully project-managed service from start to finish, working closely with clients and letting them be as involved as they’d like.
- Architectural builds
- Project management
- Bespoke concrete work
- Specialty developments
Local
Owned and run in Wānaka
10+
Years in the industry
NZCB
Certified Builders member
LBP
Licensed Building Practitioner
Member of New Zealand Certified Builders, the only builder association here that requires a recognised carpentry trade qualification to join.
02
Work
Built, finished,and handed over.
01
43 Helwick
Restaurant & bar fit-out · Wānaka
A bare block shell on Wānaka’s main street turned into a restaurant and bar. Whole timber posts left in the round, board-formed and blockwork walls, exposed aggregate floor, a wood-fired oven, and a bar built as joinery rather than carpentry. Almost every surface a customer touches was made rather than bought.
See the project
02
Malvern
New build · under construction
A new architectural build, currently at framing stage. Worth showing unfinished. This is what the middle of a job actually looks like, and the part most builders never photograph.
See the project
03
Cedar and black
Completed home · Central Otago
A finished architectural home: cedar cladding, black joinery, a cantilevered upper storey over a sheltered deck, and full-height glazing folding the living room out onto it. The kind of junction where the setout has to be right the first time.
See the project
Project photography by Larkin Photography
03
Concrete
Crafted in concrete.
We specialise in bespoke concrete work, from architectural off-form walls and tilt panel construction through to refined interior elements. It’s an area where we enjoy getting creative and working closely with clients to bring unique ideas to life.
- 01Off-form walls
- 02Tilt panel construction
- 03Concrete benchtops
- 04Floating steps
- 05Hearths & fireplaces
- 06Custom concrete design
04
How it works
One builder,start to finish.
01
First conversation
A call or a site visit. You tell me the brief, I tell you honestly whether I’m the right builder for it and roughly what you’re looking at.
02
Alongside your architect
We work with your architect and drawings from early on, so buildability and cost get raised while they are still cheap to change.
03
Fully project-managed
Programme, subcontractors, suppliers and council — handled. One point of contact throughout, and you stay as involved as you’d like.
04
Handover
Finished to a standard I’ll happily put my name to, because in a district this size the work is the only marketing that matters.
05
James
“I enjoy taking on projects that are a bit out of the ordinary.”
James Chapman · Director, Licensed Builder
I grew up in Mid Canterbury, living and working on the family farm. After finishing school in Christchurch, I made the move to Wānaka in 2015 to begin my building apprenticeship, which I completed in 2019.
Since then, I’ve gained a wide range of experience, from minor renovations through to high-end architectural builds and bespoke multi-unit developments. With over 10 years in the industry, I offer a fully project-managed service from start to finish, while working closely with my clients letting them be as involved as they’d like.
I enjoy taking on projects that are a bit out of the ordinary, ideas that challenge me and push the boundaries, and delivering them to a standard I can be proud of. I have a strong appreciation for high-end features and understand that, for many clients, these represent significant personal investment. I approach every project with that in mind.
06
Contact
Precision builds.Personal approach.
Whether you’re in the early stages of a project or ready to break ground, we’d love to hear from you.
Based
Wānaka, Central Otago
Aotearoa New Zealand
Direct
