"We had purchased a section and were staring to work on building plans. Tom and Ben had completed several minor renovations for us in the past and we had always found them great to work with. We were lucky enough to have input from them from the time our plans were getting prepared, which really helped us understand what sort of house we could get with our budget. We started the build in July 2021, during the time of significant materials price increases and delays due to covid lockdowns. Even with all the uncertainty with building during that time, they were always one step ahead, making sure things were ordered in advance and communicated with us throughout the process. We are so happy with the house that they built for us. The whole team worked hard, the quality of the work they did was great and the whole process was enjoyable. We have recommended them to many friends and would be very happy to work with them again in the future."
As we were wanting major renovations done on our family home and needing to vacate the home for at least three months, we wanted to engage a builder who would make the whole process as smooth as possible for us.
We were referred to Tom and Ben Osborn, Osborn Brothers Limited, from good friends. From the beginning, Tom and Ben were fantastic to deal with. They were extremely professional and very approachable. The reason we chose Tom and Ben was due to them giving us a start and end date, their incredible ability to organise and manage the entire project which included their own subcontractors so no downtime between contractors.
When we first met with them, we went over our plans and discussed our building project in detail. They came back to us promptly with a fixed price and completion date. Tom and Ben achieved both of these goals as we were not the easiest clients to deal with given the number of variations we made from the original plans. Their communication skills were impeccable and kept us up to date throughout the whole process. This also meant that we were not left with any surprises at the end of the renovation including any additional costs due to the variations.
Overall we would have no hesitation in recommending Tom and Ben for your building project.
“We have used Osborn Brothers for two significant projects in recent years. The first was a major renovation and remodelling of our family home, including significant structural work to open-plan, a new bathroom, kitchen and high-level deck. We were so stoked with their workmanship and professionalism that several years later we were determined that we wouldn't use anyone else to create a self-contained Airbnb apartment at our property with a bedroom, bathroom, kitchenette and patio area with a spa pool. Tom and Ben are talented, approachable, honest and hardworking, with excellent communication skills and a work ethic that can't beaten. We would absolutely recommend them to anyone seeking high quality building work - you won't be disappointed".
“We engaged Osborn Brothers Ltd to create storage units for art works at offices in the Dunedin Railway Station. Ben and Tom not only helped us to design the storage to suit our needs but were able to make everything off-site and fit the units after hours so as not to disrupt the running of the offices or gift shop. We were very happy with their work and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend these very trustworthy builders”
“When we first moved to Dunedin we fell in love with a view. Unfortunately the house was entirely unsuitable for our way of living and very poorly configured to make the most of the sun and views. Ben and Tom quite literally turned our house upside down and created the most amazing space for us. For the most part we were not living in Dunedin during the project but we had regular discussions via skype to see progress real time and make decisions. We are very satisfied with the outcome!"
“We are out of town Commercial and Residential Landlords. For the past 7 years, we have exclusively used Ben and Tom Osborn for all our repairs, renovations and maintenance in Dunedin. Without hesitation, we recommend Osborn Brothers for all building work whether that be management, renovation or repair and maintenance. Ben and Tom’s customer service, craftsmanship and professionalism are exemplary"
“Osborn Brothers remodelled our offices for us when we moved into our new premisess. We had several large walls that needed to come down as well as the general set up of the office. They planned it so well and were able to do it over night and didn’t disrupt our business at all. They know their stuff and I would happily recommend them and use them again.”
“Osborn Brothers were referred to me by a friend when we were going through the process of buying a new home. They completed a number of building inspections for us as we searched for the right property. Their reports were excellent and we quickly built an excellent level of trust with them. They were instrumental in making sure we got the right house suitable for our family. They are great builders with an awesome reputation.”
“Tom and Ben are exceptional builders. They have completed several projects for us and the quality of their work is flawless. Their ability to take our ideas and balance cost, quality and timeframe to meet our needs was a real strength. Looking forward to working with them on our next project!”
“Tom and Ben have completed numerous projects for us over the years and we can’t recommend them highly enough. We first engaged the team to do a pre-purchase building inspection, fast forward, and they have since readied our house for sale and will be building our dream house for us later this year! They have helped us through the design and consenting process and made it so easy for us. Their standard of work is unbeatable and paired with great communication, timeliness, and humour, we would recommend Osborn Brothers to anyone."
"We would highly recommend Ben and his team. Over the past 5 or so years we have had them complete work from major renovations through to minor landscaping jobs. The quality of workmanship has always been high and they have good attention to detail. We liked the fact they would turn up when they said they would, left the place tidy and provided good communication on all aspects of the job.
To move or renovate, that was the question. It was a tough decision but after a few sleepless nights and much debate, we decided in 2016 that we wanted to stay in the home we had lived in for more than 30 years. We had brought up our family there and it was a treasure trove of many happy memories. We looked at the market and the deciding factors were we loved the area where we lived in St Clair. Great neighbours, great street and our existing home had those good bones – four bedrooms, two living areas and private backyard etc.
But the property needed some love and we wanted it to take us into our retirement. Weatherboards and roof were just holding on so we called in the experts. Council did not have any existing plans for the property so it was back to the drawing board. We got an architect to draw up the plans and this proved invaluable as we progressed the renovation. The next and most important step was finding a builder. Enter the Osborn brothers, Ben and Tom. We had got at least four quotes but Ben and Tom, who we discovered through a recommendation of a work colleague, stood out from the first introduction as the team we wanted. They were so professional. They got up on the roof, they dived under the house and looked out for all the potential trouble spots. They then delivered a detailed fixed-price, fixed-term contract.
Their communication with us from the beginning and throughout the project was outstanding. We had the option of quotes from subcontractors but the team Ben and Tom recommended were also outstanding and the way in which the Osborn brothers project managed the build was exceptional. Everyone worked in together and we basically just sat back and watched it all take shape. There were no surprises. We had meetings most days throughout the build and they were open to some minor changes and indeed they came up with some great ideas that we readily accepted. It really felt as they were engaged with us in the build, wanting to deliver us the solutions and finished product. Our house was pretty much rebuilt from the inside out with insulation and a new roof. Weatherboards were replaced and we now have a new house within our old bungalow. With Ben and Tom’s expertise we have keep the integrity of the old house.
Every single day since December 2017 we feel so lucky to have found Ben and Tom because we know that the end result would not have been the same without the special care and attention and professionalism of the Osborn brothers. Ben and Tom went above and beyond to ensure we could move in on the date in the contract. We decided against paying extra for some internal painting and said we would finish that off ourselves. But the boys are astute judges of character and they knew we would not get that done anytime soon. They rallied the troops and got our part of the job done too. They did not have to do that but that’s a mark of their professionalism. They wanted to see the build finished before they moved on. We thank them for that and really we would not change a thing in relation to our build within the budget we had set.
Our friends and neighbours are just in awe of their craftsmanship. Obviously, we are delighted too. We are proud of our home and recommend Tom and Ben without reservation. Your budget will determine much of what you can do, but whatever your level, Ben and Tom will ensure you get value for money. Don’t hesitate to make contact with us should you require more information. Ben and Tom will have our contact details.
"We were thrilled to have the Osborn Brothers on our recent indoor and outdoor renovation. The process was fun from the design to the install and construction. They work with integrity, and value both pace and attention to detail. We look forward to our next collaboration!"