Simply The Best
Good communication skills, a genuine care factor and a portfolio of quality projects propelled Zazen Building & Design to the top of the pops in the category of Best New Builder at this year’s Housing Excellence Awards
STARTING your own building company is a risky business, says Dino Colica, who has been voted this year’s Best New Builder in WA.
“There are so many builders in the market that it’s almost financial suicide to entertain the idea of starting a building company,” he says. “Having had the opportunity to work at both project and non-project builders, I was able to experience first-hand what makes a building company succeed, as well as understand their failings.” Armed with this knowledge, Dino founded Zazen Building & Design seven years ago.
“When starting Zazen in 2009, it made perfect sense to incorporate excellent communication and an undeniable care factor into the company’s ethos,” he says.
Dino attributes Zazen’s success to the fact that he and his business partner and fellow managing director, John Simunovich, deal exclusively with the client from the commencement of the project to its conclusion and beyond.
“If I was in the market to build a home, this would be a very important factor for me, personally,” Dino says.
“Our design and construction service is complete, flexible and thorough. When engaging our services, a client will have peace of mind knowing that we’ll handle every aspect pertinent to the building process.”
It was this collaborative design-and-build process that resulted in Zazen winning a second prize at the Master Builders Bankwest Housing Excellence Awards for Best Contract Home in the $280,000 to $350,000 price category.
Dino says this award-winning residence in Burswood was built for a young professional with a very specific design scope and keen eye for detail.
“Although this home sits on a tiny battleaxe block, its clever open and practical design creates an impression that the residence is much greater than it actually is,” he says.
Features include a steel spine staircase with timber treads, expansive, full-height bifold doors leading to the alfresco, and a large island bench that doubles as a dining table.
“From time to time we also build quality turnkey projects for investors who are looking for a personal builder that they can trust,” Dino says.
“A large percentage of our clients are professionals, have children and are time poor. Our building process provides our clients with a tailored service to meet their lifestyles.
“Most of our clients have built before. They expect true quality and require some flexibility but, most of all, want a builder that they can just work with towards a common goal – their dream home.”
LISA SHEARON