G.J. Gardner Homes has been named New Zealand’s Most Trusted Home Builder for the tenth consecutive year. Managing Director Ellie Porteous explains why lasting trust begins with listening to every customer.
Choosing a builder requires confidence that the team entrusted with your vision will understand how you want to live, communicate openly and deliver what was promised.
For the tenth consecutive year, New Zealanders have named G.J. Gardner Homes the country’s Most Trusted Home Builder in the Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands Awards.
The annual awards are decided through independent consumer research, making the recognition particularly meaningful to G.J. Gardner Homes New Zealand Joint Managing Director Ellie Porteous.
“It’s something we’re incredibly proud of because it’s recognition that comes directly from New Zealanders,” Ellie tells YOUR EX.
“Trust isn’t something you can simply claim, it’s something you earn over time. To be recognised for a tenth consecutive year is a reflection of the relationships our local teams build with customers every day, and the care they put into helping people through one of the biggest investments they’ll ever make.”
That investment involves far more than selecting a floor plan and signing off finishes. A new home affects how its owners spend their time, connect with the people they love and plan for the future. Ellie says G.J. Gardner understands the responsibility that comes with guiding customers through that process.
“Building a home is one of the biggest decisions and purchases most people will ever make, and that’s not something we take lightly,” she says.
“Trust means being honest, communicating openly and doing what we say we’ll do. Our role is to guide customers through the process with confidence, so they feel informed, supported and comfortable every step of the way.”
G.J. Gardner Homes combines the resources of a national brand with teams who know their own regions and communities. Every G.J. Gardner business is locally owned and operated, giving customers the personal service of a local builder alongside the experience and systems developed across almost three decades in New Zealand.
“I think it’s our combination of local knowledge and national strength,” Ellie says of the company’s decade-long run at the top.
“Our teams genuinely care about the communities they work in and the customers they build for. At the same time, they’re backed by the experience, systems and buying power of a national brand.”
G.J. Gardner Homes has now built more than 25,000 homes across New Zealand, with every one completed. Ellie believes that consistency has helped establish confidence among customers considering one of the largest financial commitments of their lives.
For LGBTQ+ New Zealanders, creating a home can also carry a deeply personal significance. It offers an opportunity to build a space that reflects who they are, welcomes partners and chosen family, and supports the life they have created.
Ellie says the company’s local teams enjoy getting to know each customer and understanding what will make a home truly feel like theirs.
“We believe everyone deserves to feel comfortable being themselves and to enjoy a building journey where they’re listened to, respected and supported,” she says.
“At the end of the day, it’s about helping people create a home that reflects who they are, supports the way they live, and is somewhere they genuinely love coming home to.”
Those conversations begin well before construction. Through its Home Prep process, G.J. Gardner encourages customers to consider how their needs may change and what they want daily life in their new home to feel like.
“We encourage our customers to think beyond what they need today and consider how they’ll live in their home for years to come,” Ellie explains.
“We spend time talking about everything from entertaining and working from home to growing families, storage and future lifestyle changes. Those conversations often uncover ideas people hadn’t considered and help create a home that’s designed around their lifestyle, not the other way around.”
Once those early conversations have become plans, and those plans have become a finished home, the most memorable moment arrives: handing over the keys.
“Seeing the excitement on handover day never gets old,” Ellie says. “After months of planning and building, it’s incredibly rewarding to see people walk through the door knowing it’s finally their home.
“It’s the beginning of a new chapter in their lives, and it’s a privilege for our local teams to have played a part in making that happen.”
