Rata Builders Ltd

19/10/2026

Bathroom Renovation

We've been working at this Christchurch property on and off over the past year, with renovations taking place throughout the home.

Here's a look at the recently renovated main bathroom and separate toilet.

The main bathroom features a walk-in tiled shower, built-in bath, floating timber-look vanity and some really nice finishing touches, including the recessed lighting.

The separate toilet has also had a fresh update, with a matching vanity and tiled feature wall.

15/10/2026

Custom Steel Frame Fence 🪚

You might remember the deck we built at this Christchurch property a couple of months ago. We've recently been back working on the next stage of the outdoor area, this time adding a custom fence!

Luke and Connor fabricated the steel frame themselves before installing Kanda battens across the fence and gate.

The black steel and timber battens work really well together and tie in nicely with the deck we completed earlier, while also adding some extra privacy and security to the property.

Thinking about adding a deck or fencing to your property? Feel free to send us a message 😊

04/10/2026

Custom Bay Window Bench Seat

Sorry it’s been a quiet week from us — the school holidays have been keeping us busy! But we wanted to share a job Luke completed this week in Christchurch.

Luke constructed a custom built-in bench seat beneath the existing bay window, including a large hinged access hatch to create plenty of hidden storage inside.

He carefully removed the existing timber wall panelling and reused it across the front of the new bench seat, helping it blend naturally with the existing character of the room.

A practical addition that looks like it has always belonged there!

28/09/2026

WE'RE HIRING - BUILDING APPRENTICE 🔨

Rata Builders is looking for a reliable and hardworking building apprentice to join our team.

We work throughout Selwyn, Christchurch and the wider Canterbury area. Our work includes everything from renovations and repairs to new builds and farm buildings, so there will be plenty of variety and opportunities to learn.

We’re looking for someone who:
- Is keen to learn and build a career in the building industry
- Is reliable, hardworking and happy to get stuck in
- Has good time-management and communication skills
- Holds a full or restricted driver licence
- Has their own reliable transport
- Is comfortable driving with and backing a trailer
- Has a good sense of humour!

If you’re interested, or know someone who could be a great fit, please get in touch:

📞 Call Luke on 027 917 7371
📧 Email your CV to [email protected]

Please feel free to share and help us spread the word!

Send a message to learn more

25/09/2026

Pole Shed Complete 🔨

That’s a wrap on this pole shed we’ve been working on over the last few weeks!

The build included a mix of open and enclosed bays, concrete flooring through part of the shed, along with the roofing and cladding to finish it all off.

It’s been great watching this one come together from the poles going in right through to the finished shed — we’re really happy with how it’s turned out.

We were brought in by MB Fencing to complete the building work on this project. A big thanks to Mark for getting us involved — we’ve really enjoyed working alongside you on this one!

Always good to see another project finished and ready to be put to use.

📍 Selwyn, Canterbury

21/09/2026

What Can You Fit Into 75sqm? More Than You’d Think 🏠

Last week we shared the story behind the little 40ft container home Luke and Connor built for us when we first moved to our property.

It worked really well for our little family for around a year and a half, but once our second son came along, we had definitely outgrown it! So it was time for the next project — building the home we still live in today.

Because this was going to be the second dwelling on our property, under the Selwyn District Council rules that applied at the time, we were limited to a 75sqm footprint.

A lot of thought went into the layout and making the most of the space we had. Three good-sized bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen, dining and living area, plus a laundry cupboard tucked away beside the kitchen. We kept the main living space open-plan to help everything feel that little bit bigger. Our main bedroom even comfortably fits a king bed, bedside tables, two sets of drawers and a built-in wardrope.

We’ve included a few photos from throughout the build. We’ve also added the floor plan at the end so you can see exactly how everything fits into just 75sqm.

It might be a small home, but it has everything we need — and it’s a pretty good example of just how much you can achieve with a smaller footprint and some clever planning. 🏠

If you’ve been thinking about building your own home, feel free to get in touch — we’re always happy to have a chat about what you have in mind.

17/09/2026

Pole Shed Taking Shape 🔨

A little look at what we’ve been working on behind the scenes over the past few weeks.

We’ve been working alongside MB Fencing on this project for one of their clients, and it’s coming together nicely!

It’s nearly finished now, so we’ll be back to share the completed project soon 👍

14/09/2026

From a 40ft Container to a Two-Bedroom Home 🏠

This one has a bit more of a story behind it than most of the projects we share!

When we first moved to our property, Luke and I bought it alongside Connor and Avalon. We all lived together in the original four-bedroom house, along with Connor and Avalon’s two young kids. Then our first son William came along, and with four adults and three little ones all under one roof, we decided it was probably time we had a little more space of our own.

So while we worked towards building our permanent home on the property, Luke and Connor designed and transformed a 40ft container into this little two-bedroom home for us. And we managed to fit a surprising amount into it!

It had two bedrooms, a full kitchen, bathroom, laundry and living area, with cavity slider doors used throughout to make the most of the limited space. Our bedroom comfortably fitted a queen bed and two sets of drawers, while William had his own little room with his cot, drawers and toy box.

We ended up living here for around a year and a half. It worked really well for our little family — until our second son came along and we officially outgrew it!

That was when it was time for the next project... building the three-bedroom home we live in on the property today.

Looking back, this little container was such a cool chapter for our family and a pretty good example of just how much you can achieve in a small space with some clever planning.

We’ll share the next part of the story soon — our 75sqm home 🏠

03/09/2026

A little project for one of our own this time 👌

Luke recently upgraded his work truck and built himself a custom fit-out for the back.

Built from scratch to make the most of the space, with plenty of storage to keep his tools and gear organised and make life on site a little easier.

A few late nights went into getting this one finished, but it’s come up pretty tidy!

If you’ve got a work vehicle, whether it be a van, ute or truck, that could do with a custom fit-out of its own, get in touch — we’d be happy to have a chat about what we could put together for you.

02/09/2026

Luke’s new work truck got a bit of an upgrade, more of this one coming tonight! 👌