Raj Ruparelia

I have recently delivered:

2 masonry villas, totalling just shy of 9,000 blocks. The larger one involved 6 2m+ gables and raked lintels over a fire place with interconnected lintels. The high level of detail on theses jobs demonstrates my competence with reading plans, steel details and cage work and working out heights.

3 brick veneers, totaling approximately 550 sqm.

I have just completed 2 retaining walls totally 6500 blocks.

I filled in gaps by subcontracting to other masonry companies and assisting in the delivery of their projects.

I have only been self-employed this tax year. Considering we are in the middle of a recession, I am pleased with the amount of work I have been doing. I believe this is down to my professionalism, workmanship and knowledge.

I was previously employed by Northcoast Bricklayers, LTD, whom I now subcontract to.

I was undertaking all aspects of brick and blockwork.

The work was primarily high end residential work.

We built several fireplaces and chimneys.

I was involved in a particularly high-end project that won Home of the Year in a NZ Masonry Magazine.

I did a previous stint for this company for 7 months in 2018 when I came to NZ on a working holiday.

During my employment, we undertook all aspects of brick and blockwork.

I was involved in 2 notable commercial projects: Auckland University of Technology and Auckland Hospital. Both of which I was involved in running, i.e. Making building decisions and doing counts for material and grout pours.

The rest of the work was mainly residential and some government masonry work, and a few brick veneers.

I was mostly a site bricklayer after finishing my apprenticeship. This is square meterage-driven brickwork used to deliver homes for large homebuilders. I was working on sites with 10-30 bricklayers.

I had contacts with whom I did bespoke and specialist building work. I built a kiln for a pottery company and an incinerator at a new hospital, so I have experience with fire bricks and thin joint masonry.

Other non-standard work would be manholes, which I used to do regularly for a groundworks contact.

I have done occasional fireplaces and pizza ovens.

I learned my trade doing rotations with 3 sub-contractors over approximately 2 years with on-site assessment.

I would go to college 1 day a week to achieve the written and practical part of my qualification.