Summary 2025 – Our Year in Review
We’ve had a very special year – one that has seen us celebrate our 70th anniversary, deliver great work across Tairāwhiti, and work together to keep things moving forward.
Peter Stevens, Managing Director, shares his reflections on the year – from the milestones we’ve reached to the relationships that underpin our projects – and offers his thoughts on the opportunities ahead for us in 2026.
Team,
As we come to the end of 2025, I have been thinking about what seventy years in business really means for DStevens. It is a proud milestone and a reminder of the many people – those here today and those who came before us – whose skill and enthusiasm have built DStevens through the years.
That history matters, but what stands out most to me is how our founding principles of doing things properly, being fair, standing by your word, and looking after people still shape the way we work today. They have helped us stay strong through change and keep our focus where it counts.
This year has tested that again. The wider construction industry has faced real pressure with economic headwinds, and we have felt it too. Even so, our team has continued to deliver great work and to look out for one another through a demanding period – a real credit to everyone.
Celebrating Our People
Our success always comes back to our people. It is a privilege to work alongside such a talented team and to see you all grow. Thank you for the energy you bring each and every day.
This year several of our team members began their apprenticeships, taking an important step in their careers in construction and joinery. Starting an apprenticeship is a big decision and marks the beginning of a rewarding journey in the trades. Others completed their apprenticeships, a great achievement that shows real persistence and pride in their work. Well done to you all.
We also recognised a pair of milestones within the company – Glenn Stichbury’s forty years of service and my own fifty. While hard to believe it has been so many years since we started here, it was a good chance for us both to reflect on the projects we have worked on, the people we have worked with, and how things have changed for the better in that time.
Partnerships and Projects
This year marked twenty-five years of Louvretec, one of our long-standing partnerships. I was fortunate to attend their conference in Auckland earlier in the year. It was great to learn more about their exciting upcoming product developments and to connect with representatives from across New Zealand and abroad.
I was very proud to see Te Hīnātore, the refurbished hall at Lytton High School, receive a Silver Award at the 2025 New Zealand Commercial Project Awards. It is great recognition of the effort that everyone put into bringing the project to life.
This year also saw the completion of Oakview House, a new home built with careful attention to detail and quality throughout. Alongside this, our construction teams delivered a number of renovations and extensions, adapting existing homes to better suit the needs of their owners. Riverdale House is a standout example – an extensive renovation and new extension that blends seamlessly with the character of the original home to create more space for family life.
Our workshop has remained exceptionally busy, producing beautifully crafted bespoke kitchens, timber windows and doors, and one-off joinery pieces. The quality of this work shows the care and craftsmanship that our team brings to every project.
We also returned to Chelsea Hospital recently to begin the next stage of its redevelopment. DStevens has been involved with the hospital for more than fifty years, delivering a wide range of building and refurbishment projects across the facility. Continuing that relationship is something we are very proud of, and this latest stage will further enhance facilities that serve the Tairāwhiti community.
We are fortunate to have built strong relationships with clients and collaborators – many that have lasted years, even decades. Those partnerships sit at the heart of our work and are one of the most rewarding parts of what we do.
Sustainability and Workshop Improvements
We continued to build on our environmental commitments and invest in the future of our business.
Through our partnership with Trees That Count, we donated our annual 100 native trees, along with another 70 to mark our milestone, supporting a local biodiversity project here in Tairāwhiti. Initiatives like these are small steps, but they reflect our belief that we each have a part to play in caring for the environment we live and work in.
We installed a new dust extraction system at our workshops earlier this year – an important step in creating a safer, cleaner, and more efficient place to work. This is part of a broader plan to modernise our workshops, which we have been steadily progressing over the past five years, with more upgrades planned for next year.
The Year Ahead
As we head into 2026, there is plenty to look forward to. We will be continuing Stage 1 of the Chelsea Hospital redevelopment into the new year, alongside an exciting mix of new commercial and residential builds across the region. Our workshop team also have a full year ahead, creating new joinery and kitchens that reflect the quality and attention to detail we are known for.
After a milestone year, DStevens is well positioned for the future. We have worked through challenges, delivered great projects, and strengthened the trust of our clients and partners. I am proud of what we have achieved together, and even more proud of the teamwork, skill, and care behind every project.
Thank you all for your hard work and commitment. I hope you take time over summer to relax and enjoy being with friends and whānau. 2026 is shaping up to be an exciting one.
Peter Stevens
Managing Director
