Firms leave Christchurch as $90m boom ends

Published: 6:33AM Monday February 10, 2014 Source: Fairfax

Christchurch's post-earthquake demolition boom appears over but not before companies pocketed nearly $90 million from Government-managed contracts, figures reveal.

At its peak, an estimated 150 demolition companies vied for business in the city but as demolition is slowly replaced by construction, many are leaving or diversifying to pursue other projects.

Figures from the latest financial review of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (Cera) show it signed off 482 demolition contracts worth $89.15m in the last four financial periods. That figure does not include private demolitions or the clearance of red-zoned residential properties.

A breakdown revealed Cera-sanctioned demolitions peaked in the 2011-12 financial year when more than half (276) of its contracts were awarded. That year, more than $43.1m of work was done.

One of the biggest contracts - $11.65m - was awarded to Fletcher Construction to demolish the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Cashel St.

Cera confirmed it, or Civil Defence in the early emergency response, had handled 1497 full or partial demolitions. There are another 167 full or partial jobs scheduled.

Southern Demolition owner Alan Edge, whose company figured prominently in the list of awarded contracts, said he prospered for a time but other companies fared worse. Some fell into liquidation as increased competition made tendering harder.

"We moved into a fairly hectic patch for about four or five months, then it slowed before it gained momentum again," he said.

His company and a few others were the "mainstay" of demolition companies before the earthquakes but other companies, eyeing a slice of the lucrative demolition pie, set up business.

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Firms leave Christchurch as $90m boom ends