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Date: 05.10.2022
More cabin space, greater storage capacity, the ability to be driven on a car license, and a great heater are just a few of the reasons the team at Complete Builders and Contractors give for loving their new Isuzu NPR 45-155 Tradepack trucks.
Complete Builders and Contractors operate in Sydney and the Central West of New South Wales, undertaking renovations, putting up new house frames or adding gazebos or pergolas for clients looking to upgrade their homes.
Owner Tim Johns recently took over the business when his father retired, and continued the family’s association with Isuzu trucks, upgrading from the NQR model to the NPR when it came time to refresh the fleet.
Johns grew up on residential constructions sites with his father, counting down to the moment he could jump into the trade as well.
“Building houses is all I know. I have been on construction sites since I was five years old,” Tim says.
“The job I do for my customers it’s extremely important and it’s all I’ve ever done. I treat everything as if I’m building it for myself or someone I know, so I take a lot of pride in the craft.
“I was running the business after Dad recently retired, which led to reimagining the operation under the name, Complete Builders and Contractors.
“Those memories from my childhood, of spending time with Dad on-site and watching him building houses has sparked this lifelong passion of mine.”
With 4.30am starts most mornings, and most days stretching to 12-hours, dusk until dawn, Johns spends a lot of time in the cabin of his truck.
“The business has two NPR Tradepacks, which are critical to the business because of the long days in the cabin and out on the road,” Johns says.
“The trucks are our lunchroom, the office – they’re extremely important for productivity.”
Having upgraded their transport fleet recently, Tim says the N Series cabins are perfect for their needs, with additional occupant and storage space a key feature.
“These models can be driven on a standard car licence, which is great for the whole team, especially our apprentices when they are behind the wheel.
“The larger the loadthe better they seem to go – it’s a powerful little truck!”
With the standard GVM rating of 4,500 kg and GCM of 9,000 kg, Tim’s Tradepack duo are adaptable to a range of needs such as carrying tools, generators, materials and even site waste when the job calls for it.
Both trucks are fitted with Isuzu’s two-pedal, six-speed fully automated manual transmission (AMT) and are powered by Isuzu’s four-cylinder, 16-valve 4HK1-TCN engine outputting 114 kW (155 horsepower) @ 2,600 rpm and torque of 419 Nm @ 1,600 – 2,600 rpm.
“Both units have generators and compressors mounted on the back. The generators supply power to the tools and equipment we use on site. Whether it be charging up equipment, power tools, or spotlights,” Johns says.
“I’ve also had toolboxes mounted on the back and there’s still plenty of room to carry planks, ladders and timber packs.
“Lately the powerful heaters are my favourite feature of my trucks. I crank the heater up and switch it onto my feet because it’s been really wet around Sydney with some flooding. It’s so important to dry out your feet between jobs.
“Prior to purchasing the Isuzu trucks, I had a ute and a trailer, but it was way too much of a hassle to use them effectively and I just couldn’t carry enough weight.
“My dad had an NQR before I bought the NPR 45-155, so I guess you could say we have intergenerational Isuzu ownership.
“Isuzu are the only brand of truck we have ever owned; they really are a great truck!”
As for the purchase process, Johns says he bought the trucks from Gilbert and Roach at Huntingwood, and couldn’t fault the customer service.
“We needed the trucks to carry some material from Sydney out there. They had the trucks ready, and we picked them up on the Friday to drive out there on the Saturday. The timing was perfect, down to the minute,” Johns says.
“We’ve never, ever had a drama, or a breakdown and never had trouble getting parts, Isuzu and Gilbert and Roach are just super reliable.”
As for Johns’ business, he said having people forced to live and work from home for the past couple of years had increased the interest in upgrading the space.
“Many people have changed the way they work so they need that space at home, or they notice things around the house that need renovating,” says Johns.
“Lots of people are renovating their homes right now, plus the cost of a new house is ridiculous in Sydney.”
As with most industries, material supplies are a challenge for builders too.
“With the bushfires two years ago and then closing of many timber mills across Australia, getting timber has been almost impossible,” Johns says.
“Material shortages were slowing down builds for a while over the past few years, but thankfully things seem to be picking up.” 
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