Our Story

Hi, I’m Phill Bonner, director of Framework Building & Carpentry Ltd. Growing up in rural Upper Hutt I spent my free time riding bikes, building tree houses and anything else we could think up. This really shaped my passion for hands-on work from an early age. At 8, I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, whilst this has been challenging it has helped me develop strong planning skills, something which has become a strength of mine in adult life.

I always knew I wanted to work with my hands so at 16 I sought an apprenticeship with Traditional Builders. Here I honed my craft on architectural homes and renovations across the Wellington region.

After qualifying, I co-founded a business in Upper Hutt with my brother and later I transitioned to construction at Turoa ski field. Here I learnt a lot about planning & managing projects, creating budgets, maintenance strategies and managing sub-contractors.

2012 prompted a move to London with my partner Amanda. Here I was able to broaden my skills in high-end construction and team leadership. Navigating my way through a very different way of building taught me how to adapt, overcome, and resolve almost any issue that may arise in construction. After 2 years in London we returned to Upper Hutt where I managed maintenance and projects at Resene paints, strengthening my design and management abilities.

Amanda and I married in the Wairarapa in 2015 and we welcomed our beautiful daughter Harper a year later. Starting our family meant I could no longer do the travelling and night shifts my role at Resene required. This prompted a shift to project management in Wellington’s housing sector, managing multiple builds under strict budgets and deadlines.

It was another great string to my bow, reinforcing my previous learnings and experience, further proving this was my strength and the industry I was meant to be a part of.

Seeking a change from the city, we moved to the Wairarapa and launched our own business, Framework Building & Carpentry in 2018. Since then, we’ve built 24 homes, expanded our team, and joined Certified Builders. Our focus has and will always be top-quality workmanship and ensuring our clients satisfaction. This is what drives us!

Outside of work I love spending weekends as a family, travelling, fishing, mountain biking and racing at Te Marua Speedway.

I’m passionate about crafting your dream home so let’s discuss how we can help you. Call me anytime on 0211750215.