Our Team

Darren Sears

General Manager

Darren is a Director of Abode Homes and is also the General Manager.

He has worked in the building industry for 25 years and has a very strong depth of knowledge with building materials and processes. With his vast building industry experience, Darren brings a wide range of knowledge to Abode Homes and their clients.

Darren is a licensed building practitioner with a Site 2 supervisory licence through the Department of Building and Housing.

Darren is passionate about his family and sport.

John Phillips

New Builds & Developments

John has a broad knowledge of the New Zealand Building Industry and he works exclusively in the residential construction and development sectors. This allows him to focus and specialise in this area and deliver a value-added service to his clients.

He draws on a successful business and commercial career in which he held multiple roles in senior management and corporate finance.

He has a good understanding of residential developments and has played a pivotal role in various projects across the region.

John has a great understanding and empathy with clients and takes on their building projects with the same passion and commitment as if it were his own. He has a great attention to detail and is well connected to a wide community of industry professionals that he co-ordinates with to provide a high level of expert advice to any project.

John thoroughly enjoys every aspect of his job and builds solid, lasting relationships with his clients along the way. The majority of his work is by referrals and repeat clients.

He works closely with the investment community and developers and has a good understanding of current and future sub-divisions throughout the Wellington region.

Kate Wong

Quantity Surveyor

Kate is the latest member to join our Abode Homes team. Her background and expertise has predominantly been within the construction industry, covering both commercial and residential building projects, and more recently, some major property landscaping projects.

Her great attention to detail, combined with her ability to assess and determine all the required materials for individual building projects, plus a strong understanding of the building process, makes her an ideal fit for our team. She has managed many aspects of the building process, including managing and overseeing tenders, liaising with designers and suppliers, and developing strong working relationships with contractors and clients.

Initially from Malaysia, Kate moved to New Zealand in 2016 to further her studies. She is passionate about her job, and with her strong administration background, you can be assured that your building project will be closely monitored and managed.

Aaron Darbyshire

Construction Manager

Aaron has extensive knowledge and understanding of all parts of the construction process.  From the initial site preparation, through to the progressive stages of the site build, and at the completion of the build, the extensive site inspection required prior to handover of the keys to the new homeowner. 

To support his site and construction management expertise, in 2019, Aaron completed the New Zealand Diploma in Construction (Construction Management), Level 6.

In addition to his construction experience, he is a fully qualified painter and decorator, and spent his earlier years developing his skills in that area.  Such hands-on experience enables him to effectively talk to new homeowners about their house finishing and interior design options, paint and wallpapering finishes, and product care.  He will happily put you in touch with an interior designer, for those seeking more specialist interior design guidance.

Since joining the Abode Homes team in 2020, Aaron has successfully managed the construction of many new builds, from smaller sized homes through to larger full family sized homes. 

His focus and approach is to ensure that each project build progresses in a timely manner, and he closely monitors and manages the full build process.  He has a strong attention to detail, and will quickly and effectively address any site issue, to ensure the new build progresses with minimal lost time.  Throughout the build, he provides clear and regular communication with all key parties, including suppliers, sub-contractors and most importantly the client.

In his spare time, Aaron enjoys playing rugby and basketball, and spending time with his family.

Frances Dodge

Architectural Designer

Frances is an Architectural Designer who works with Abode Homes. Frances completed a Bachelor of Design specialising in Interior Architecture from 2006 - 2009 and has been in the building industry ever since.

After working both abroad and locally, she has found her passion in residential design and draughting. Frances works with our clients through the full concept design stage, tailoring designs to create structures that reflect clients’ individual needs and requirements as well as tackling any unique site constraints that may be present. She will work with you right from coming up with a detailed brief for the project to viewing the completed house design in 3D so you can see exactly what the finished product will look like.

Frances is a Licensed Building Practitioner with a Design 1 licence through the Department of Building and Housing. With her technical as well as design background you can be assured that your design will be a practical and creative solution for your site, maximising the potential of all aspects.

Wendy Sears

Office Manager

Wendy Sears is the Office Manager for Abode Homes. She began her career in the building industry in 2007. She has excellent organisational and people skills and makes a significant contribution to the smooth running of the business.

Prior to joining the building industry she worked in the computer industry as a Sales Assistant/Purchasing Officer.