Some flooring projects are about much more than the final finish.
The SBS Bank project in Invercargill’s CBD is a perfect example. While the finished floor is sharp, professional and beautifully considered, what made this project stand out was the planning, sustainability focus and teamwork behind the scenes.
That work has now been recognised nationally, with Flooring Xtra Invercargill & Winton winning Commercial Carpet 1st Place at the FloorNZ Excellence Awards.
A Smarter Approach to Sustainability
As part of the tendering process, the team was required to recycle and repurpose as much of the existing flooring as possible. The existing Axminster carpet was uplifted and cut into 1m x 1m squares to be reused as weed matting. Existing carpet tiles were also lifted and made available through a free clearance day, giving them another life elsewhere. In total, approximately 900m² of flooring was repurposed instead of going to landfill.
A Project That Required Precision
This was a large and complex commercial flooring project, completed across two stages in 2025. The team carried out:
- 1535m² of grinding
- Carpet tile installation to the design plan
- 70 wall panels
- Floor preparation and levelling where required
Because noisy works had to be completed outside normal working hours, the floor preparation team worked from 9pm through to 6am, staying ahead of the installation team and keeping the project moving. The existing floors were not in great shape, so the team used NC181 and NC170 to ramp and level areas where needed, creating a flush finish with the surrounding floor surfaces.
Teamwork From Start to Finish
Strong organisation and communication were key. Carpet tile and wall panel pallets were loaded onto a Hiab at 5.30am, transported from the Invercargill store to site, lifted to level 2 or level 4 scaffolding, then manually shifted inside through an opening in the building.
It was a big logistical effort, handled with care and precision.
Award-Winning Work, Delivered Locally
Winning Commercial Carpet 1st Place is a proud achievement for the Flooring Xtra Invercargill & Winton team.
The SBS Bank project shows what local expertise can deliver, with clever planning, practical sustainability, skilled preparation and a finished result worthy of national recognition.
Because this was never just a pretty floor.
