The Kenray Roofing Story
“Hi, I’m Darren Meyrick, from Kenray Roofing, servicing the Wellington and Wairarapa region.
I have an extensive family history in the roofing industry. My father, Ken Meyrick, began in the Wairarapa making and installing roofing tiles in 1950, with two of his brothers, at the age of 16. After starting a family and moving to Upper Hutt, my father went on to start Kenray Roofing with my Uncle Ray.
Later Ray moved away from the area, and my mother, Dot, became Dad’s business partner. Mum still remembers wiring tiles down the day of the Wahine storm. I began roofing for my father when I was 15 years old in 1980, alongside my three brothers Tony, Wayne, and Craig. Even my big sister Jenny gave us a run for our money as a keen hammer hand.
At first, we were replacing all the Housing Commission house roofs in the Wellington region with Monier and Rosscrete tiles. Gradually, we began installing Gerrad and Decrabond tiles, Longrun iron, and shingles before gaining the contract to reroof 45 Trentham army camp roofs.
Ken Meyrick with sons Craig and Wayne.
Kenray Roofing, Wellington roofing contractors.
As our reputation grew, we progressed to various large contracts, such as the Malaysian High Commission, Waiwhetu Marae, the multi-story Hitachi building, the American Embassy, and many other commercial and residential roofs. After many years of this, I branched out, working for other firms to increase my knowledge and skills, only to find that when I was working with my dad and brothers, I was already in the best classroom I could be in.
We were first introduced to roof coatings in the nineties by Glamatex, spraying my first roof on Fergusson Drive in Upper Hutt. It was then we discovered that replacing older roofs was no longer the only option. Roof restoration was proven to be economical, providing longevity and a fresh new look. My father saw this and made it an expansion of his business.
As time went on, my father handed the business on to my brother Wayne and his wife, Nicki. Craig and I carried on roofing under Wayne’s guidance. In 2000 I was offered a position in Brisbane with one of the leading companies in Australia and lived there for nearly two years with my wife and children. There I gained a wider knowledge of roof coatings, customer relations, and business management.
Upon my father’s ill health, we returned to New Zealand, and I started my own business, Kenray Roof Restoration. With names like Kenray and Meyrick, which are synonymous with roofing in the greater Wellington area, I quickly built a good client base and reputation for roof coating and repairs, often coating roofs my family and I had installed many years earlier.
In 2005, looking for a change in lifestyle for our five children, my wife, Therese, and I moved to the Wairarapa. Work was steady, but I needed something more challenging. I had already gained great confidence and was also eager to get back to my roots.
My wife, Therese, and I restarted Kenray Roofing, and we now work together with my brother Craig, proud to not only present great products but also to hold the original family business name, Kenray, dedicated to my late father, Ken, and brother, Tony.”
To speak with our local roofing team, give us a call today on 0800 536 729.
