Lindsay is owner and operator of L & J Gagen Bricklaying Ltd. He started his career labouring for a bricklayer in 1974 in Matamata, and after 4 months of labouring, began an apprenticeship with Les Greenwell Ltd. Les taught Lindsay an immense variety of skills from straight forward brick and block work to highly skilled hinuera stone work, natural stone paving, tiling and foundations. On completion of his apprenticeship, Lindsay went on his OE to Canada, England and Europe. Over the 11 months he was away, he gained experience working as a bricklayer in both London and Germany before returning to New Zealand to settle in Papakura.
Once back home, Lindsay worked for another bricklayer, Noel Allington. After 18 months with Noel, the opportunity arose for Lindsay to go into his own business. He traded under the name Complete Bricklaying Services for two years, until he formed the company name L & J Gagen Bricklaying Ltd. They have now been trading under this name for 29 years.
Lindsay has taken a keen interest in apprenticeship training and began taking on boys, straight out of school, to train them up to have the same skills that he has learnt over his time. Two of these boys acheived best apprentice, winning the Firth Silver Trowel award in their year, and another two of his apprentcies won the James Matthews award for the most improved apprentice throughout the four years of their apprenticeships. For the past 10 years he has been a member of the National Bricklaying Advisory Group, reviewing apprentices unit standards; seven of those years were spent as chairman. He has been involved in getting bricklaying into the international Youth Skills Competition, and became national coordinator for Youth Skills for eight years, during of which two years were also spent as president of the Auckland Masonry Trades association. He is now president again, and into his second year, of the Auckland Masonry Trades association.
L & J Gagen Bricklaying Ltd is a reputable business. Lindsay is a reliable tradesman, holds a very high work ethic and maintains an extremely high standard of work in every project he undertakes - whether it be the simplest brick veneer to million dollar masonry villa homes. He is always up to date with any changes in the building industry and was one of the first bricklayers to become liscenced in 2010.
We pride ourselves on our standard of work, work ethics and reliability.
Once back home, Lindsay worked for another bricklayer, Noel Allington. After 18 months with Noel, the opportunity arose for Lindsay to go into his own business. He traded under the name Complete Bricklaying Services for two years, until he formed the company name L & J Gagen Bricklaying Ltd. They have now been trading under this name for 29 years.
Lindsay has taken a keen interest in apprenticeship training and began taking on boys, straight out of school, to train them up to have the same skills that he has learnt over his time. Two of these boys acheived best apprentice, winning the Firth Silver Trowel award in their year, and another two of his apprentcies won the James Matthews award for the most improved apprentice throughout the four years of their apprenticeships. For the past 10 years he has been a member of the National Bricklaying Advisory Group, reviewing apprentices unit standards; seven of those years were spent as chairman. He has been involved in getting bricklaying into the international Youth Skills Competition, and became national coordinator for Youth Skills for eight years, during of which two years were also spent as president of the Auckland Masonry Trades association. He is now president again, and into his second year, of the Auckland Masonry Trades association.
L & J Gagen Bricklaying Ltd is a reputable business. Lindsay is a reliable tradesman, holds a very high work ethic and maintains an extremely high standard of work in every project he undertakes - whether it be the simplest brick veneer to million dollar masonry villa homes. He is always up to date with any changes in the building industry and was one of the first bricklayers to become liscenced in 2010.
We pride ourselves on our standard of work, work ethics and reliability.