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After Cyclone Gabrielle, the re-build is beginning in Hawke’s Bay - but there is a long road ahead.  

Hundreds of homes have been damaged across the region after flooding hit more than two weeks ago. 

One local construction company director believes the re-build will take years.  

After the flooding hit, TCL Builders took to social media, putting an urgent call out to hire builders, labourers and other tradesmen.  

With an existing worker shortage in the industry, Managing Director Chris Winterburn said it has been challenging.  

He said that the company has managed to get some new staff on board and now has about 60 people, but could use about 10 more builders to deal with the heightened demand.  

It is one of the busiest periods the company has ever been through.  

Winterburn believes Hawke’s Bay’s rebuild will take years and builders will need to be brought in from other regions.  

Workers are currently clearing sites, ripping up carpet and gib board in flood-damaged homes, before insurance assessors inspect the buildings.  

“It has been quite hard for the guys, long hours, stress...it has been quite difficult,” he said.  

Seeing the devastation is also having an impact on the workers.  

“You’ve really got to get onto the sites to see how much devastation is out there, it’s just unbelievable. 

“It’s breaking my heart really...Puketapu was a major hit area and people’s pets, animals, [there is] total devastation, 1.5 metres of mud and dirt through the properties,” Winterburn said.  

Each day they’re chatting with the workers about the devastation they’re seeing, to check that they’re okay.