Reilly Hutchinson is a busy man. From managing his team of ten builders and tradies, to running both the renovation and earthmoving sides of his business, he admits his job is a 24-hour a day labour of love.
Based in Beaudesert, Queensland, inland from the Gold Coast, HRD Builders specialise in renovations and extensions around the Brisbane and Scenic Rim areas, managing entire projects from start to finish.
The company primarily focuses on domestic renovations with a particular skill in upgrading kitchens and bathrooms. Meanwhile, the earthmoving side to HRD Builders can tackle pool digs, builders’ foundations, plumbing and drainage work and specialise in retaining walls.
Anything he can do to make his day more efficient and comfortable is a bonus which is why he began considering a new truck.
“I did look at some of the other brands, but I trusted Isuzu Trucks and decided to go with them,” says Reilly, who started out as an apprentice before branching out on his own about ten years ago.
“A lot of that decision had to initially do with the name and the reputation Isuzu has.”
He was looking for something that could replace both his ute and trailer and give him an all-in-one, so he didn’t have to constantly engage and disengage the trailer. After researching various trucks and prices, he found what he was looking for at an Isuzu dealership in Archerfield, Queensland, making a purchase there and then.
What he got was an NPR 55-155 Tradepack, which requires a light truck license.
The Isuzu N series are light trucks known for their durability and broad range of safety features including advanced emergency braking that can recognise pedestrians, a lane warning that sounds if the truck starts to drift and a distance warning system, alerting the driver if they get too close to the vehicle in front of them.
For Reilly, the truck is serving exactly the purpose he’d hoped for and is in continuous use. The added benefit is he can still tow a trailer with an excavator if he needs to.
“What I had was a ute and a trailer, now I have a ute and a trailer on the truck,” he said.
“We use it to cart all the tools around and it carries materials, fencing, rubbish, helping with whatever we happen to need to do on any particular day.”
He’s particularly fond of the Apple Carplay platform which provides a hands-free option, a benefit for anyone who has had to field as many calls as Reilly does.
His model is powered by a 4HK1-TCN engine that produces 114kW and 419Nm of torque. As a 4-cylinder it boasts a gross vehicle mass of 5,500kg, with a 4,500kg towing capacity.
While this vehicle is Reilly’s to drive, his team do get the opportunity to use his other Isuzu vehicle, a NMR 60-150 tipper, which is used for earthworks and has a payload limit of 2800kg.
“The tipper has been great too,” Reilly says.
“It’s the smallest tipper they produce and requires a light truck license as well. I would definitely recommend both to anyone in the industry.”
With two new Isuzu vehicles at the ready, this is just the first step in some exciting expansion plans for HRD Builders, adding to Reilly’s heavy workload.
Despite his busy schedule and when he isn’t managing his team, he admits he does still like to get back on the tools occasionally.
“I do really enjoy the tools, although there are quite a few distractions especially with the phone ringing flat out,” he said.
“If I could just turn my phone off once in a while, that would be nice.”
