Not some big franchise. Just me.
Kia ora, I’m Cam Dunstan, the owner and operator behind BBQ Cleaners Christchurch.
I’m a 19-year-old Christchurch business owner running BBQ Cleaners Christchurch alongside Woodstackers Christchurch and Dunstan Photography, while also working full-time. The businesses are different, but they all come back to the same thing: practical work, communication, reliability, and actually caring about the result.
As featured in The Press
The Press recently shared the story behind BBQ Cleaners Christchurch, Woodstackers Christchurch, Dunstan Photography, and what it is like building multiple hands-on service businesses at 19 while still working full-time.
BBQ Cleaners started from a simple gap I kept noticing. Customers would ask if there was anyone who could clean, assemble, move, or help repair their BBQ, and there was not really a dedicated local service built around that. I looked at it and thought it made sense as its own business.
From there, I built the website, added an instant quote calculator, started putting cards into local Christchurch stores, and began building relationships with retailers and customers around the city.
How BBQ Cleaners started
BBQ Cleaners Christchurch came from working around BBQs every day and seeing the same problem over and over again. People would buy a BBQ, use it for years, then not know who to contact when it needed a proper clean, assembly, pickup, delivery, or basic external parts help.
Some people had a Weber Q sitting in the corner full of grease. Some had a larger BBQ that smoked before the food even went on. Some had just bought a new BBQ and did not want to deal with the box, screws, trolley, shelves, wheels, instructions, or setup. Others needed help working out whether the issue was a clean, a part, brand support, or something for a certified gasfitter.
That is where the idea became obvious. BBQ cleaning, assembly, delivery, and external parts help should be a proper service people can book easily.
The quote calculator
One of the first things I built for BBQ Cleaners was the instant pricing calculator. Instead of making people wait around for a basic price, customers can select the BBQ type, size, and service they need, then get a quote direction straight away.
Depending on the BBQ and the condition, a clean can be a quick tidy-up or a much deeper job. Some BBQs take around 45 minutes. Others can take a few hours if there is heavy grease, rust, mould, burnt food, blocked areas, trolley cleaning, or parts to check.
Built locally, not copied
I did not start this as some polished franchise idea. I started it because I saw people asking for a service that did not really exist properly in Christchurch. I built the website, made the quote system, printed the cards, contacted stores, and started getting the work in front of people.
Business cards have been placed in local Christchurch stores, and I have been building relationships with retailers and customers who understand the value of having a reliable BBQ cleaning and assembly service nearby.
Why the other businesses matter
Woodstackers Christchurch came from the same type of thinking. I kept seeing people online asking for help stacking firewood before winter, and I already knew how much of a job it could be because I used to stack firewood for my grandma before each winter. It was another practical job that people needed done properly.
Dunstan Photography started in July 2021 after my grandfather passed away. He shared my love of photography and electronics, and we share the same last name. I wanted to honour that by building something under the Dunstan name and taking the work seriously.
How I work
Every message, pickup, clean, delivery, assembly, and external parts job is handled directly by me. No call centre. No random contractor. No giant company pretending to be local.
I notice the small things: the grease under the grills, the faded stainless, the side tables people forget about, the blocked drip tray, the old fat sitting where people do not look, and the difference between something that just looks wiped down and something that actually feels looked after.
At the end of the day, I believe if your name is attached to something, it should be done properly. That is how I run all of my businesses.
BBQ Cleaners Christchurch
BBQ cleaning, deep cleans, assembly, pickup, delivery, trade-in enquiries, and selected external parts help across Christchurch and surrounding areas.
Woodstackers Christchurch
Firewood stacking for people who do not have the time, energy, equipment, or ability to move and stack it themselves before winter.
Dunstan Photography
Event, portrait, and commercial photography built around timing, detail, presentation, and carrying the Dunstan name forward.
Keep the BBQ. Lose the build-up.
Whether it is a family Weber that has been sitting unused, a smoker needing attention, a brand new BBQ needing assembly, or just a job you have been putting off, I can help.
BBQs bring people together. Family dinners, birthdays, summer nights outside, conversations with mates, good food, and memories. I like knowing I play a small part in helping keep those moments going.