Commissioned by a professional couple with young children looking at an extensive renovation / extension of their 1930s ex state house. Client was looking for a complete design and build solution on a moderate budget.

Ngaire and Tom, a busy professional Auckland couple with children, came to us looking for an extensive renovation and extension of their 1930s state house in Orakei to better complement their growing family.

The result of the complete design and build solution is a large light and spacious dwelling, virtually a brand new home, which Tom and Ngaire now enjoy with their family.

A key solution to busy family living was creating a ‘pavilion’ style space, positioning the kitchen between two living areas to create separate zones for adults and children while still keeping an open, spacious feeling.

The new layout is spread over two levels with a double garage, laundry, rumpus and entry at ground level.

The upper level was fully remodelled to include a strip of bedrooms, a new family bathroom and the open plan living and kitchen area. One end is for the kids and their cartoons, and the other for the adults and entertaining – leading outside to a balcony enjoying views over to Mission Bay and Rangitoto.

A light coloured bag-washed render was applied to the existing brickwork and is combined with dark stained vertical cedar to provide a striking street front elevation.

There were some key challenges to the project including the favoured early designs exceeding the moderate budget. With our fully integrated design and build service we were able to able to find efficiencies while still ensuring the highest quality result. Working with Ngaire and Tom, and our building manager (the father), we incorporated the best parts of the design into a new plan that fit the budget perfectly.

Difficult drainage and a sloping site were also challenges, but because we were able to ask the hard questions of the right people, Tom and Ngaire came out with cost-effective solutions that allowed them to spend their money where it would be appreciated most – not on stormwater drainage!

With design and build working as a team we were able to tick all the boxes and make our clients’ dream home a reality.

DESIGN/PLANNING: 6 Months
CONSTRUCTION: 6 Months