1880s Herne Bay Villa: Breathing New Life into History
When Stacey and her family purchased their two-bedroom villa in Herne Bay, they weren't just buying a house – they were adopting a piece of New Zealand's architectural heritage. Dating back to 1880, this charming worker's cottage is among the oldest homes in the country and one of Herne Bay's original dwellings. However, the home's historical significance came with challenges that only the right team could overcome.
From Dream to Reality
"We originally wanted a fully renovated three-bedroom villa," Stacey explains, "but couldn't find one within our budget. So we pivoted to purchasing this two-bedroom unrenovated villa with the vision of transforming it ourselves."
That vision was ambitious: completely renovate the historic cottage to create a contemporary, high-end home while adding a third bedroom for their growing family. The plan was to convert the original lounge into a master suite with an ensuite bathroom and extend the back of the home with a new 35m² lounge and dining area, complete with a 30m² kwila deck for entertaining.
With resource consent in hand, Stacey and her family sought a builder who could navigate the complexities of working with a 140-year-old structure.
Early Collaboration: The Foundation of Success
"We first met Pete after receiving resource consent approval for our renovation," Stacey recalls. "He was incredibly helpful in reviewing the plans, and his input into the building consent application was invaluable. Once that was approved, we were able to move forward quickly with the construction agreement, and the project began just a few months later."
Build Unlimited's involvement from these early design stages proved crucial. Pete provided design ideas and input on buildability that helped align architectural ambitions with practical considerations and budget constraints.
"Working with such a historic structure required careful planning," Pete explains. "You don't just renovate an 1880s villa the way you would a modern home. There's a responsibility to honor its heritage while making it functional for contemporary living."
Uncovering History's Challenges
Once work began, the team discovered the true extent of the renovation's challenges. The entire house needed to be gutted back to the framing, revealing significant borer damage that had compromised structural integrity.
"We found a lot of borer, and as such, a lot of framing needed to be replaced as it was no longer structurally sound," Pete notes. "We got the entire home borer treated to protect it for the next 10 years."
Beyond the pest damage, the team encountered the classic challenges of heritage renovation: uneven floors, walls that weren't straight or plumb, and level changes throughout the house that disrupted flow.
"The main bathroom had a step down and the whole floor was uneven," Pete explains. "We reframed parts of the subfloor to bring the bathroom up to the same level as the rest of the house. We also had to lift the kitchen floor area as well as the roof in places to make the floor level and frames correct."
Engineering Solutions with Heritage in Mind
Working closely with structural engineers and architects, Build Unlimited developed solutions to modernize the layout while preserving the home's character.
"We worked closely with our structural engineer and the architect to come up with solutions to install timber beams that would allow us to remove internal walls and really open the space up," Pete says. "This made it feel large, open and inviting, which was important to the clients."
Throughout this process, transparent communication about costs was essential. The team used specialized project management and cost estimation software to keep everything on track despite the variations discovered once framing was exposed.
"As first-timers tackling an extensive renovation, we anticipated the process to be more challenging," Stacey shares. "However, Pete and his team made it much smoother than we expected. They provided us with a detailed Gantt chart outlining the schedule and what to expect on site each week, which helped us understand timings and get organised as we were supplying some materials ourselves."
Bringing Contemporary Luxury to Historical Spaces
As the renovation progressed, the home underwent a remarkable transformation. The original lounge was converted into a spacious master suite with an ensuite, while the new 35m² extension created a bright, open living area that connected seamlessly to the outdoors via a 30m² kwila deck.
High-end finishes throughout elevated the home's aesthetic. Fully tiled bathrooms featured a large flush-entry ensuite shower, minimal tapware, and modern vanities. Solid oak flooring throughout the living spaces provided durability and visual warmth, while large lounge sliders allowed natural light to flood the new extension.
"The new extension matches the original house style, including timber joinery to match the existing," Pete notes. "This was important to maintain the home's character while bringing it into the 21st century."
Perhaps most importantly, the renovation addressed the home's functional challenges. What was once a disjointed layout with multiple level changes became a cohesive space with only one level transition, maximizing flow and usability while maintaining an open, inviting atmosphere.
A Seamless Process
Despite the project's complexity, the renovation proceeded smoothly, something Stacey attributes to Build Unlimited's communication and management.
"Regular weekly meetings on site kept everything on track, and the few issues that arose were resolved quickly," she explains. "Communication throughout the project was excellent—Pete was always responsive, offering solutions and design options when needed. His team worked efficiently and we loved the Friday afternoon video walkthroughs to see progress."
For the Build Unlimited team, the project represented a special opportunity to be part of New Zealand's architectural history.
"This is the oldest home we have worked on and one of the oldest homes in New Zealand," Pete reflects. "It was very special to be working on such a part of history."
A Heritage Home for Modern Living
The completed renovation delivered everything the family had hoped for: a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home with contemporary amenities and finishes, all within a structure that retained its historical character.
"The entire process ran smoothly, staying both on schedule and within budget," Stacey shares. "We couldn't be more pleased with the final result—our home looks beautiful, and the quality of work is exceptional. We wouldn't change a thing and would work with Build Unlimited again on any future projects."
For Pete and the Build Unlimited team, the Herne Bay villa stands as a testament to what's possible when craft, communication, and careful planning come together to honor the past while creating spaces for the future.
"These heritage homes have stories to tell," Pete says. "Our job is to respect those stories while writing new chapters that will last for generations to come."
