Bright Build’s clients had a 220m2 (four bedroom, 1.5 bathroom) home from the 1970’s, on a large 840m2 site in Eastbourne, Wellington. Purchased in 1985, the family had lived here for 32 years. Age had caught up with the home, and a lack of maintenance was affecting both the structure and the expansive grounds.

Inside was….

• The accumulation of a lifetime of belongings.
• A leaking roof that was causing mould and rot, damaging some of the structure.
• Dated kitchen and bathrooms.
• Aged furnishings (curtains, carpets, paint work).

Outside had….

• A half-empty, leaking pool.
• Extensive overgrowth of plants and trees.
• A broken asphalt driveway.
• Fences that needed attention.
• Non-existent grass growth on the lawn.

First steps were to remove the household belongings, arranging with charities for what could be collected. The kitchen, laundry, downstairs toilet and some of the upstairs bathroom were gutted. Leaks were identified, repaired, and the damage caused to ceilings, walls and floors cut out and replaced.

Craig designed and fitted a new kitchen and benchtop, complete with oven/hobs etc.

The downstairs guest toilet was converted into a full bathroom, and the upstairs bathroom was modernised as the budget allowed. New ventilation was put in, and where required, new bathroom and laundry fittings were chosen and supplied by Bright Build, and plumbing updated.

Heating was replaced with a new gas central heating system, and the water cylinder was removed and switched to constant flow gas hot water.

The grounds were in a state of overgrowth and disrepair. Bright Build first broke up and removed the concrete in ground swimming pool to provide a flat back lawn. The surrounding pergola and vines were also demolished, and the improvement to the amount of light in the house was noticeable.

Trees were felled, and many plants required heavy pruning and cutting back. Stormwater and sewage pipe checks were arranged to ensure that there were no blockages or tree roots affecting them.

New LED lighting throughout the house made a real difference, and will be more cost-effective for energy usage long-term. All floor coverings in the home were removed and replaced with new.

The interior was completely repainted, giving the home a much lighter, modern feel. Touchups were made to the exterior as required. Bright Build measured, sourced and fitted the entire houseload of curtains.

The finishing piece for inside the home involved keeping the property secure with a new coded front door lock, locks for the French Doors, and even arranging for a new key to replace one that was lost – to avoid the cost of changing locks.

Bright Build removed the existing lawns (which were dead/dying) and installed new ready-lawn. Garden beds were planted with modern, low-maintenance plants.

The rotten, incomplete front fence was fixed, waterblasted and painted. And even the letterbox was replaced and fixed in position.

One of Bright Build’s repeat clients bought a three-bedroom, 1920’s timber home in one of Hataitai’s premier streets.

• The home had been a grand dame in her day, but was in need of a substantial makeover.
• The exterior showed great bones, but was looking tired and in need of maintenance.
• The roof was very old.
• The home had been impeccably looked after, but the interior was dated.
• The large kitchen area did not utilise space well, and still retained the original meat safe.
• The single bathroom was out-dated.
• A second toilet and laundry were not using their floor area effectively.
• The site was very uneven and not conducive to outdoor activities, with limited access.

The kitchen moved location to the north-eastern end of the house where it gained sun and character of the ornate plaster ceilings. Also created was the ability to have an eat-in kitchen, a separate dining area, and open-plan living. French doors were installed in the eastern wall to take advantage of the morning sun and create indoor-outdoor flow to the newly formed deck. And the panoramic Evan’s Bay view is now fully revealed.

The new lounge position (previously the Master Bedroom), provides a light- filled, gracious room with views across Hataitai. Sightlines through to Evans Bay and the kitchen/area were created when the adjoining wall was carefully opened up to ensure the beautiful ceilings remained in pristine condition.

A new location was also created for the bathroom to enable installation of a beautiful freestanding bath, tiled shower, wall-hung vanity and toilet.

The Master Bedroom was moved into the previous lounge space, and the existing pantry area was transformed into a full, new ensuite. Large wardrobe spaces were also created.

The valuable fourth bedroom came from a rearrangement of the laundry, second toilet and hallway. A versatile space, it can also be used as a third living area/office/teen retreat as it has it’s own access to the deck and lawn.

A large Gwapa deck (with stainless steel fixings due to sea proximity) was created to link kitchen/living via decking to the fourth bedroom/additional living space – and down onto bench seat style stairs down to lawn. The grounds were landscaped to form new terraces which made flat, child-friendly play areas that are easy access. New lawn and plants were added.

• Underhouse/basement workshop creation
• Creation of additional storage cupboards
• Installation of full gas central heating
• Insulation
• Secured garage and installed electric door
• Revealed matai flooring, which was then prepared, patched, and sealed.