Silver winner 2011 – under $250k
Expanding the living area and kitchen of this 1960s home has transformed the way the owners and their 3 children use their house. The original kitchen was small, out-dated and its location meant the person cooking was isolated from the living area.
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With only one living area, entertaining sometimes became tricky when trying to accommodate everyone’s needs. The existing living area also had limited access to the huge back yard. These issues have completely disappeared with the addition of 37sqm of living space. The large new kitchen not only has a central island bench, but it is fully part of the new family room.
This area has been laid with large tiles to visually quieten the area, rather than appearing too busy. Two sets of double opening doors provide that important indoor/outdoor flow, and creation of a new deck and outside patio provide another alfresco living area. Addition of glazed rimu cavity sliders to the formal lounge provides private access into the lounge while bringing light into the hallway.
Although the house already had four bedrooms, the fourth bedroom was very cramped and fitted a single bed only. With some crafty repositioning of the hallway walls and placement of an angled entry door, this fourth bedroom has now become a useable space.
Gold winner 2010 – under $250k
This 1950’s house had a very small dining area adjacent to the kitchen and a separate lounge which did not allow for a combined living area.
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There was no easy access to the outside, where there was a small fenced yard with a deteriorating deck. With the addition of 16sqm to the dining area, a comfortable open plan kitchen/living space was created. The size of the laundry was decreased and the laundry remodeled, and this enabled the kitchen to increase in size.
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With some clever kitchen design, large amounts of cupboard space were created in the newly refurbished kitchen, and a breakfast bar provides a link between the kitchen and living areas. Large bifold doors open onto the new deck to allow fantastic indoor/outdoor flow.
The yard was extensively remodeled to utilize the full length of the section, and now has areas of lawn and paving stones as well as the large deck, making for a child friendly play area. The existing zigzag of steps up to the front entrance of the house was removed and replaced with a stylish sweeping curve of steps, updating the house and creating an attractive approach to a thoroughly modernized house.
Silver winner 2010 – under $250k
The owners of this 1970’s two storey house had found that the existing living area was not big enough for entertaining friends and family
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In addition, the exterior doors opened off the living area directly into the prevailing wind, making the outdoor area inaccessible. This problem has been definitively solved with a 42sqm extension to the living area and two sets of bifold doors leading out into a sheltered extensively renovated patio, barbeque area and to the large gardens beyond.
The 1970s look has been replaced by a stylish modern look, and the extension fits seamlessly with the existing house by using the same style of timber joinery throughout. A large 9sqm walk-in wardrobe above the extension was added to the second storey master bedroom to create additional space for the owners.
A section of the existing games room downstairs was carved off to create a downstairs bathroom. This enabled the hall to be opened up and the addition of a skylight above the hall creates a feeling of light and spaciousness. The newly tiled hallway, the rimu flooring throughout the extension and the great indoor/outdoor flow makes for an entertainer’s dream.
Silver award 2009 – Renovation award up to $250,000
This 1916 two-storey villa has undergone a series of renovations in its life time, but not all of those changes have been in keeping with the original style. The current owners have slowly been restoring the house, so an important part of this alteration was to retain the existing style.
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Big on entertaining, the owners required a kitchen area that would ensure smooth running for their dinner parties, and the creation of indoor/outdoor flow. An extension of 11.9 m2 was added onto the existing kitchen to enable a complete repositioning of the kitchen and addition of a further living area. Two sets of doors opening off either side of the new living area provide access to outdoor dining on the 36 m2 of new decks.
The existing laundry was moved into a custom designed cupboard off the foyer and the space left behind enabled the creation of a sizeable preparation room adjacent to the kitchen. The foyer was refitted with rimu joinery to replace the aluminium joinery that had been added in the 1980s.
Changes were also made upstairs to increase the size of one of the smaller bedrooms. The master bedroom was made smaller to create a study room adjoining the smaller bedroom. One of the challenges with this alteration was re-levelling the existing floor so that the tiles placed on the existing floor were seamlessly matched in with the rimu flooring of the extension. The rimu architraves also required intricate carpentry work and detail to match in with the existing style.
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“Celebrating our silver medal win with the owners at the 2009 House of the Year awards evening”
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Silver award 2009 – Renovation award $250,000 to $500,000
The owners of this 1930s art deco house wanted more space but were passionate about the character of the house. They wanted to ensure it remained true to its original art deco form, even with a second storey extension. Originally three bedrooms and one bathroom, the upstairs extension added two bedrooms, a living area and a new bathroom. The addition of French doors onto a tiled balcony to capture the afternoon sun maximises the views of the adjacent reserve, and provides a private outdoor living space that flows on from the internal living area.
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Alterations downstairs provided a new open plan kitchen and relocated laundry. Creation of a covered deck outside, accessed through bifold doors from the kitchen and bedroom, gives the owners an additional living space. To create a warmer home, extensive retrofitting of insulation and double glazing was carried out on the existing structure, and the extension was insulated using the maximum insulation value. Recycled matai flooring was used in the extension, to replicate the existing flooring through the rest of the house.
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The construction of the second storey met with many challenges because of the additional foundation work and steel reinforcing required to support and brace the extension. The owners requested that the existing matai flooring was not damaged, so all foundation excavation work (25 m3 of soil was removed) had to be carried out in the confined space under the house using a series of trolleys on pulleys. Four major steel portals were lowered down through the existing roof and floor into the new foundations.
The owners remained living in the house throughout the renovation work.
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“Steve, Tony and Kim (owner) receiving the silver award at the 2009 House of the Year awards evening”
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Silver award 2008 – Renovation award up to $250,000
This 1930's Californian bungalow was expanded to fit the owners' growing family. The original layout had limited and poorly lit living areas, and the aim of the renovation was not just to increase the size of the living space, but to increase the usability of that space. A new living room was created as part of a 16 square metre extension, and is perfectly positioned to capture the afternoon sun.
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The kitchen was opened out to create open plan living between the kitchen, the new living room and the old living room. French doors open onto an extensive new deck that extends the living area into the outdoors. The laundry was shifted and expanded, and the toilet room adjacent to the laundry was enlarged to create a full second bathroom. All alterations were carried out in keeping with the original style of the house, maintaining wide rimu skirting and polished wooden floors throughout. The new living area boasts a custom-made rimu bay window that looks out onto the new deck and large garden.
As many materials as possible were reused and incorporated into the alteration. For example, the new island bench in the kitchen is panelled in the tongue and groove timber recovered from the old porch ceiling that was demolished, and the laundry floor is made from reconstituted flooring recovered from other areas of the house.
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“Some of the team celebrating our win at the 2008 Master Builder House of the Year awards evening.”
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National winner 2007 - Renovation award up to $250,000
Walking into this newly renovated house, it is impossible to tell where the original house ends and the renovations begin. The style of this elegant 1930s two-storey Georgian home has been maintained throughout with the use of wide rimu skirting and architraves, tongue and grove rimu flooring and wooden joinery. Although the extension only increased the building's foorprint by 15 m2, the alterations have made a dramatic change to how spacious and usable the downstairs living areas are.
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The kitchen was relocated and expanded to create a space perfect for entertaining. The existing awkward access through the living areas was transformed to create a seamless flow between the kitchen, dining area and family room. Extensive decking and a covered out door area has created the indoor/outdoor flow that the owners were seeking. As many materials as possible were reused in the renovation process, including doors, windows, architraves, skirting and wooden floorboards.
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The existing garage was demolished and replaced with one more fitting to the style of the house. The high stud of the house was carried through into the garage and the use of exposed pitched rafters in the carport linking the house to the garage further enhances the character and quality of this house.
What the judges said: “Every aspect of this renovation fitted superbly with the original character of the house. The renovation was extremely well planned and organised and the workmanship was impeccable.”
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“Rachel and Steve receiving their award after winning a national title at the House of the Year competition”
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Gold reserve national finalist 2006 – Renovation up to $250,000
The owners of this two-storey brick and cedar home wanted to create bigger and lighter living areas. Built in 1987, the house had small, dark rooms and limited indoor-outdoor flow. Extensive alterations and an extension have now doubled the living space, creating a feeling of light and spaciousness throughout the ground floor. Two separate outdoor areas now have excellent flow from the indoor spaces. The upstairs loft has been transformed into a bedroom and ensuite for the couple’s teenage son while the downstairs bathroom has been completely renovated. A key challenge was moving the main entry from one side of the house to the opposite side, creating a secluded courtyard where the old garage entry used to be. Touches such as lowering the kitchen window and replacing it with a sliding window have helped turn this house into an outdoor entertainer’s paradise.
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Regional winner Manawatu 2004 – Renovation up to $250,000
This small four bedroom farm-workers house was more than doubled in size to create a luxury home. This design has captured the magnificent rural views throughout the living areas. The coved ceilings give a spacious effect, which is enhanced by a timber alcove, macrocarpa skirting and architraves, and large window seats. There is also a beautiful redwood kitchen with granite counters and a triangular leadlight window as an added feature. Two of the existing bedrooms were extended and the old living area was converted into the new master bedroom. Porches along the bedrooms and lounge area give an authentic rural feeling. The existing bathroom was enlarged and refitted with a spa bath, pedestal basin and a shower and tiled throughout. An additional bathroom was created with a worker’s entry. The addition of a double garage and a pool room to the house creates plenty of storage and recreation areas for the family’s teenage children.
Regional winner Manawatu 2002 – Renovation up to $250,000 and Heart of the Home Kitchen Award
National finalist 1999 – New homes up to $350,000
