Project Description
Project Description
The main task at this property was to convert a third bedroom into a new lounge in order to open up space for an open-plan dining room and kitchen. The challenge came with the owners wanting to install double doors to separate the new lounge and dining rooms. But these doors, salvaged from a church demolition, were the same size as the floor to ceiling height.
Adding to the complexity of fitting the bespoke-sized doors, Kiwibuild NZ’s Maurice also found that the ceiling heights between the new lounge and dining rooms didn’t match, therefore calling for some out-of-the-box thinking and a solution to fit. Once this obstacle had been overcome and the custom doors fitted, attention turned to fitting out the room’s western wall.
A concertina-style sliding window was installed in the new lounge for a chest-level indoor-outdoor flow. This theme was then extended to the two bedrooms where the old wooden windows were removed with both rooms receiving double door exits with side-panel windows opening out onto the backyard and facing the north for maximum sun exposure.
The work carried out at this property achieved three main outcomes.
One, converting the third bedroom into a new lounge, to open up more space for family living in the dining-kitchen areas.
Two, the removal of old-style wooden doors and windows, and replacing them with larger and more modern glazing, in keeping with the period architecture of the rest of the house. And three, establishing an indoor-outdoor flow, something most 21st century Kiwis strive for in a family home.
“When we were looking for a builder to carry out our renovations we knew they had to tick a few boxes. We needed them to be trustworthy, punctual, courteous and respectful of the fact we’d need to go on living while the work was being done.
We found that Maurice from Kiwibuild NZ ticked all these boxes and more. He was great at sticking to the budget but was also flexible if and when things popped up during the work such as the ceiling height issue and fitting our custom doors.
Maurice took the lead on the project when it came to dealing with other trades-people, seamlessly working in with our electrician and plasterer. He’s also an extremely tidy worker and made sure everything was cleaned up and put away at the end of each day.
The workmanship and attention to detail was outstanding. Even today, a year since the completion, we’re still admiring the super accurate woodwork and finishing carried out by Maurice from Kiwibuild NZ. And we’re planning more work in the very near future!”