The Property
A 1964 three-bedroom state house in New Lynn, purchased at auction for $940,000. The house was structurally sound but cosmetically untouched since the 1980s. Single-glazed windows throughout, no insulation in walls, original kitchen and two bathrooms, fibrolite cladding in mixed condition.
The Scope
The decision to do everything at once rather than piecemeal was deliberate. Better to endure one long renovation than fifteen years of weekends on smaller projects. Major items: re-cladding in vertical cedar, full insulation, double-glazing throughout, kitchen ($52,000), two bathrooms ($34,000 combined), new deck, and full repaint inside and out.
The Timeline
Fourteen months from first tradesperson to move-in. The longest delays were weathertightness inspections (three weeks wait for council) and the kitchen cabinetry lead time (12 weeks from order to delivery).
What They Would Do Differently
Both agree they would hire a project manager rather than self-managing. They spent approximately 15 hours per week on coordination, decisions, and chasing trades. That is a part-time job. A good project manager would have paid for themselves in saved time and avoided mistakes.