Design Builders

34 Years of Award-Winning Homes
We built our first home in 1992. Now we’re known as New Zealand’s designers and builders of unique award-winning homes. Working with you, we develop initial ideas, refine them, create plans and elevations and, when all is ready, build to the highest standards. You might think that a home designed the way you want it is out of reach. With us, you can afford to think differently. Our process is built around you, and your budget. 

Design Thinking
Each home we design and build is inspired by the people who will live in it. We believe your home should be as unique as you. So when we say ‘a home built around you’ it means you’re at the heart of the whole process, your style, your practical requirements, your site, your budget, and then we add architectural flair to delight you. The homes that we create are all different, but they start the same way, with a blank sheet of paper and a client who wants a great unique home.

Warmer, Healthier and Costs Less to Run
Eco Living is our approach to creating your home that aims to maximise you and your family’s comfort while reducing your home’s running costs. From choosing materials that make the most of the sun’s warmth to putting the latest energy-efficient thinking to work, Design Builders have the knowledge to make the difference. Be sure to ask us about how we can create a beautiful one-off home that is comfortable, healthy, and costs surprisingly little to run. 

Homes that home-buyers love We think that you’ll love living in your superb one-off home by Design Builders. But if you do ever sell, it’s good to know that homes with real architectural merit could attract a higher resale price. A beautifully designed and crafted home has all-important street appeal, a superb exterior to catch a buyer’s eye, and an inviting interior that means style and comfort. With Design Builders, you can own a home that you’ll absolutely love, and so will other people.

Your Budget
We keep it all transparent. Some others treat items such as driveways, decks, window frames, doors, and taps as extras. This might make the price look good on paper – at first. But not when the bills keep coming. Design Builders will cover everything with you, so you know exactly what you’re up for, up-front. For a general idea of how far your money goes, take a look at this informative gallery.

Renee Woods

Registered Architect

Renee is a skilful space planner and is passionate about ensuring clients wants and needs are not only met but exceeded. The result is a combination of architectural flair, clients vision, and response to the building site.

Daniel Akkerman

NZCert. in Arch. Draughting Honours

With a background in the building industry as a qualified carpenter, Daniel moved into design 9 years ago and is a superb architectural draughtsman.

Sarah Levasseur

Dip. Arch. Draughting / Dip. Arch. Tech

Sarah Levasseur has a Dip. Arch. Draughting and a Dip. Arch. Technology from Otago Polytech. She loves conquering the challenges of one-off residential design.

Building experts call it ‘passive solar heating’. We also call it a smart way to heat your home and save a packet on your power bills forever. It’s just one example of Design Builders’ complete Eco-living Home approach. If you’re interested in owning a home that costs less to run and is more comfortable and healthy, then talk to us about the latest energy-efficient thinking.

By making the most of natural light and ventilation, plus clever building orientation, layout, window placement and insulation you can reduce the amount of energy you need to heat, cool and light your home.

As well as smart passive energy-efficient features, we can also give you expert advice on active systems, such as solar Photo-voltaic Panels, Wind Energy, Grey Water Collection Systems and plenty more.

Lifemark & Design Builders Homes Designed for Life Lifemark rated homes are designed to be usable and safe for people of all ages and stages. They are easy to live in – for a lifetime. The Lifemark Star Rating shows how well a new home will suit you and your family’s needs over a lifetime. Find out more about the Lifemark Star Rating below.

How Lifemark Homes are Rated A new home design is rated against the Lifemark Standards and awarded points based on how adaptable, safe and usable the home is. The better the rating (3, 4 or 5 Stars), the more it will suit your family’s needs throughout life as they change. Homes will be assessed focusing on suitability in the following areas: Access to the home – pathways and entrances Getting around – doorways Fittings and fixtures – light switches, handles and tapware Bedrooms Kitchen and Laundry Bathrooms