There are many things about the 1980s that deserve to be celebrated; the music, the movies, the hair, the larger-than-life fashions. However, there are also some not quite so fab elements too, the biggest being the foundations for what was to become the leaky building crisis.

“The owners of this 1980’s plaster home loved everything about it—the size, the layout, the stunning harbour views and the great location and neighbourhood—everything, except the 1980’s plaster exterior and the fact that it leaked,” says Jules Lee, Director of Harbour City Building Company.

“The original owner was an architect, so, from a design perspective, the house delivered on almost all fronts. The current owners have owned the house for 22 years and were keen to retain and update it rather than demolish and build new.

“From the outside it looked fine but the reality was worse than everyone had thought when it was stripped back, which is often the case with leaky homes.”

Jules says the clients wanted a maintenance-free home that offered easy living and, most importantly: ‘no leaks, ever’.

“The home had a very good programme to begin with, with good flow, so essentially, the floor plan has remained the same. We have incorporated a cantilevered element off the upper level to create a large, outdoor room and in the process created a larger kitchen. With the exception of filling in an outdoor area downstairs to create a guest suite, everything else has been kept the same size.

“While much hasn’t changed, from a building point of view, we’ve undertaken major structural changes—all the things you don’t see—and a lot of structural improvements. The cantilever element, for example, contains massive steel beams with some substantial foundations; it looked something like a small car park building when it was going up.”

As per the clients’ request for a watertight, no maintenance home, exterior materials were chosen for their ‘minimal penetration’ attributes—including the roof; which is a clip-on system—as well as for their aesthetic benefits of bringing the home up to date.

“The whole house has been reinsulated to a modern standard including double glazing and central heating. The original house had solar but the system was pretty much redundant, so we opted for increased natural light and solar gain as a way to help regulate the internal environment. The whole house has been rewired including a new security system and all new flooring installed throughout. An additional hot water service has been installed to service the new guest suite.

“Externally, we have relandscaped the whole property including incorporating in situ concrete pavers and new decking to the pool area. All new drainage has been installed and the driveway resurfaced and fencing re-rendered. Really, the only remaining link to the home’s 1980s origins are the glass bricks.”

Jules says the architectural transformation of the home is testament to good design, detailed specification and the builder’s craftsmanship and attention to detail.

“For me, I really like that we have kept the link to the past but that, thanks to elements such as the modern, cavity system cladding solution, we have been able to give our clients the home that they envisioned and which will serve them for the next 20-plus years.

“For the owners, they love the increased ambience and comfort of their new home and the security of knowing that they no longer have to be concerned with weather tightness or structural issues enhances their enjoyment. They are delighted that the restoration of the house has not only improved their living conditions but has also improved the value of the property.”

Awards: Gold medal in the Master Builders Auckland Region, renovation over $1 million.

Words by: Justin Foote