A full-house renovation in Karori

A basement addition and home makeover has left this Karori household with a modern, high-quality home.

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Adding a basement to your bungalow is no small task. Refresh Renovations specialist Mark Morrison worked with a huge range of tradespeople throughout this transformation, from excavators to roofers. The homeowners found alternative accommodation during the renovation, and nine months later returned to a completely updated modern home.

House renovation specifications

“This project was a basement extension, adding a second story underneath an existing house”, tells Mark.
The project was specifically focused on the exterior outdoor area, kitchen and open plan living area.

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Mark worked with his clients to ensure the work carried out would suit their budget. As can be expected with any renovation project which includes significant structural changes, council consent was required. This, along with drainage issues, contributed to costs - with the original project budget being $630,000.
“Some additional minor unforeseen items were encountered”, explains Mark. “The drainage needed to be revised due to ground conditions. Most of the budget increase was attributed to adding scope. The painting work was originally excluded from the budget but was later added back in, it was the same for the bathroom fixtures. There were also additional window changes, electrical items and upgrades to heating systems, among other project specifications.”

Home updates

New matai timber flooring was installed in areas throughout the home, creating a natural and high-quality finish. In the kitchen, Mark’s clients opted for a clean, modern style - adding a pop of colour through their choice in splashback. Stone top benches keep the area simple to clean and add a touch of sophistication.
From there, the dining area and window seat look out into the backyard through large windows and french doors - which soak the living areas in light. Combined with the indoor layout, the deck provides fantastic indoor/outdoor flow - ideal for hosting summer barbeques.

The final result

When the nine months were up, Mark presented his clients with 160sqm of updated living space.
“It was a very involved renovation and the clients had to be out of the house for nine months”, says Mark, “but it created a great new home. It saw the living spaces transformed and almost the entire house upgraded to modern/high-quality specifications.”