Auckland has an enormous stock of older homes, from the villas and bungalows of the early twentieth century through to the brick and tile houses of the 1970s and 1980s. These homes have real character, often occupy well-established sections with mature gardens, and are frequently in locations that newer homes simply cannot match. They are also, in many cases, genuinely challenging to renovate. If you are planning to renovate an older Auckland home, here are the things you need to understand before you commit to the project.
One of the most common surprises in renovating an older home is the cost of bringing existing work up to current Building Code standards when it is exposed during construction. When you open up walls to move a doorway, install new plumbing, or add a room, you expose existing work that may have been fine under the building standards of its time but does not meet current requirements. In some cases, you will be required to upgrade that work as part of your consent. In other cases, your builder will identify it as a safety or durability issue and recommend upgrading it regardless.
Common examples include old electrical wiring that needs to be replaced when walls are opened, plumbing that does not meet current standards for materials or configuration, insulation that is absent or inadequate by today’s standards, and weathertightness details that worked for the original construction but are no longer acceptable. None of this is anyone’s fault. It is simply the reality of working with buildings that were constructed to different standards in a different era. The way to manage it is to factor a contingency into your budget from the start, and to have your designer and builder discuss the likely scope of compliance upgrading before you commit to a fixed price.
Homes built before 1990 in New Zealand have a reasonable chance of containing asbestos-containing materials. This includes textured ceilings (often called “popcorn” ceilings), certain types of wall and floor sheeting, roof tiles, pipe insulation, and some adhesives and sealants. Asbestos is not dangerous when it is in good condition and left undisturbed. It becomes a risk when it is disturbed during demolition or renovation work, which can release fibres into the air.
Before any renovation work begins on an older home, it is worth having a hazardous materials survey carried out by a specialist. The survey will identify the presence, location, and condition of any asbestos-containing materials and advise on whether they need to be removed or can be safely managed in place. If removal is required, it needs to be carried out by a licensed asbestos removal contractor. This adds cost and time to the project, but it is not something to cut corners on. The health consequences of asbestos exposure are serious, and the regulatory requirements around asbestos management are strict.
Many older Auckland homes were built with timber framing that, while often still structurally sound, may not meet current code requirements in the event of an earthquake. The 2016 Kaikoura earthquake brought renewed attention to the seismic performance of older buildings, and many homeowners are now asking questions about what their home would do in a significant seismic event.
If your renovation involves structural work, such as removing or modifying load-bearing walls, adding a first floor, or making significant changes to the roof structure, a structural engineer will need to assess the existing structure and design the new work to meet current standards. In some cases, this can trigger a requirement to strengthen parts of the existing building as well. This is not always the case, and the extent of any required strengthening work depends on the nature of the project and the existing structure. Your designer can help you understand the likely requirements before you commit to a scope of work.
If your home is in one of Auckland’s special character areas or is individually listed as a heritage building in the Auckland Unitary Plan, there are specific rules about what you can and cannot change without a resource consent. The special character areas cover many of Auckland’s most sought-after inner suburbs, including large parts of Ponsonby, Grey Lynn, Herne Bay, Freemans Bay, Westmere, Mount Eden, Sandringham, and several other isthmus suburbs.
In these areas, demolition of existing buildings requires resource consent, and certain exterior alterations also require consent. The planning rules are focused on protecting the character of the area rather than freezing it in time, and modern additions and alterations are regularly approved in special character areas when they are designed sensitively. But the design approach needs to be right, and the consent documentation needs to demonstrate how the proposal addresses the relevant plan objectives. We have extensive experience with special character and heritage consents across Auckland and can advise you on what is achievable on your specific property.
Not all renovation work requires a building consent, and understanding which work does and which does not is useful for planning purposes. Cosmetic work such as repainting, replacing carpet, installing new kitchen cabinets in the same location, and replacing bathroom fixtures in the same position generally does not require a consent. Work that affects the structure of the building, moves plumbing, changes the weathertightness envelope, or alters load-bearing elements almost always does.
The distinction is not always obvious, and there are grey areas. If you are not sure whether your planned renovation requires a consent, the safest approach is to ask a designer or call Auckland Council’s building consents team. Carrying out work that requires a consent without obtaining one is a serious matter. It can create problems when you try to sell or refinance the property, and in some cases you may be required to remove or remediate unconsented work at your own expense. It is always better to find out upfront and do it right.
Renovation projects in older homes often involve multiple trades working in sequence, and the sequence matters more than many homeowners realise. Structural work generally needs to happen before anything else. Services work, meaning electrical, plumbing, and mechanical, typically happens after structural work and before linings go on. Linings and finishes happen after services. If the sequence gets confused, you end up with expensive remedial work as trades redo work that was done too early.
A good designer will produce a construction programme as part of the documentation package, and a good builder will sequence their work according to it. If you are managing your own renovation without a head contractor, it is worth spending time with your designer understanding the logical sequence of work before any trade starts on site. The cost of getting the sequence wrong is real, and it is avoidable with good planning.
If you are thinking about renovating your Auckland home and want honest advice about what is involved, give us a call. We offer a free initial consultation for all new clients, and we will give you a straightforward assessment of your project, the likely consent requirements, and a realistic budget range before any formal engagement begins.
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