Home and conservatory renovation in Glenfield
With a home and conservatory renovation, James helped these homeowners create their forever home with more usable outside space.
Homeowner testimonial from Meidy:
“James is a great communicator, that is the one thing that is so important. Along the way he would keep us updated on the budget, the materials, what time he was arriving. He let us know when things were being delivered, people coming in and out. No question was a stupid question to ask, he made us feel comfortable and made the whole process really enjoyable. I’ve heard horror stories about renovations and we can't say we had that experience whatsoever. He was always available to answer questions. I recommend James to people, if you need a builder, I always say go to James. We were sad when our renovation finished, we loved the process with James.”
Paul and Meidy both grew up in Glenfield, Auckland and were thrilled when they purchased their first home there. While they knew their three bedroom home needed some attention, they were happy to be close to family and friends, and were confident it would become a home they could enjoy for many years to come.
The first project on their list was to makeover the elevated outside space with no flat area, into a lawn their busy toddler could play on with his friends. “James helped with the design suggestions. My husband had a different idea but James helped him visualise the space and create a plan that was achievable. The lawn area, retaining wall design and the sloping sides, were James’s ideas.” The new retaining wall changed the outside space completely, giving them a more usable space with room for a trampoline.
When Paul and Meidy were ready for their home and conservatory renovation, they again got in touch with James.
Before renovating, the home consisted of very boxy, small spaces. Now the family enjoys living in open spaces that are more suitable for entertaining. The old kitchen was closed in by a wall and the conservatory was separate, with a window over the sink. “James had this idea of an open kitchen and put in a structural beam. We had contacted another builder before, who didn’t want to do the work. He was no, no, no and put us off, but with James, he explained how we could do the work. He is solutions driven, which is what we really liked. The building is all secure and safe with the foundations done to code.” Opening up the conservatory made the space more usable for the family, and Meidy enjoys being able to look out to the garden from the kitchen and dining space.
A very personal touch makes this kitchen renovation unique
A unique feature of the modern kitchen is that the cupboards and drawers under the benches are painted in VW Blue car paint. Paul is a car painter by trade and wanted to use the hard wearing paint (that polishes beautifully) on the cupboard doors. The kitchen is bright, with white cupboards along the top to reflect the light coming in from the conservatory. The outdoor flow to the deck makes a really good connection to the new flat lawn.
The hard flooring is consistent throughout the home and James discussed the available options and helped the homeowners make decisions along the way. “He never pressured us to do the next part of the project through him, but gave us great advice if we wanted to try some parts of the renovation ourselves.”
The bathroom was renovated with fresh tiles, fitted cabinets, a new shower and fittings. The bedrooms were repainted with new carpets laid, and an HRV was installed to keep everything fresh and healthy. The ceilings were replaced and plastered to complete the more modern, fresh interior. The house has a welcoming feel, and the homeowners are delighted with their new home.
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