Are villas really worth the effort?

Kiwis have traditionally loved doing up houses. But lately, agents report, buyers are not as keen to take on a renovation project — most prefer a house that is move-in ready. So we asked the experts: which type of house is the most difficult to renovate: Villas or bungalows? Art deco or 1940s? 1950s and state houses? Or those built in the 1970s? “The older the building the harder it is to renovate,” says New Zealand Renovation Co. managing director Darrel Assink. Villas have being the main targets for renovations since the 1980s. Assink says sourcing materials to match the original era of the building is the costly task. “If people want to keep the character, want to match the original moulds and trims, kauri floors, want to keep the ceiling height and other bits and pieces that are custom made, that’s where it becomes costly,” he says. "You can’t go down to your Bunnings or Mitre 10 and buy mouldings and trims, you have to bring in specialists.” On top of maintaining the character, you also will often need to update things like lowpressure water systems, old wiring and piles, and add insulation, says Assink. The older the building, the harder it is to comply with the current building code. So, how come if they are so expensive to renovate, villas are always so hot on the property market? Lover of villas, serial renovator Hamish Mackenzie, of Auckland, says they are full of class and mystique. He’s restored three villas for himself over the last 20 years and has now switched from commercial project management to running his own renovation business, Villaxation. “Villas have high ceilings, double-hung windows, verandas ... which all provide a great atmosphere.” The hard work is worth it, he says. “They’ve served families for 100 years and there’s no reason why they can’t do it for another 100 years.” Mackenzie has been upgrading a three-bedroom villa in Mt Eden since buying it five years ago. He’s added a master bedroom, living room, walk-in wardrobe, second bathroom, and a garage. He also built a third level with a tower for an office and library. The most challenging part of the project, apart from getting resource consent, he says, was building the tower and doingup the bathrooms. “There’s always a lot of cost in the bathroom and plumbing under the floor,” he says. Another major is insulating the walls, floors and ceiling — most villas were built without insulation. “Anything to do with weather integrity should be done earlier rather than later, such as insulation and roofing,” says Mackenzie.