The Huntly House

This historic 1911 villa, 586 m² including its heritage decks, was cut into six parts and moved 600 km to the edge of the Manukau Harbour at Clarks Beach. Before the move it had been used by squatters and had then sat empty for a long time.

It arrived in very run down condition, with no modern heating, limited plumbing, wiring and insulation, a rough kitchen and no decent bathroom. The house movers did their best, but once it was on its new site there were still gaping holes, and the wind sounded louder inside than outside. Most of the specialist finishing timbers, like the archway by the front door, lay in bundles on the floor.

The owners chose to renovate fully in one go, rather than spread the work over decades. They were overseas for most of it and trusted Catherine, Chris and the team to keep them informed. We used project management software and regular online meetings to keep up with a complex mix of extensions and alterations.

Made to look 100% original

The owners wanted the finished home to look 100% original. The architect’s design and our team’s specialist skills blended the new and the old.

Inside, the house has been extensively remodelled. It is stronger now and keeps its character. The living areas and kitchen were opened up to cater for large gatherings. (The old coal range would have struggled!)

Upstairs, the original six bedrooms became four bedrooms and three ensuites. The original bathroom was modernised but kept most of its original fittings: the bath, the vanity, the flushing chain and the copper cistern toilet.

At the back, the old generator room is now a self contained bedsit. An extra verandah on the north facing side was built to match the existing verandahs on the same level exactly.

The house is now fully insulated, with radiators heating the whole house. New internal doors let the owners open rooms up or close them off, and new bifold doors open onto decks with coastal and rural views.