KARORI, WELLINGTON

Peaky Builders were engaged to deliver the first stage of a thoughtfully planned two-stage home renovation. Transforming this home into a modern, practical space for a young family, with future plans to support senior living on the lower level.

This much-loved Karori home has been part of the same family for more than 35 years. When it was purchased by the daughter and her husband, the brief was clear: transform the house into a modern, highly functional home that supports multigenerational living, now and well into the future.

The goal was to create independent living spaces downstairs for the parents as they move into their senior years, while refreshing the upper level to suit a growing young family with a baby and toddler. Just as important was designing kitchen and living areas where everyone could come together to cook, eat and spend time as a family.

Peaky Builders were engaged as a full project management build team, taking responsibility for the entire scope of works. From collaborating closely with the architectural team through to coordinating every subtrade, the project was managed start to finish by our team. In response to the current financial climate, the renovation is thoughtfully planned as a two-stage build.

Build your own dreams

Stage One: a complete upstairs transformation

Stage one focuses on a full remodel of the upper level. This includes a brand-new kitchen and scullery, minor reconfiguration of the dining and living areas, and a complete renovation of the principal bathroom. A former childhood bedroom was transformed into a master suite, complete with ensuite and walk-in wardrobe, while a new entranceway was created with a custom cloak closet and built-in seating.

Externally, we infilled a long-disused swimming pool to create a flat, usable lawn area, upgraded fencing and removed an old garden shed, improving both safety and outdoor functionality for the young family.

What made this project especially rewarding is that it’s a true legacy home. With no immediate plans to sell, all design, build and finishing decisions are centred entirely around how the family lives, rather than resale value. This allowed for confident, personalised choices, from custom kitchen panel colours and bold bedroom paint selections through to high-end acrylic wall linings in the bathrooms, chosen for durability and ease of cleaning with two children under three.

Problem solving on site

As with many renovation projects, a challenge emerged when we discovered a structural design element had been missed in the original plans. The front entrance door needed to be raised by approximately 100mm, which would have created an awkward and unsafe step at the threshold.

Working closely with the clients, our team designed an elongated landing that extends into the custom cloak and seating area. The result looks intentional and beautifully resolved, while removing any trip hazard and improving safety and flow through the entrance. All decisions were discussed and approved along the way, ensuring complete transparency.

Looking ahead

Stage two, to be undertaken in the future, will focus on a full ground-floor remodel. Plans include creating an accessible bathroom suitable for assisted care, along with improved bedrooms and wardrobes designed to provide generous, uncluttered spaces for the parents to live independently and comfortably.

A kitchen built for family and feasts

The kitchen is the heart of the project and a major design focus. This is a family that loves cooking for friends and extended family, with regular large gatherings and shared meals. Every detail is carefully considered, from expansive stainless steel benchtops that are easy to clean, to custom cabinetry designed specifically for the family’s chopping boards and dry goods storage.

The stainless steel benchtop spans over four metres in a single run and was welded on site to achieve a seamless finish. It rises at the hob to form an integrated splashback before flowing into a right-angle return, creating a generous L-shaped workspace where multiple people can cook together without getting in each other’s way. The rangehood’s extraction strength, storage accessibility and durability are all prioritised to suit the family’s cooking style.

A Collaborative Success

At handover, the clients shared how much they valued the clear communication, quick problem-solving and dedicated support throughout the project. Having our client advisor involved early helped build trust and confidence before construction even began.

As Sylvia later shared, “It has been so wonderful living together in the big done-up house. Mum can’t stop saying how good it is to cook in the new kitchen.”

This project is a wonderful example of what can be achieved through close collaboration, thoughtful design and skilled project management, resulting in a home built to support family life for generations to come.