An Outdoor Experience: Home Exterior Makeover in Porirua, Wellington

A simple enquiry

When Asmita replaced the windows in the upstairs of her Porirua, Wellington bungalow, it quickly became apparent the downstairs would need to be updated to match. She figured she may as well give the exterior and outdoor area a spruce up while they were at it. 

Asmita and her young family enjoyed their home’s existing deck with views over the Porirua Harbour, but there were repairs that needed to be made. They wanted to double-glaze the windows for added warmth and reclad the home with a more durable material.

With her wishlist to hand, Asmita reached out to local Wellington Renovation Consultant Jenelle Winstanley to see what their options were. 

Thorough planning

With the Refresh team taking care of every aspect from consultation through to design and build, Asmita was able to lay all of her ideas on the table and leave them in Jenelle’s expert hands. Having obtained a thorough briefing, Jenelle began the concept and feasibility stage, arranging architectural drawings and assessing whether Asmita’s ideas were feasible. With no red flags raised and the go-ahead from Asmita, Jenelle moved into stage 3 of the Refresh Renovations process – working drawings and costings.

Thoughtful design, reasonable cost

The working drawings take into account the engineering, structural, design, and aesthetic decisions Asmita had made, bringing the project a step closer to reality. The colour scheme chosen was such that the entire team was excited to see the finished project!

The drawings revealed an extra step in the cladding process – Jenelle’s team would need to extend all plumbing pipes as the new weatherboard cladding increased the thickness of the wall. With this knowledge, Jenelle was able to deliver the quote of $149,960, get it approved and get onto construction.

Efficient project management

Project Manager Tom Matthews oversaw all work carried out – electrical, painting, plumbing, cladding, deck repair, window installation, laying of channel drains, fixing broken tiles, and plastering. While Asmita had no requirements for the build timeline, a young family living around a renovation gets tired quickly and so Tom kept trades moving efficiently. This meant the budget was kept under control and the estimated timeline adhered to. Tom’s team reused products where possible which also kept costs down and was a great sustainable aspect of the build.

Challenges arose for Tom and Jenelle when the ideas of the council inspector and the architect didn’t align, but they were able to find a solution that worked for everyone involved and get the project back on track. With so many different parties involved in the renovation process, it’s normal for issues to arise and if/when they do, the Refresh team has the knowledge and expertise to manage and resolve them. The client doesn’t have to worry about a thing!

Tom’s painters moved in to finish the exterior, as well as painting the downstairs bedroom and living space. With the construction stage completed, Jenelle procured the necessary code of compliance and was thrilled to present the finished project to Asmita and her family. 

An incredible outdoor experience

The hard work was over and the transformation was stunning. Asmita’s simple recladding enquiry had led to a completely new lease on life for her home’s outdoor space. The new weatherboard cladding is not only more durable but aesthetically adds an interesting textural element to the home’s downstairs. The new darker colour scheme contrasts the white joinery of the new windows perfectly, while the pillars and fence trim tie together to create a continuity from home to boundary. The repaired decking and tiling are a seamless detail to the overall look and feel, reinforcing a new ambience in the outdoor space.

Bringing it home

Jenelle’s thorough consultation, planning, design, and costing combined with Tom’s project management delivered another amazing result for Team Wellington’s client. Efficiency, communication, and problem-solving led to the project being delivered on time and budget. Upgrading the tired exterior of their home to a more durable and modern finish has given the young Porirua family an entirely new outdoor experience to enjoy. 

Would you like to discuss your home renovation ideas?

Get in touch for a free consultation with your local Renovation Consultant.