Apartment Remodelling & Renovation

Working with a professional will alleviate much of the stress that comes with a renovation. There’s a lot to manage, from logistics like permits to the limitations that come along with renovating within an apartment building. Having an apartment specialist navigate these difficulties for you is invaluable.

That’s up to you! The key to a successful studio apartment design is making sure you use your space efficiently. That could mean prioritising an area for a home office, creating a defined bedroom, or a dedicated space for your pets. It may feel intimidating to design a studio apartment, but with a little creativity, there’s a lot of fun to be had.

While you can find larger flats, studio and one-bedroom apartments are typical sizes for  New Zealand, especially in a CBD. With that in mind, design should focus on taking advantage of space since there generally isn’t the option to extend. Multi-functional living spaces such as a guest room turned home office do just that. 

New build apartments throughout New Zealand are known for being basic, and while that may sound like a bad thing, it provides homeowners with a blank canvas to completely customise their flats and transform them into their dream homes by imparting a bit of personality and character.

Your Renovation Consultant will be able to guide you through the entire process, so don’t worry too much if you’re not sure what to focus on. However, it’s helpful to form a foundation before getting started. Gather an overview of how much you’re comfortable spending, a list of must-haves vs. nice-to-haves, and a few goals for your renovation. 

When drawing inspiration from other apartment renovation ideas, make sure you’re not comparing apples and oranges. For example, design principles of a loft apartment and a 2-bedroom apartment may not be transferable. So if you have a studio apartment, try searching for small apartment designs. This way, the results are more likely to be realistic for your space.

Similar to the cost of an apartment renovation, the timeline depends on the scope. We understand that having part, or all, of your apartment under construction for an unknown period of time is stressful. That’s why scheduling and expectation are discussed early on in our 5-step process. 

Much of the world’s supply chain is still being impacted by COVID but our Renovation Consultants do their best to create a realistic schedule and deliver your project on time. We’ve had homeowners opt to find alternative accommodation during active construction or, if they want to stay in their home, execute their project in phases.

Apartment renovations are nuanced, each requiring a unique and bespoke approach. But having completed thousands of projects, we’ve designed a proven 5-step method to get the job done on time and within budget.  

1. Manage your expectations during your first meeting with a local Renovation Consultant. 
2. Concept designs are developed according to the goals and budget you discussed during your consultation. 
3. After reviewing your plans, you’ll get an estimate for your project that you can approve, or opt to rework.  
4. Once you’ve approved the quote and plans, active renovation can begin!
5. Finally, your Renovation Consultant will provide any project documentation that you’ll need in the future.

We’ve completed apartment renovations throughout New Zealand that cost anywhere from $25,000* to over $200,000*. A common misconception is that the greatest indicator of flat renovation costs is the size of the apartment. However, it’s not. The project scope includes more details and is far more indicative of the final cost of your apartment renovation. Luckily, refining your project’s scope and getting an estimate are all part of Refresh’s comprehensive 5-step process, so there’s no surprises.

Your Renovation Consultant will be able to guide you through the entire process, so don’t worry too much if you’re not sure what to focus on. However, it’s helpful to form a foundation before getting started. Gather an overview of how much you’re comfortable spending, a list of must-haves vs. nice-to-haves, and a few goals for your renovation. 

When drawing inspiration from other apartment renovation ideas, make sure you’re not comparing apples and oranges. For example, design principles of a loft apartment and a 2-bedroom apartment may not be transferable. So if you have a studio apartment, try searching for small apartment designs. This way, the results are more likely to be realistic for your space.