Industry professionals talk property

Whether it is a technical puzzle only specialists can understand or a housing issue that affects everyone, if it matters to you, ask us. YIJU New Zealand will find professionals to provide clear answers and thorough explanations! 

When renovating an older home, what concerns you most?

The cost? The process from start to finish? Or how to obtain approval? In this issue of YIJU New Zealand, we have selected 4 representative questions and invited three professionals from different fields to share their insights.

 

Specialist field: architectural design

Professional: Zheng Kefeng

Architectural designer and founder of SDS architectural design company

Zheng Kefeng graduated from the University of Auckland in 2008 with a master’s degree in architecture. In 2013, he founded SDS (Sustainable Development Solutions Ltd.), helping clients unlock their sites’ potential for added value, balance architectural appeal with construction costs, and maintain good communication with councils and builders.

 

Tiantian Tianqing, a reader of YIJU’s official WeChat account: There are many renovation companies, but their quality varies considerably. How do I choose a suitable design/renovation company? 

Answer: Home alterations and renovations are common in New Zealand. Many people hope to upgrade their own homes or investment properties where circumstances allow, improving living conditions and the potential for capital growth. In practice, however, the process can feel difficult to control because it involves so many aspects, including building consent applications, on-site construction management, council inspections and applications for a Code Compliance Certificate. Design and renovation companies also differ in their procedures and business philosophies, and quotes for the same project can vary enormously, leaving consumers confused. Recent reports of people being cheated by builders from their own hometown only deepen the concern: who can you trust with home alterations and renovations these days?

First, the most basic requirement is to find a design and renovation company with government-recognised LBP licensing. LBP stands for Licensed Building Practitioner. There are 7 main licence classes: Design, Carpentry, Roofing, Foundations, Brick and Blocklaying, External Plastering, and Site. The New Zealand Government introduced the LBP scheme to help consumers identify unqualified design and renovation companies passing themselves off as competent operators, and confidently engage building professionals who provide quality services. Remember that you need an LBP-licensed design company when applying for building consent, as well as appropriately licensed professionals in the relevant trades to carry out alterations and renovations on site. This is the only way to ensure the work can pass the required council inspections and obtain a Code Compliance Certificate, CCC, protecting your legal rights.

Second, when dealing with an established design and renovation company, speak with the architectural designer first if circumstances allow, as the designer plays a major role in determining the cost. A good designer can tailor an alteration and renovation plan to the home’s existing layout and the project budget, helping clients make sound decisions from the outset and spend where it matters most. Also visit the company’s previous projects. Beyond assessing whether the overall feel suits your taste, look closely at the quality of work completed on site, such as the smoothness of painted walls, kitchen cabinetry workmanship and bathroom tile joints. Most importantly, sign a formal design and construction contract. Under New Zealand Government requirements, projects quoted above NZ$30,000 must have a formal building contract to protect consumers. This also provides a legal basis for resolving disputes between the parties.

Finally, Auckland is not a large place, and its home design and renovation community is smaller still. Personal recommendations from friends can therefore be the most reliable starting point. Combine these with the checks outlined above and your own budget, and you should be able to find a dependable design and renovation company.

 

 

Specialist field: property investment and marketing

Professional: Pauline Gao

Director of Zhuojia Communications and publisher of YIJU New Zealand

As publisher of YIJU New Zealand, a ‘property investment and building guide’, Pauline is driven by a mission to help every reader settle into a fulfilling life in New Zealand. With more than a decade of experience in the country’s construction and property industries, she has a deep understanding of property development, investment and marketing.

 

YIJU reader Ava: My house is 30 years old and was poorly maintained by its previous owner. I want to renovate it completely before moving in. What work is essential?

Answer: Your question is a little broad, because every home is different and the work considered ‘essential’ will vary. As it happens, I have just finished renovating my own home, so I can share some of my experience.

My house was built in 1988 and is now 33 years old. It is a single-storey brick-and-tile home. Its strengths are a fairly sound structure and good materials; its drawback is its age. Based on its particular condition, I carried out the following renovation work:

Check whether the structure needs alteration or improvement: If you will be living in the home, engage a professional architectural designer to prepare a design and plan, deciding whether structural alterations or improvements are needed to suit your household. If you are renovating to sell, structural alterations are generally not recommended.

Replace plasterboard and insulation: Because the home is older, the plasterboard and insulation in its ceilings and walls may no longer meet the Healthy Homes Standards. I therefore suggest replacing all the plasterboard and insulation, then repainting to ensure a smooth finish.

Inspect and upgrade plumbing and wiring: For a 30-year-old home, I believe inspecting plumbing and electrical wiring is essential. Pipes may have deteriorated internally, and the wiring may have insufficient capacity. Engage appropriately registered and licensed plumbers and electricians to inspect and upgrade them.

Upgrade window glazing: Most older homes have single-glazed windows. If you want better protection against damp, noise and heat loss, consider replacing them with double glazing. Appropriately licensed building professionals should also carry out this removal and installation work.

Update the kitchen: There is no standard formula for improving a kitchen; practicality is the main consideration. Work also includes checking whether extraction complies with requirements and replacing appliances.

Improve flooring, wardrobes and bathrooms: Depending on your household’s needs, consider replacing carpet, flooring or tiles, installing custom wardrobes and updating bathroom fittings.

Update the fireplace: New Zealanders generally like an attractive fireplace. I recommend engaging an experienced professional to design and install it.

Garden design and maintenance: The garden is another important contributor to a home’s value. Many older homes have neglected gardens that need a professional garden designer’s input, followed by coordinated improvement and maintenance work.

 

Tips:

Prepare an overall construction plan and budget for the home

Engage professionals for the overall home design and furnishings

Choose a professional construction management team

Choose professional, licensed tradespeople

Compare several suppliers and construction teams, and look at their previous projects as references

 

 

Specialist field: heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration

Professional: Frank Shi

RCR Chief engineer and technical director

Frank Shi has worked in heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration and electrical installation services for nearly 30 years, with extensive experience in both China and New Zealand. Currently chief engineer and technical director at RCR, he has contributed to the design, construction, installation, repair and maintenance of numerous major projects.

 

YIJU reader Elena: The toughest tenancy legislation yet has come into force, requiring rental properties to have a fixed heating device that keeps the living room at no less than 18 degrees. As a homeowner, how should I choose the most suitable heating device? Which type do you recommend most? 

Answer: The regulations are intended to ensure healthy living conditions for most people. Although they may involve some expense in the short term, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks over the longer term.

The main fixed heating options are heat pumps and electric heaters. Research by many experts in New Zealand and overseas shows that installing a heat pump is the most effective way to heat an ordinary home, and it is my strongest personal recommendation. In New Zealand’s relatively damp climate, heat pumps offer a dehumidifying function that electric heaters lack, making the home more comfortable. Most modern heat pumps also provide both heating and cooling, so they can keep homes cooler during hot summer weather, making them more attractive to tenants.

However, many landlords ‘feel’ that heat pumps cost more and use more electricity, so they prefer electric heaters. Is that actually true? Let us look more closely:

Take a 3.5 kW heating-and-cooling heat pump as an example. Without supplementary electric heating switched on, it typically consumes 1 kW while delivering 3.8 kW of heat. In other words, it uses 1 kW of electricity to produce 3.8 kW of heat. A typical electric heater, by contrast, produces heat equivalent to only 80%–90% of the electrical energy it consumes: 1 kW of electricity produces 0.8–0.9 kW of heat. Because a heat pump is more efficient, it uses less electricity to produce the same amount of heat.

Of course, a heat pump costs more to buy initially than an electric heater. However, rent for most New Zealand rental properties includes water, electricity and internet charges. The electricity costs of an electric heater gradually offset the difference in purchase price and eventually exceed the cost of using a heat pump. At that point, the electric heater is no longer ‘saving money’. We estimate that using an ordinary electric heater costs about NZ$1800 in electricity over a year, enough to buy a heat pump.

 

YIJU reader Xiaowen: Most houses in New Zealand do not have air conditioning for summer cooling, as the hottest weather lasts only a few weeks. What kinds of homes do you think need cooling air conditioning installed?

Answer: Air conditioners used to be mainly for cooling, but technological advances mean almost all modern units can now both heat and cool. As I explained in my previous answer, if you choose a heat pump as your fixed heating device, you do not need to worry separately about cooling and can enjoy a comfortable summer.

As for which homes suit cooling air conditioning, I believe any home can have it installed to improve comfort if the budget allows. Global warming means New Zealand summers are no longer as cool as they once were, and homes without air conditioning can become uncomfortably hot for a month or two. Homes with poor insulation, homes with many windows and abundant sunlight, and the upper floors of taller older houses, particularly the second and third storeys, can become especially hot in summer, so I particularly recommend cooling air conditioning for these. As mentioned earlier, heat pumps also remove moisture, so I recommend them for damp homes too.