As Simon says, "I wanted to make sure the structure was correct."
To see the project through, Simon sold up his share in a vitamins and supplements company to concentrate on the rebuild.
"I basically had charge of the project because I wanted it done right and the only way to do that was to be on the job every day," he says.
Recladding the home in weatherboards meant sacrificing some of the home's curves, notably the first floor deck, which has been straightened and enlarged.
"Although it's pretty much a new build it's also a renovation of an existing property so the house has still got a lot of its quirks," says Simon.
One of those is the curvy Art Deco-style garage at the front and to the side of the property that is resplendent in white plaster and glass bricks.
The rounded two-storey tower on the eastern end of the house is still a prominent feature with a bedroom on each level. It is topped by a lantern that allows light to flood into the upstairs master suite, which has an en suite and walk-in wardrobe. There are views of Rangitoto from this bedroom and its balcony, which has a walkway connecting with the deck.
On this level a central lounge has been set up as a home theatre and opens out to a tiled, north-facing deck.
Off the lounge is an office that opens into a marble-tiled bathroom. Beyond that are two more bedrooms with a sliding door between them so they could become one space for a teenager's hangout or a child's bedroom and playroom.
Downstairs are two more bedrooms with another bathroom between them. Pale oak floors define the entry, kitchen and dining areas with carpet in the bedrooms and lounge. A Poggenpohl kitchen with stone benches, new appliances and a breakfast bar provides plenty of scope for entertaining. Off the dining area there is also a laundry by Poggenpohl.
Warmed by a schist-framed gas fire, the lounge opens out to a north-facing patio and front yard that has been landscaped by Proscape Landscape Professionals.
Simon's original intention was to make this a home for his family, but he has decided to sell after finishing the eight-month project, knowing he has done the best job possible.
