Drive and vision - Remuera

Subdividing a shared site and sorting out the carparking has radically improved a couple's home.

The living room in the main house is on the middle of three levels.

2/125 Portland Rd, Remuera.When Scotney and Janet Williams bought their Remuera home in 2000 it was anything but inviting.

``It was on a shared site with three carports right across the front of the section,'' recalls Janet.
``Not only were they ugly, but the positioning of them meant that our house at the rear of the site had walking access only. We grew to hate the slog up the slippery path in the rain carrying the groceries.''

So when the owner of the front house moved on, they negotiated with the incoming owner to do a full subdivision so that both houses would have drive-on access and adjacent parking.

As Janet remembers with a wry smile, ``It was a time-consuming, expensive, frustrating, but ultimately rewarding experience.''

Paperwork and the installation of stormwater retention tanks for on-site drainage and all weather driveways dragged out the procedure for 18 months, but the end result has been all that they wanted.

``We now have two carparks at the back door on the bottom level where Scotney's office is, and can pop out of the rain through one of the entrances there. It's worked really well.''

Because it is now a roomy three storeys, from an attic bedroom and bathroom on the top, through a middle floor with more bedrooms, another bathroom and living and dining spaces, down to what is at present the office, it is hard to see that the house started life as a statey.

``You have to know where to look. It would have probably been only one, or at most one and a half storeys, but the way it is positioned on a sloping site means that it could be easily extended. We've never developed the bit we use as a workshop, but it is full height and easily could be made more use of.''

Its multi-layered nature lends it to a multitude of uses, and that's before considering the cute stand-alone two-storey chalet to the side of the rear courtyard.

``Both our children have lived in the chalet at one time or another, and we lived in it while the renovations were happening. But the way the bedrooms are spread out throughout the main house means that everyone can be private from each other no matter what their ages are.

We've always used the ground floor as an office but it could very easily be private space for a home stay or guests.''

It is also in the heart of the desirable school zones.
``Because our children are older we haven't had to make use of the schools, but before our old dog died we made use of Waitaramoa Park across the road every day. ''

Although Scotney and Janet have enjoyed their time in Portland Road, they've fallen in love with the area around their beach house at Martins Bay, Mahurangi.

``This has been such a good home for us, but we find it harder and harder to leave the beach and come back to the city. It's just become time for us to kick back and relax a bit more.''

VITAL STATISTICS

BEDROOMS: 5

BATHROOMS: 3

GARAGES: 2

SIZE: Land 537sq m, house 239sq m.

PRICE INDICATION: Interest expected in excess of 2005 CV of $780,000. Auction August 6.

INSPECT: Saturday 1.30-2.15pm.

CONTACT: Shirley Fong, Harcourts, ph 520 8115 bus, 021 720 953.

ON THE WEB: www.harcourts.co.nz #RM060709

FEATURES: Comfortable four bedroom home with self-contained chalet. Layout on three levels lends itself to home office or extended family use. In Auckland Grammar zone.