Remuera: Added Value

16 LINGARTH STREET, REMUERA.

As Fiona de Gruchy and Rohan Rimmer stood back and watched the paint flaking off their newly purchased house in long strips, they still knew the place had the bones to be a lovely family home.

"It was pretty rough, to say the least," says Rohan. "The place just hadn't been looked after at all and was in need of some major TLC."

That was five years ago. Since then, the pair have made some significant improvements to the 1930s weatherboard bungalow, including the new-look front garden.

As well as being one of the last jobs on their list, it was also one of the biggest.

"It was shocking, and we never used it," says Fiona. "There were old paving stones that were really slippery in winter, the land sloped too much, and it wasn't an inviting place. We wanted to modernise it."

And with the safety of 3-year-old Ruby and her younger brother, Finn, to consider, it needed some serious child-proofing.

Retaining walls, a flat concrete area and a small lawn were added to create a wonderful space for littlies. Contained behind a picket fence, the groundcover and hedging plants are all about low-maintenance. Space has been left down the side next to the lawn for a row of trees, to add further privacy.

Apart from putting in the retaining walls and laying down the concrete, the Fiona and Rohan have done all the improvements to the property themselves.

"We'd never done anything like this before, so it has been a lot of work for us," says Rohan.

His tasks included painstakingly stripping back the window frames to the bare wood before re-painting them, as well as single-handedly painting the outside of the house.

"I'd come home from work and then we'd be working here until midnight some days, as it was the best time to do it, when the kids were asleep," he recalls.

Fiona has added her own artistic touch in the form of a mosaic bench seat in the porch, a more leisurely project she undertook while she was pregnant.

Inside, the couple have freshened things up with some new drapes and neutral paint colours. The gorgeous timber floors, impressive windows in the front two bedrooms and dark, panelled doors with those lovely old-fashioned, chest-height handles speak for themselves.

From the front, you wouldn't know this house has a storey underneath. But once downstairs, the further potential of this house reveals itself.

At the moment, the basement comprises a single internal garage, laundry, shower room, an area that is currently used for storage and an office-cum-rumpus.

With a few adjustments, these rooms scream out teenagers' retreat, a work-from-home set-up, guest accommodation or a self-contained flat for renting out.

Separate from the living area, the kitchen is pretty much as Fiona and Rohan found it, although they've replaced the oven and hob, and added a Fisher & Paykel DishDrawer.

"We've found the kitchen great for us, but it could definitely be modernised," says Fiona.

After all their hard work, Fiona and Rohan feel they've done all they want to do at number 16, and are ready to take on another do-up in the eastern bays.

"After everything we've put into this place, and the fact that we've had our children while we've been here, we will be sad to leave it come moving day," says Rohan.

Vital Statistics

BEDROOMS: 3

BATHROOMS: 2

GARAGE: 2

SIZE: Land 380sq m.

PRICE INDICATION: $649,000.

INSPECT: By appointment.

CONTACT: Wendy Oliver, Barfoot & Thompson Remuera, ph 524 0149 bus, 520 0700 ah or 021 300 082.

FEATURES: Weatherboard bungalow on Remuera's northern slopes with a modern flavour and off-street parking for four cars. Remodelled, child-safe front garden, secluded back deck and impressive front windows. In zone for Auckland Grammar.