Titirangi - Heart of steel

This sunny 60s house is as sound as the day it was built, and has been a much loved family home.

263c Titirangi Rd, Titirangi.

To call John and Lorraine Collier's house a solid family home is something of an understatement.

The house has a block base and cedar weatherboard upper storey but it's the unique steel frame that means it's as robust as the day the Colliers bought it 39 years ago.

``A structural engineer built it but his business was going to go bankrupt so he had to sell the house to save his business. His misfortune was our good luck,'' says Lorraine.

``There's four tons of steel in the house and none of the walls are load bearing so you could pretty much change it around however you like.''

The downstairs has a workshop beside the entrance and as you come indoors there is a water feature sitting under the stairs.

A coal range with a wetback is tucked into a corner and provides all the hot water the couple needs. They switch on the hot water cylinder if they have guests.

There is also oil-fired central heating.
``You dial it up to 26 and in 10 minutes it's lovely in here,'' says Lorraine.

Also downstairs are a bathroom and a bedroom with French doors opening out to the gently sloping north-facing garden.

Walking up the open stairwell takes you into the middle of the living room, which opens to a north-facing tiled balcony that enjoys views over the neighbourhood.

``Out here we get the sun virtually from when it rises to when it sets,'' says John.

Lorraine adds, ``Because the house sits in a sheltered pocket we get all the sun but the wind gets deflected over the top of the house.''

The design of the railings on the stairs and the balcony mimic that of the exposed steel beams in the living area.

Another design feature is the koru symbols in the frosted glass external doors used upstairs and downstairs.

On the eastern side of the living area are the kitchen, laundry and bathroom. The front door and a door from the laundry take you out to a flat lawn on the south side of the house.

To the west of the living area, through a funky cut out in the wall, are three bedrooms. All have views out to the Waitakeres.

John says the iron on the mono pitch roof was replaced six years ago with long-run roofing, meaning it has got plenty of life left in it.

The same can't be said for the swimming pool in the back yard. John and Lorraine brought it back from the United States 25 years ago and it proved a hit with their three children and subsequent grandchildren.

``We've had lots of wonderful parties around the pool here with the kids - and adults, too,'' says Lorraine.

But it has finally given up the ghost. ``It's died of old age,'' says Lorraine. ``We were going to tear it all out but someone might want to rebuild it.''

The pool is tucked to one side of the section which has trees such as plums, apples and magnolias.

Lorraine and John don't enjoy good health anymore and, not wanting to be a burden on their children, have their hearts set on moving into a retirement village.

VITAL STATISTICS

BEDROOMS: 4

BATHROOMS: 2

GARAGES: 1

SIZE: Land 1502sq m, house 170sq m.

PRICE INDICATION: $665,000.

INSPECT: Sat/Sun 2-2.30pm.

ON THE WEB: www.barfoot.co.nz # 344034

CONTACT: Michael Cassidy, Barfoot & Thompson Blockhouse Bay, ph 627 8325 bus, 027 270 9478 mob.

FEATURES: Elevated north-facing home in a private setting. Central heating. Section potentially subdividable.