The exterior of the Wooton home. Photo / supplied by Barfoot & Thompson
The exterior of the Wooton home. Photo / supplied by Barfoot & Thompson
"A steep learning curve" is how three families who have tackled major renovations for the TV show Our First Home have described the programme.
They've undertaken top-to-toe transformations of three homes in West Auckland and had eight weeks to do it.
The family groups, each made up of a young couple trying to get a foot on the property ladder and two of their parents, bought the houses with their own money and renovated them with the show's experts.
The finished houses will be auctioned this month. The family that makes the most profit, based on its percentage of the purchase price, will win $100,000 on top of the money they make from the sale.
Not only have the families had to deal with the hard slog involved in a renovation, but they've also had to balance budgets, manage tradespeople and all get on together while living under the same roof, along with having cameras in their faces.
From: Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga. The family: Dad Henry, daughter Rebecca (Bex), her boyfriend Josh Tingey and his mum Theresa. The house: Three-bedroom bungalow in Henderson.
The Wottons have a slightly different family dynamic from other contestants on the show.
Their lineup includes a parent from both families.
When Bex Wotton's mum couldn't join her dad Henry on the show, Josh Tingey's mum Theresa stepped up to the plate.
Josh has good knowledge of building processes, and nurse Theresa has had experience of wallpapering and painting.
Henry owns a tiling business so is quite handy, but primary school teacher Bex was a novice.
"When I think about what we can do now it is pretty amazing," says Josh. "I've moved windows, replaced weatherboards, I've framed walls, done gibbing -- there is a lot I can do."
Image 1 of 3: The Wotton home. Photo / Barfoot & Thompson.
Biggest challenge: Project-managing. Someone has to keep their finger on the pulse, deal with tradies and know what is going on.
Favourite room: I love the living area. We only had to take out two walls and open up the living area and it felt like we had a whole new room.
What I'm most proud of: That we finished. There was a lot to do and sometimes I thought we would never get it done.
What I've learned: You have to be flexible when it comes to renovating. You never know what is going to happen. You could find rot, water damage or borer and you need to be prepared to deal with it.
Top tip to anyone renovating: If you are doing a major renovation and it feels overwhelming, stop and break it down into smaller chunks.
Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 2 Car parks: 2 Size: Land 703sq m. Price guide: 2014 CV $385,000 (pre-renovation). Auction: April 17. Schools: Henderson South School, Henderson School, Sunnyvale School, Bruce McLaren Intermediate, Henderson High School. Contact: Sharee Adams, Barfoot & Thompson, (09) 415 9206 or 021 416 220.
Putting family first
The Pearce family
From: Tauranga. The family: Dad Grant, mum Janette, daughter Atareta and Atareta's boyfriend, Tawera Sydney. The house: Three-bedroom bungalow in Henderson.
Being involved in Our First Home was an eye-opening experience, says Atareta, and what she learned went deeper than building and decorating skills.
"For me, what made this so special was doing it with my whanau. It was an overwhelming and empowering experience. "
Office manager Atareta and her partner Tawera, a machine operator, appreciated that Grant is a builder and he and Janette had done six other renovations, so they had an advantage. Atareta may have lacked building experience, but made up for it with her eye for interior design. "I loved being able to bring our taste into the house -- we went for a coastal breezy theme and I think it looks great."
Image 1 of 5: The Pearce home. Photos / supplied by Barfoot & Thompson
Biggest challenge: When we left my parents at home on their own to keep working while we had to do challenges. I found it very hard not being there with them.
Favourite room: I love our master bedroom. It is a nice calm place. And I love the en suite and the walk-in wardrobe -- I think it was every girl's fantasy.
What I'm most proud of: My mum and dad, and how they've coped with everything. They took time out of their life to help me and Tawera to get on the property ladder. I am so grateful.
What I have learned: My whanau means everything to me. We were put under a lot of pressure doing this, but it just made us stronger.
Top tip for anyone renovating: Try to tap into everybody's different skills. In our case, mum was good at planning, dad had building skills, I loved doing the interiors. It's all about teamwork.
Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 2 Car parks: 1 Size: Land 675sq m. Price guide: 2014 CV $445,000 (pre-renovation). Auction: April 19 Schools: Henderson North School, Henderson Intermediate, Waitakere College. Contact: William MacLean, Barfoot & Thompson, (09) 627 8325 or 021 223 3777.
With a little help from our friends
The Roughan family
From: Gore and Wellington. The family: Mum Lynette, dad Pat, daughter Steph and boyfriend Sam Gifford. The house: Three-bedroom in Te Atatu South.
Sam is quick to admit that the family was "very green" when it came to renovations. Steph has a Masters in Architecture and is working as an architectural graduate, but no one in the family had practical building experience.
"If it wasn't for our builder Jono we would have been dead in the water. Steph had great vision and knowledge, but the rest of us brought very little to the table in terms of building skills," says Sam, who is a city council planner in Wellington. Lynette and Pat run a sheep farm near Gore. "Luckily Jono was very patient with Pat and me, and I am a lot more confident now."
Image 1 of 6: The Roughan home. Photos / supplied by Barfoot & Thompson
Biggest challenge: Having a double-height house with a lot of dead space. Luckily Steph had ideas about how to use that.
Favourite room/area: The deck. The house had no openings to the northern aspect so we were keen to open it up and put in a deck. It has connected the house to the outside and gets used a lot. It's a nice little sanctuary.
What I'm most proud of: The final product. Someone is going to get a fabulous home and I'm envious of whoever does buy it and gets to live there.
What I've learned: Don't be afraid to have a go. Even if you have never done something before, try it -- you could be surprised by how good you are at it.
Tip to anyone renovating: Get some help from your friends. We had a lot of support and once we finished filming, lots of friends came around and helped with the finishing touches. It would have taken so much longer without them.
Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 2 Car parks: 2 Size: Land 346sq m. Price guide: 2014 CV $530,000 (pre-renovation). Auction: April 18. Schools: Edmonton School, Rangeview Intermediate, Rutherford College. Contact: Steve Wooller, Barfoot & Thompson, (09) 834 3570 or 021 628 875.
