To buy or to renovate?

To buy or to renovate? Designers are often asked this question. Is it good to make some changes and additions to your existing house? This, however, does cause some inconvenience during the construction work.

Or is it easy to find a house which suits you better and shift into it? It is usually seen that any house that you move into needs a fair amount of work to tailor make it for you.

With houses and land becoming scarce, you might not find a suitable house in the same locality as you want, especially in central Auckland. So there is no clear generic answer to this question.

Once people are used to living in a certain area, there is very little motivation to move to another suburb. With land becoming scarce, all that is available now are relatively small subdivided sections at a high price. A lot of people seem to be inclined to renovate and add more value to their property.

This is especially relevant at a time when interests are low and negotiations with tradesmen are easier. It is also a time to renovate your interiors (some of which may still need a building consent, its good to check with your designer).

According to Housing New Zealand statistics, many parts of New Zealand need more affordable housing, but no region is feeling the pressure as strongly as Auckland.

Around 31 per cent of New Zealanders live in Auckland, and population growth in the region is still strong. Scarcity of land is also raising questions about desirable housing densities, with an increasing number of people living in multi-unit dwellings, high-rises and terraced housing.

The scarcity is indicative of the fact that house prices, which haven’t appreciated as expected, will definitely be on the rise in future.

Local officials predict that, at the current rate of development, there will be a shortage of 50,000 homes in 30 years – equivalent to all the homes in Hamilton.

Auckland Council chief planning officer Dr Roger Blakeley warned that Auckland needed to be proactive by subdividing smaller properties and expanding into semi-rural areas if it was to avoid a major housing crisis.

It also said that renters would leap to 40 per cent of households – either by choice or because they could not afford to get on the property ladder.

So if you do not find that elusive new house, chances are that you would be better off to renovate now. This also gives you a good opportunity to upgrade the interiors. We have provided a few tips in this regard.

The wall colours
Think hard about the colours and materials to be used inside – they can be easily changed to suit your personality. What colours do you like and are they appropriate for the rooms you’d like to use them in (some colours increase energy, others are ‘cold’ – there are colour consultants who offer a FREE service to home owners)?

If you’re updating furniture and decorative elements (paintings, sculpture etc) interior designers and decorators may save you money through the discounts they can gain - that will help offset their fees.

Consider whether you need to update your furnishings. Soft furnishings are both functional and decorative. Closed drapes are very effective at preventing heat loss as well as providing privacy but they make up a large visual area so carefully consider the design before having them made and installed.

It’s often better to have built in storage space rather than buy expensive cupboards, which look bulky and out of place in a small bedroom.

For any other information on this topic please contact Bobby on 836 0576 or visit  www.tarzandesign.co.nz

* Bobby is an architectural designer and the director of Tarzan Design Ltd in Auckland