Award-winning builder Nick Holcroft had his hands full when he decided to overhaul the plaster home he moved into with his young family five years ago.
His efforts have propelled 28 Awatere Avenue, Beerescourt, in Hamilton, into a whole new class, with the agents now tasked with selling it describing the property as one of the city’s finest.
Holcroft bought the house for just over $1 million after the previous owners had hired him to build them a new home next door.
He admitted he had been tempted to bowl the 1960s-era house, which had been reclad in the 1990s, but he ultimately chose to renovate because boundary rules would have limited the size of any new structure on the site.
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“It made sense to recreate what was there,” he told OneRoof, noting that he moved in with his partner and young daughter just before Covid struck.
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Holcroft said the first Covid lockdown allowed him to experience the house and work on a winning redesign. “It played a big part in us deciding the size of windows and what we needed.”
The builder kept most of the original exterior walls but went to town on the interiors of the three-storey home. “Inside, the rooms were small and compartmentalised. We saw an opportunity to turn it all around.”
Holcroft said the house was now “pretty unrecognisable” from what it used to look like.
Before: The exterior of the home was covered in plaster stucco as part of a big renovation carried out in the 1990s. Photo / Supplied
He shifted the kitchen to the river-side of the house, creating a modern, open-plan layout with a living room, covered deck and media room, separated by a large sliding door. He also moved the master bedroom to the ground floor, giving it an impressive walk-in wardrobe and full tiled ensuite, and added 30sqm to the existing footprint.
Outside, an engineered swimming pool surrounded by low-maintenance gardens backs onto the walking path and the river below.
Holcroft also drew on the expertise of well-known Kiwi interior designers Bronwyn Turton and Mel Oliver for decor advice. The result is a tasteful blend of American oak cabinetry with a Dekton kitchen bench, stone vanity benches and light-coloured tiling.
Personal touches include a whimsical flower-like light shade in the stairwell and engineered timber flooring, which Holcroft stained himself in graphite.
Before: The original home had last been renovated in the 1990s. Photo / Supplied
After: The renovation created a light open-plan space with high-quality fittings and fixtures. Photo / Supplied
Holcroft, whose firm mainly focuses on new builds, said the renovation was a revelation, and gave him an insight to all the stresses his clients must feel. “We lived right through this whole renovation. We moved bedrooms about four times while we were doing it.”
The build took two years and was completed in 2022. Holcroft said it had been a great home for their now family of four, but they were ready to move onto their next project, which would likely be another do-up.
“It’s such a lovely place to live in and entertain. You sit out here [on the deck], you’ve got the heaters on – it is really nice,” he told OneRoof.
“In winter we’ve got the wood fire on inside and it’s just really cosy. We went through all the spaces and we’ve just achieved everything we wanted to achieve really.”
Harcourts listing agent Craig Annandale, who has just taken over the listing, said it was a fantastic summer home. “It’s got everything a lot of people want, especially when it is so close to the city.”
The kitchen was relocated from the front of the home to the back to make the most of the river view. Photo / Supplied
Annandale said the craftmanship was unreal and the best quality materials had been used.
“It’s absolute waterfront and has a completely unobstructed view, which makes it remarkable. It’s like you are on the Waipa Delta – it’s a beautiful spot and a view many would aspire to have.”
Annandale was reluctant to give a price indication, but pointed to the $2.57m sale of a nearby property in June last year. That house, he said, had been renovated 10 years ago.
- 28 Awatere Avenue, in Beerescourt, Hamilton, is for sale by way of price by negotiation
