About 100 years after it was originally built, this bungalow was rescued, relocated to coastal Beach Haven and totally restored and renovated by an experienced builder and his style-savvy wife.
Owners of Detailed Building Services, Les and Brooke Adams, who live next door to the bungalow’s new address, have spent weekends and downtime transforming the circa-1920s home since 2022.
Les says: “Whoever gets this will be buying a beautiful home. We’re so pleased with the end result that we’d move into it ourselves if it was big enough to accommodate us and our three kids.”
After the couple bought their neighbouring section and subdivided off its front around eight years ago, they were on the hunt for the right house to relocate there. Their company does all types of building and landscaping work but specialised in villas and bungalows, so it was understandable this character home caught their eye. The bungalow was available to buy as developers had earmarked its land near St Lukes shopping centre for townhouses.
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Les says: “We liked its street appeal and character features and knew it would work well on the section. We wanted something in keeping with this area which we could make look beautiful.”
Brooke says: “When we’ve been working out the front almost every single person walking by has stopped to say how pretty it is.”
82 Lancaster Road in Beach Haven, North Shore, Auckland, has a 2021 CV of $1.125 million and is on the market for sale by auction on July 3.
The owners spent weekends and downtime transforming the circa-1920s home since 2022.
The bungalow was relocated from close to St Lukes shopping centre to Beach Haven where it was restored and renovated.
Brooke works in the business as well and made most of the style decisions involved in this renovation.
The couple, who were both born on Norfolk Island and met at pre-school, have had a renovation of their own home make the cover of a glossy home magazine. They’ve fully fenced this property, which has off-street parking for four cars out the back.
Les says: “We used bricks from the home’s two old chimneys in the front columns, with Brooke being my grout-mixer and me being the brickie.”
The couple wanted to blend contemporary design with its historic charm. There’s plenty of the latter with two front bay windows featuring upper windows of amber glass, distinctive architraves, battened ceilings and original doors and timber flooring.
Brooke says: “We darkened the floorboards for more contrast and we’re really happy with them.”
There’s a lot that’s new. The bungalow has been re-roofed and re-painted inside and out. Even the front cedar shingles which accent the bay windows are new. Improvements include new wiring, plumbing and a stylish new kitchen in the open-plan rear living-dining room-kitchen. This opens out to the back deck and has an adjoining scullery-laundry.
Improvements to the bungalow include new wiring, plumbing and a stylish new kitchen.
The property is fully fenced with off-street parking for four cars out the back.
Three good-sized bedrooms include the master with walk-in-wardrobe and ensuite. The ensuite and bathroom have gone from soulless to gorgeous.
Brooke chose heritage-style floor tiles for both and brushed copper hardware for the ensuite. There’s a firepit in the front grounds, where olive trees are about to fruit, and under-house storage.
Brooke says: “There’s a Four Square literally across the road and this is a lovely friendly area to live in, which doesn’t get through traffic. We can be in the CBD in about 15 minutes.”
They’re selling having recently completed the restoration-renovation.
Ray White agent Regan Golding says: “I’m a character home lover who’s passionate about the history of this area and, as a local, it’s been wonderful watching the transformation of this home.”
- 82 Lancaster Road in Beach Haven, North Shore, goes to auction on July 3
