Tani and Iki were incredibly busy people. Much of their time was spent supporting their church and wider community, and over the years their own home had quietly slipped down the priority list. It was still an important gathering place, but it was clear that the house needed some attention so that it better supported the way that the family was living.
The turning point came when their son decided to move home from Australia with his pregnant partner. Family has always been central to Tani and Iki, and they wanted to create a space where their son, his partner and their soon to arrive grandson could feel comfortable and independent, without the pressure of needing to buy a house straight away. This is something we are seeing more of, as it is not financially possible for many clients or their children to either purchase a home of their own or to help their children.
Their initial brief was simple. They wanted to add a sleepout to give the young couple their own space, while also considering the long term needs for Tani’s elderly father who lived with them and was becoming in need of a bathroom that was more accessible. The challenge was not the ideas themselves, but working out what could realistically be done within their budget.
Rather than forcing early decisions or making false promises, we guided them through a staged planning process. Developing concept plans for both the sleepout and the bathroom upgrade cost them an additional $500.00 + GST but meant that we could give them clear, detailed costings for both options. This meant that they could make informed decisions about what mattered most right now and what could be delivered later.
Starting with a master plan meant that they weren’t just solving an immediate need, but thinking carefully about how their home would function long term. This is something that we recommend to all clients who are thinking about projects that have the potential to be multi-stage, as you don’t want to do something now that will limit your options later. While Tani and Iki received both concepts well, financing the sleepout and the bathroom upgrade would have been a big stretch for them. In the end, they decided to do the sleep-out first and then re-visit the bathroom at a later date.
At the time, obtaining consent for a detached sleepout could sometimes be more complicated than expected as Auckland Council often viewed them as potential rental properties and charged extortionate contribution fees. To avoid any unnecessary costs, we worked with Tani and Iki on a clever workaround (removing the kitchen and replacing it with an “laundry” that did not have an oven). This kept the sleepout functional for family use, avoided the $10,000.00 to $30,000.00 of additional fees and made for a much smoother consenting process
Once the project began, the construction ran smoothly. Because the sleepout was a standalone build, our team couldn’t believe their luck getting to work on something that didn’t have the usual complexities of a home extension or renovation. Although we do do standalone projects, they are few and far between due to their custom nature.
The only unexpected challenge that we had came during the initial drainage works. While our drain-layer was digging the trenches required for the new sleepout connection, he uncovered the existing water mains and discovered that it was badly damaged. It made sense to fix it while everything was uncovered so we presented Tani and Iki with a fixed price for the additional works so that they could make an informed decision.
They choose to proceed, but to keep within budget they decided to take on the painting themselves so that they didn’t have to stretch their lending any further. It was a practical decision that allowed them to stay in control of their costs without compromising the overall outcome, although they did admit that it was a much bigger job then what they first thought!
The finished sleepout now sits naturally within the property, both in appearance and function. It provides independence for the younger generation while keeping them close to family, and creates a practical, well considered addition that supports multiple generations living together comfortably.
If your home needs to support more than one generation, a well planned extension can be a practical way to keep family close while still giving everyone their own space. With the right planning, you can create a home that works for today’s needs and tomorrow’s family life. Get in touch with our team to explore what a multi-generational solution could look like for your home.
