Updated:
1.11.2022
When Kieran and Kelly purchased their home in West Harbour, Auckland, they never imagined it would be 11 years in the making for a new lick of paint.
Likening the colour to ‘baby yellow’, Kieran and Kelly have admittedly turned a blind eye to their home’s exterior, with a focus on their interior renovations over the years.
But with weatherboard cracks beginning to form, and winter just around the corner, it was time for the couple to bite the bullet and weathertight the home for what they would soon discover to be a cold and wet season ahead.
This Project Story shows how quickly things can turn south. So, buckle in as we take you through:
Before: A freshen up of this ‘baby yellow’ home was well overdue | Photo: Kieran
Simple Yet Functional
Low maintenance living definitely piqued my mind when hearing Kieran describe his home, which I learn he has no intention of selling anytime soon.
Four years ago, Kieran added a 68sqm deck to his 130sqm house, which only added to the true representation of classic Kiwi living.
“We’ve lived here for 11 years. We like where we live and I can’t see us moving anytime soon,” Kieran says.
“So, over the years, we’ve done small bits and pieces to our home, however it has always been my opinion that you can’t make an old house look modern or new.”
Kieran tells me that they had painted the front door to black, and painted and renovated their kitchen and two out of three bedrooms.
“When we bought the house, we hated the exterior paint, but we knew that we would eventually change it,” Kieran says.
Four Seasons In One Day
The 50 year old home had earned its fair share of wear and tear over time and with winter pending, Kieran was faced with two major issues: cladding damage and Auckland’s four seasons in one day.
Having endured an onset of pressure over the last few years (from previous structural renovations), and the exterior cladding had finally reached breaking point.
“It was pure repair work at first; there were changes in the way the house moves on the land, which had caused damage,” Kieran says, confirming that this was the tipping point.
“And we learnt that you can start painting at 7am, and by 11am it’s torrential rain.”
Opportunity For A New Palette
Since the cladding needed remedial work, it made sense to tackle the colour palette of the exterior at the same time.
“I actually thought to myself: ‘I’ll no longer have to look at that yellow anymore’,” Kieran laughs.
It was time to start planning their paint colours.
Matching With An Experienced Painter
Once Kieran and Kelly had their paint colours in mind, it was time to call on an experienced painter.
Asking Kieran what he looked for in a tradesperson on BC, he tells me that it came down to the person, price and quality.
“Out of the three people I had accepted for this job, Uwe from German Painting was the first to respond and the first to arrive,” Kieran says.
“He was quick to return with a quote,” Kieran says, also mentioning that he was pleasantly surprised by the price.
“When I met him, I just had a good feeling, and instantly knew he would do the job properly.”
Before: With cladding damage & winter pending, this revamp became urgent | Photo: Kieran
Exterior Paint Jobs, Big Or Small
Uwe from German Painting has seen it all when it comes to exterior paint jobs, big or small, so he was happy to take on Kieran’s job for his team of two.
His advice for people looking to repaint their home is:
The Job Details
The job logistics were handled by Uwe and his team from start to finish.
This is what the painting project entailed:
After: The freshly painted home is complimented by a great kiwi deck| Photo: Kieran
The Power Of Paint
Contrary to Kieran’s initial reservations about renovating, this ‘classic Kiwi’ home shows that the power of paint can make a difference, no matter how old.
“Our home definitely looks cleaner and more up to date,” Kieran says proudly.
“Colour-wise, it’s definitely more with the times.
“It was exactly what we wanted, if not beyond what we wanted!”
Their freshly painted home looks great next to the deck, which turns out, hasn’t had much use due to Covid.
“But we will 100% be using it more now,” Kieran says.
The next job on Kieran’s list; the yellow garage that also needs repainting, and a complete revamp of the long driveway up to their home.
After: The perfect sized haven for this kiwi couple| Photo: Kieran
Key Takeaways
Kieran shares his key takeaways from the exterior renovation:
After: A new look from head to toe (soffits to underside) | Photo: Kieran
Thank You
A big thank you to Uwe from German Painting, and our homeowners Kieran and Kelly, for sharing their true Kiwi-style renovation story with us.
