\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tUpdated:<\/p>
4.2.2025<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
Share on:<\/h4><\/i><\/a><\/span><\/i><\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>A<\/span><\/strong>t the heart of every home is the kitchen; the center of living, a space for entertaining, and a hub for families to come together. And for homeowners Hana and Ben, their kitchen is key.<\/b>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>Hana’s <\/span>Christchurch <\/span>home (and soon to be rental property) is a classic 21st century dark clinker brick build, which holds a rich history for Hana and her family.<\/span><\/p>\nBuilt by Hana\u2019s grandparents in 2001, t<\/span>heir kitchen started off as<\/span> a \u2018muted, <\/span>2000\u2019s <\/span>forest green\u2019, and was in desperate need of some TLC.<\/span><\/p>\nSo after three years of consideration, a few failed DIY attempts, and with Hana and partner Ben soon embarking on life together in their new home, it was out with the old and in with a brand new kitchen.<\/span><\/p>\nIf you\u2019ve thought about refurbishing your kitchen, read along for:<\/p>\n<\/div>
- <\/i><\/span>\n
How to renovate it for less<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>
- <\/i><\/span>\n
How and where to find the right tradespeople<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>
- <\/i><\/span>\n
What Hana would (and wouldn\u2019t) do in hindsight<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>
- <\/i><\/span>\n
Plus, the final results.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/builderscrack.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Kitchen-Renovation-Before-727555-5.jpg\" "\\"Kitchen")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>This 2000’s kitchen desperately needed some TLC| Photo: Alana Shinn<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>First Looks At The New Space<\/strong><\/h2><\/h3><\/div>As we walk down the driveway to Hana’s for the first time since the renovation began, we’re greeted by Ralph the dog, who Hana says is a big fan of the new kitchen.<\/p>\n
On entry, Hana’s style shows; a mix of classic and modern, with unique Victorian-style pieces and bright pops of red, pink, orange and baby blue.<\/p>\n
The highly anticipated kitchen is a statement feature that’s hard to miss, with the perfect contrast of wood-look bench tops and bold matte black cabinetry.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
![](\"https:\/\/builderscrack.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Kitchen-Renovation-Before-727555-13.jpg\" "\\"Kitchen")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>The lovely home owners, Hana (right) & Ben (left)| Photo: Alana Shinn<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>A Step Back In Time<\/strong><\/h2><\/h3><\/div>Hana and I take a step back in time over a cuppa, as she shares stories of growing up in the home with her grandparents, <\/span>reminiscing on the splashes of colour which remained untouched up until 2019.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cThere was green and yellow everywhere \u2013 even the carpet was green,\u201d Hana says, alluding to the first changes that needed to be made.<\/p>\n
\u201cSecondly, the joinery and surfaces weren\u2019t up to standard functionally \u2013 the doors were broken, there were lots of chipped areas, and there wasn\u2019t enough bench space.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cSo, over lockdown last year I painted the cabinets white, but as you can expect, a DIY job by someone who isn’t a tradesperson isn’t nearly as good,\u201d Hana laughs.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/builderscrack.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Kitchen-Renovation-Before-727555-14.jpg\" "\\"Kitchen")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/builderscrack.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Kitchen-Renovation-Before-727555-9.jpg\" "\\"Kitchen")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Hana & Ben check out their Mitre10 kitchen plans | Photo: Alana Shinn<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>Out With The Old Kitchen<\/strong><\/h2><\/h3><\/div>\u201cHaving thought about this project for three years, I was able to visit a few stores to explore the options, with some small ideas in mind.\u201d Hana says.<\/span><\/p>\nAfter deciding to <\/span>follow a recommendation to go to Mitre10, her vision started to fall into place.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cThe kitchen needed to be quite robust and look good, especially with our plans to rent our home,\u201d Hana says.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith Mitre10, I knew what I was getting; the quality was good, it was affordable, and it was easy.<\/p>\n
\u201cJenny from Mitre10 handled everything from the measuring to making the order… so we just had to sit and wait for it to arrive.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/builderscrack.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Kitchen-Renovation-During-727555-17.jpg\" "\\"Kitchen")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/builderscrack.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Kitchen-Renovation-During-727555-14.jpg\" "\\"Kitchen")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Matt (right) and his team from Otautahi Builders, Christchurch| Photo: Alana Shinn<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>Character Wins Every Time<\/strong><\/h2><\/h3><\/div>Inspired by a friend who did a full home renovation using BC, Hana posted her job shortly after making the flatpack order.<\/p>\n
\u201cOutside of Builderscrack no one had got back to me, but as soon as I posted my job I got five people within 20 minutes,\u201d Hana says.<\/p>\n<\/div>
With five tradespeople chasing her job, Hana carefully assessed these key attributes:<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>- <\/i><\/span>\n
Reviews from other homeowners<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>
- <\/i><\/span>\n
Number of jobs completed by the tradesperson<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>
- <\/i><\/span>\n
Quality of workmanship<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>
- <\/i><\/span>\n
Similarity of past jobs to her job<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>
- <\/i><\/span>\n
Their message responses<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>
- <\/i><\/span>\n
Timeliness of responses<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>
- <\/i><\/span>\n
Value for money<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul>
\u201cI had a few different people quote me, but Matt from Otautahi Builders trumped all,\u201d Hana says.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was nice and earnest, and gave me the best quote.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>
\u201cThe platform made things so easy for me.”<\/i><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/builderscrack.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Kitchen-Renovation-During-727555-8.jpg\" "\\"Kitchen")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/builderscrack.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Kitchen-Renovation-During-727555-11.jpg\" "\\"Kitchen")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>The renovation is underway| Photo: Alana Shinn<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>Timing Is Everything<\/strong><\/h2><\/h3><\/div>From getting the ball rolling, right through to renovation day there were some hurdles.<\/p>\n
\u201cTime and money were the main things holding me back from starting the reno,\u201d Hana says.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut finally this year, I had more time, money, energy and a partner to enjoy doing it with.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nWhile Hana managed the logistics of most of the renovation, she was happy to hand over the physical work to Matt and his team, from Otautahi Builders. \u201cSo the job wasn’t too difficult for us in the end,\u201d Hana says.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cBecause putting the bones of the kitchen in was done within the first 48 hours, we could use it relatively early.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div>
A<\/span><\/strong>t the heart of every home is the kitchen; the center of living, a space for entertaining, and a hub for families to come together. And for homeowners Hana and Ben, their kitchen is key.<\/b> Hana’s <\/span>Christchurch <\/span>home (and soon to be rental property) is a classic 21st century dark clinker brick build, which holds a rich history for Hana and her family.<\/span><\/p>\n Built by Hana\u2019s grandparents in 2001, t<\/span>heir kitchen started off as<\/span> a \u2018muted, <\/span>2000\u2019s <\/span>forest green\u2019, and was in desperate need of some TLC.<\/span><\/p>\n So after three years of consideration, a few failed DIY attempts, and with Hana and partner Ben soon embarking on life together in their new home, it was out with the old and in with a brand new kitchen.<\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019ve thought about refurbishing your kitchen, read along for:<\/p>\n<\/div> How to renovate it for less<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li> How and where to find the right tradespeople<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li> What Hana would (and wouldn\u2019t) do in hindsight<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li> Plus, the final results.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div> This 2000’s kitchen desperately needed some TLC| Photo: Alana Shinn<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div> As we walk down the driveway to Hana’s for the first time since the renovation began, we’re greeted by Ralph the dog, who Hana says is a big fan of the new kitchen.<\/p>\n On entry, Hana’s style shows; a mix of classic and modern, with unique Victorian-style pieces and bright pops of red, pink, orange and baby blue.<\/p>\n The highly anticipated kitchen is a statement feature that’s hard to miss, with the perfect contrast of wood-look bench tops and bold matte black cabinetry.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> The lovely home owners, Hana (right) & Ben (left)| Photo: Alana Shinn<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div> Hana and I take a step back in time over a cuppa, as she shares stories of growing up in the home with her grandparents, <\/span>reminiscing on the splashes of colour which remained untouched up until 2019.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThere was green and yellow everywhere \u2013 even the carpet was green,\u201d Hana says, alluding to the first changes that needed to be made.<\/p>\n \u201cSecondly, the joinery and surfaces weren\u2019t up to standard functionally \u2013 the doors were broken, there were lots of chipped areas, and there wasn\u2019t enough bench space.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cSo, over lockdown last year I painted the cabinets white, but as you can expect, a DIY job by someone who isn’t a tradesperson isn’t nearly as good,\u201d Hana laughs.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> Hana & Ben check out their Mitre10 kitchen plans | Photo: Alana Shinn<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div> \u201cHaving thought about this project for three years, I was able to visit a few stores to explore the options, with some small ideas in mind.\u201d Hana says.<\/span><\/p>\n After deciding to <\/span>follow a recommendation to go to Mitre10, her vision started to fall into place.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe kitchen needed to be quite robust and look good, especially with our plans to rent our home,\u201d Hana says.<\/p>\n \u201cWith Mitre10, I knew what I was getting; the quality was good, it was affordable, and it was easy.<\/p>\n \u201cJenny from Mitre10 handled everything from the measuring to making the order… so we just had to sit and wait for it to arrive.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> Matt (right) and his team from Otautahi Builders, Christchurch| Photo: Alana Shinn<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div> Inspired by a friend who did a full home renovation using BC, Hana posted her job shortly after making the flatpack order.<\/p>\n \u201cOutside of Builderscrack no one had got back to me, but as soon as I posted my job I got five people within 20 minutes,\u201d Hana says.<\/p>\n<\/div> With five tradespeople chasing her job, Hana carefully assessed these key attributes:<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div> Reviews from other homeowners<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li> Number of jobs completed by the tradesperson<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li> Quality of workmanship<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li> Similarity of past jobs to her job<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li> Their message responses<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li> Timeliness of responses<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li> Value for money<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul> \u201cI had a few different people quote me, but Matt from Otautahi Builders trumped all,\u201d Hana says.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was nice and earnest, and gave me the best quote.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div> The renovation is underway| Photo: Alana Shinn<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div> From getting the ball rolling, right through to renovation day there were some hurdles.<\/p>\n \u201cTime and money were the main things holding me back from starting the reno,\u201d Hana says.<\/p>\n \u201cBut finally this year, I had more time, money, energy and a partner to enjoy doing it with.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n While Hana managed the logistics of most of the renovation, she was happy to hand over the physical work to Matt and his team, from Otautahi Builders. \u201cSo the job wasn’t too difficult for us in the end,\u201d Hana says.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cBecause putting the bones of the kitchen in was done within the first 48 hours, we could use it relatively early.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>First Looks At The New Space<\/strong><\/h2><\/h3><\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>A Step Back In Time<\/strong><\/h2><\/h3><\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Out With The Old Kitchen<\/strong><\/h2><\/h3><\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Character Wins Every Time<\/strong><\/h2><\/h3><\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Timing Is Everything<\/strong><\/h2><\/h3><\/div>