East Auckland · Auckland renovation service area
Property-specific home, kitchen and bathroom renovations for Howick homeowners.
Local renovation planning
An established, family-oriented seaside-adjacent suburb with a strong sense of local history around the Howick Historical Village. Renovation work here often updates well-built older family homes for modern living.
Predominantly brick-and-tile and weatherboard family homes from the 1970s-80s, with pockets of newer development toward the coast.
What to focus on
Kitchen and living-area reconfiguration is a common way to modernise a 1970s-80s Howick family home. Many houses from this period were built with a closed kitchen, a separate formal lounge and a dining room facing the street, so opening the kitchen to a north-facing living space and deck often adds more day-to-day value than extra floor area. Before planning, confirm which internal walls are load-bearing and whether the roof framing above them can be re-supported.
Envelope upgrades are worth planning alongside interior work in brick-and-tile homes of this era. Original aluminium joinery is usually single glazed, so replacing it or retrofitting double glazing improves warmth and reduces condensation. Older concrete roof tiles can have worn coatings or perished underlay, so inspect the roof space before re-roofing or adding skylights. Where new or wider openings are cut into brick veneer, have the lintels, veneer ties and bracing designed and checked properly.
Coverage
Howick is one of the suburbs we cover as part of East Auckland. Availability, travel and site access are confirmed for each enquiry.
See all East Auckland suburbs →Services in Howick
Before you design
The Howick village centre around Picton Street is identified for special character in the Auckland Unitary Plan. If your property is in or near the centre, check the planning maps for overlays or scheduled heritage before altering street-facing elevations.
Parts of the local coastline, including around Mellons Bay, have been affected by storm erosion and slips. For a property close to a cliff top or coastal slope, the hazard notes on the LIM and council maps will show whether ground stability needs specialist assessment before an extension or deck is designed.
Inspect the roof space for perished underlay, loose tiles and framing condition before cutting in skylights or adding solar panels. Panels add weight and fixings that the existing roof framing must carry, so confirm its capacity first.
Common questions
It depends on whether the wall is load-bearing. Removing a non-structural partition often does not need building consent, but taking out a load-bearing wall usually does, along with an engineered beam or other support. Many 1970s-80s homes carry roof or ceiling loads on internal walls, so have a builder or engineer confirm the wall's role before you commit to an open-plan layout.
Often yes, if the original single-glazed aluminium joinery is still in place. Double glazing reduces heat loss and the condensation that commonly forms on cold aluminium frames. You can replace whole units or, in some cases, retrofit double-glazed panes into existing frames. New joinery in brick veneer needs careful flashing and may need building consent, so confirm the approach with your builder.
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