Style: May 04, 2017

24 STYLE | home
With a river boundary, stately garden and
picturesque setting for the grandchildren
to play in, Heather and Brian Guthrie knew
that they wanted to continue to call their
magical property home – despite their house
left broken and damaged in the wake of the
earthquakes.
Having worked with Colin Gregg and
Craig Wilson of Gregg Builders on another
project they were delighted to have them on
site within days of the February earthquake
waterproofing their home and making it safe
for occupation. “The house was essentially
wrapped in polystyrene sheets and we then
lived in it like that for five years!” shares
Heather.
“We knew when the time came, Gregg
Builders would be who we called on.”
Unlike others in their street the Guthries
were unable to simply knock down and
rebuild, as their hundred-year-old-plus home
was a registered heritage building.
Highly regarded for his work with heritage
structures, William Fulton of Fulton Ross
Team Architects was introduced to the
Guthries by the Christchurch City Council
Heritage Team, and worked with them to try
and find a solution.
“The Heritage Team really wanted to
save the home,” explains Heather, “but
unfortunately it just wasn’t feasible. After
many long discussions around our options,
William asked if he could do a quick sketch
for a new home and we loved it. Brian
wanted lots of glass and sunshine and that’s
what we got.”
The modern, two-storey, glass-filled design
is a far cry from the original Hurst Seager
dark wooden structure that stood before,
but is one that subtly and beautifully pays
homage to what stood before. Tall, bevellededge
skirtings, window seats and a coved
ceiling in the kitchen/living/dining all bring
character to the home, while a sense of ‘old
world’ is effortlessly achieved through the
addition of American walnut floors and a
simple colour palette.
With century-old camellias and
rhododendrons in the surrounding garden
it was important these were retained
throughout the demolition and rebuild
process. “It was a challenge, at times, to work
around the restraints of the site,” shares Craig
Wilson of Gregg Builders, “but we relish a
challenge and it was a great thing to have
done. It really enhances the end product.”
Shifting the house slightly on the section
to capture the sun and create privacy from
neighbours, the home is 68sqm larger than
what stood before and offers a more efficient
floor plan, perfectly suited to modern living.
What is most evident is that despite the
modern fittings and finishings there is a sense
of cosiness, often left wanting in a new home.
An achievement most evident in the library
and piano room, which both play on the
intimacy and elegance of the previous home.
Gregg Builders recognise that building can
be an overwhelming experience and strive
to make it as straightforward as possible.
Craig puts the success of their builds down
to having short achievable steps that enable
clients to keep on top of the numerous
decision they need to make, without feeling
overwhelmed.
For Heather and Brian it was this process
that set Gregg Builders apart. “They kept
us on our toes,” laughs Heather. “Every site
meeting I would leave with a to-do list as
they sent me off to make decisions around
things like light fittings, fabrics, flooring and so
forth. There was lots of communication right
throughout, it was amazing.”
Sticking to the construction programme
was also something that the Guthries
appreciated. As well as the fortnightly site
meetings, Gregg Builders implemented a
scheduling system ensuring full inspections
were regularly carried out by independent
schedulers to ensure the project timeframe
was being adhered to. “It is something we do
with every build,” explains Craig.
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