BUNNINGS August 2019

26
The open-plan
kitchen-living area
in the Angus version
Clever packages
Facing multiple barriers in their quest for a home to call
their own, savvy Kiwis have discovered a simpler alternative
Even with money to burn, the chronic
shortage in New Zealand’s housing supply
makes it difficult for would-be buyers to
find their home sweet home among the
existing properties on the market. Building might
seem the obvious solution, but constructing a
home from scratch can be a daunting prospect for
the uninitiated, an obstacle course of bureaucratic
hoops to jump through, jargon to interpret, builders
to find and endless decisions to make (and costs to
incur) on the nitty-gritty design details.
Simple solution
This is where kit homes come into their own – with
preset floor plans, a list of licensed builders and, in
some cases, the main fixtures and fittings already
arranged, a lot of the angst is taken away from you.
You get to enjoy the fun bits, like decorating and
picking paint colours, without tearing your hair
out over getting the tapware delivered in time
for the plumber. It can also work out considerably
cheaper, and with a shorter construction time.
Clever clogs
A recent addition to the home community is the
Clever Living Co, a Bunnings-owned brand that is
offering affordable, healthy homes that can be built
off-site, then transported, or delivered as a package
and built on-site by a registered builder. The idea is
you find the land, order your choice of design, and
the whole thing can be constructed, down to the
light globes, in much less time than a from-scratch
build, thanks to the standardised plans. Rachael
Wyeth-Barnes of Clever Living Co says the quality
inclusions account for the homes’ surging popularity.
“They come with Kaboodle kitchens, Europeandesigned
appliances, stylish bathrooms plus a
Mitsubishi heat pump,” she explains. “We have a
close-knit team of builders who we work with, and
they’re all certified licensed building practitioners.’’
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