A busy housing market is prompting New Zealanders to renovate their houses in droves.
Retail statistics show spending is up at everything from building supplies shops to furniture retailers and builders are reporting being run off their feet. Some have a backlog of many months before they can start work.
Andrew Murphy, a marketing lecturer at Massey University, said some people probably saw renovation as one of the few ways to lessen the price difference between their existing house and the next step on the property ladder.
Building a deck can also make a big difference to some houses.
But if you are looking at the prospect of a renovation job, what adds value? And what is just a waste of time and money?
Swimming pool
Installing a swimming pool might seem a great idea but they don’t appeal to everyone.
After a long hot summer, a backyard swimming pool sounds tempting.
But Daniel Coulson, Bayleys’ national residential manager, said it was a project that should be approached with caution.
People underestimate how much difference a coat of paint can make.
In general, installing a pool is a better bet in the warmer parts of the country and in properties with larger sections, where there will still be some outdoor space left.
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