88 | BJ Carter Builders and Insulators T T Richard Loader Beach home gets nautical makeover The recently renovated home occupies an elevated site with views over Foveaux Strait and Stewart Island. BUILDING Mapei Aquadefence Waterproofing System Mapei Licensed Applicator Engineering in Southland for over 100 years JK’s are proud to support BJ Carters Builders & Insulators 0800 200 522 or 03 218 7096 www.jks.co.nz | 190 Mersey St, Invercargill A stunning renovation recently completed by B J Carter Builders & Insulators was akin to a caterpillar-to-butterfly metamorphosis of a previously modest Riverton home. The extremely complex project was comparable to one of most challenging the company has undertaken, owner James Carter says. Known locally as the riviera of the south, Riverton is a Southland seaside town located beside the Aparima River estuary. Its southernmost point overlooks Foveaux Strait and Stewart Island and is the captivating location of the renovated house which is perched on an elevated site. It was originally built in the late 1970’s and was clad in Hardi Plank and had an attached lean to porch and garage partially obstructing the seaward views. The reimagined design was conceived by Neil Slater, owner of local firm NJS Architecture. A significant element of the renovation was the creation of a garage underneath which required substantial engineering, including excavation of sandy substrate to a depth of 3.5 metres, plus piling and retaining. “We love doing this type of work where people go to an architect and ask what they can do, and they can create something the client would never have thought of,” James says. B J Carter was involved early in the design process and worked with the architect to develop and streamline the construction process, which is the ideal situation for all involved, James says. “As a builder, you can get a feel for what the client likes and working with Neil was a dream. It’s really a collaboration between the builder and the architect. “This was a complex project, it has a lot of steel supporting the roof and floor, it’s a very high wind zone right by the sea with high corrosion.” The exterior is stylishly reclad in Adobo thermally modified timber which is designed to last in the extreme environment. The south elevation of the house facing the sea was completely redesigned to resemble the prow of a ship and features full width and full height thermally broken windows to take in the nearly 270 degree views of the dramatic panorama. “It was one of the most challenging builds for a while. We had to get insulation into the [skillion] ceilings and we had to join the new skillion ceilings up with the old ones. There wasn’t a lot of bracing units available so it all had to be engineered, and it was into and just after the covid pandemic where we couldn’t get building materials.” The substantial bracing elements includes steel portals for the walls and plywood ceiling and floor diaphragms. Internally, the kitchen is now open plan while the bathroom and other areas were updated. A dumbwaiter lift and an internal staircase were installed, plus there is now a deck around the three elevated sides of the house. The transformation is stunning and unsurprisingly, James is delighted with the result. “It’s amazing, it really is, it’s got a real wow-factor. When you see what it used to look like, and you come up that drive and go inside and look at that sea from the deck, you just absolutely fall in love with the surroundings. “It would have to be one of the best sites I’ve built on.” Worth noting is that the insulation installed was Terralana wool blend which was supplied and placed by B J Carter. The company is a pioneer as Southland’s specialist insulators having introduced Envirowool as its own insulation line of 100 percent southern New Zealand Wool. It provides this service for ceiling and under-floor insulation in homes, rental properties, workers’ accommodation or commercial premises without the need for renovation. “We’re really passionate about providing a quality, locally sourced product.” B J Carter can also retro-install Insulmax, a mineral fibre product manufactured especially for thermal and acoustic insulation without the need to remove existing wall linings or claddings. With an average sized house costing around $7000, the cost versus benefits for both energy efficiency and healthier, drier homes stacks up James says.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=