Maoribank, Upper Hutt

Have you made your house all Christmassy yet?

Have you made your house all Christmassy yet?

Why not share a snap to be in to win spot prizes! (and the title of NZ's Merriest Home)

2392 days ago

Subscribe to Get Growing - it's FREE!

Rachel Clare Reporter from NZ Gardener & Get Growing

In this week's issue of Get Growing we have advice on planting bunching onions and shallots, repurposing broken pots, perennials with issues (what do you regret planting?), planning for summer strawberries and lifting and dividing lily bulbs.

Subscribe to Get Growing and be in to WIN one of… View more
In this week's issue of Get Growing we have advice on planting bunching onions and shallots, repurposing broken pots, perennials with issues (what do you regret planting?), planning for summer strawberries and lifting and dividing lily bulbs.

Subscribe to Get Growing and be in to WIN one of 50 copies of NZ Gardener's latest special edition, 365 Days of Flowers, a practical and inspirational collector’s magazine that provides expert advice on planning, planting and growing year-round flowers for the garden or vase.

Our plant of the week in Get Growing is the festive abutilon and we have the latest scientific information on guava moth and what you can do to try and prevent it from affecting your fruit trees. Try sensational Catalonian recipes from Barcelona Cult Recipes and enter to win some great prizes!

Delivered every Friday to your email inbox, Get Growing digital magazine offers seasonal gardening advice from the NZ Gardener magazine's team of experts. Each week we answer all your burning questions on raising fruit and veges and tell you the top tasks to do in your backyard this weekend. Subscribe here.

For competition T&Cs click here.
Subscribe and be in to WIN!

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K
2393 days ago

Dog house

Kerri from Timberlea

Dog house for sale

Price: $80

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2394 days ago

Poll: Five new movies - five chances to win.

Stuff Pix

Vote for your favourite new release from Stuff Pix and you could win it to watch at your place. With so many movies ready to rent right now, there's something for everyone at Stuff Pix - check them out at stuffpix.co.nz today.

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Five new movies - five chances to win.
  • 42.4% Thor: Ragnarok - Get some action on your couch
    42.4% Complete
  • 11.4% Fifty Shades Freed - Lose yourself
    11.4% Complete
  • 20.8% Star Wars: The Last Jedi - Join the rebellion
    20.8% Complete
  • 13.2% The Post - Enjoy the drama
    13.2% Complete
  • 12.2% I, Tonya - Beat the competition
    12.2% Complete
1383 votes
2394 days ago

FIVE SMALL HOME IDEAS THAT MAKE IT EASY FOR YOU TO DOWNSIZE

Garry Tranter from Price My House for Free Limited

Once upon a time, every Kiwi dreamed of a quarter-acre section complete with a house, two-car garage, rotary clothesline and vege garden. This ideal persists for many, but some are rewriting their home ownership dream to include more efficient spaces, communal areas and green technology.

At the … View more
Once upon a time, every Kiwi dreamed of a quarter-acre section complete with a house, two-car garage, rotary clothesline and vege garden. This ideal persists for many, but some are rewriting their home ownership dream to include more efficient spaces, communal areas and green technology.

At the end of the day, the question we all ask ourselves is: what kind of home will allow us and our families to live well in 2018 and beyond? Small living offers some appealing solutions, and every year there are more and more options for small homes on the market, as well as ideas for shrinking our environmental footprint.

1. APARTMENTS

Kiwis are embracing the more compact lifestyle offered by apartment living and not just in Auckland. The Salt development in Mt Maunganui includes 52 apartments, 19 townhouses, a cafe and childcare centre and is almost completely sold.

The Pinnacle complex in Wellington is due for completion at the end of this year and the same developers are also building Victoria Street Precinct, a neighbouring apartment building containing 140 dwellings which all sold off the plans. If you love eating out and seeing movies, but can take or leave several hours of gardening every weekend, apartment life could be for you.

Pros

+ Less maintenance

+ Safe environment

+ Community vibe

+ Central location

+ Consent, design and build process managed for you

+ Services often managed, too

Cons

+ Less green space

+ Proximity to neighbours

+ Body corporate fees and regulations can be costly and restrictive

+ Pets not always allowed

+ Less design freedom

Budget

Very dependent on your site and various other factors, but will be in the ballpark of $4K per square metre.

2. SMALL NEW BUILDS

A “small house” describes a home that is less than 93 square metres. So why bother with a small house when you could just design and build a generous home to suit your family? Part of the answer is: efficiency and ease.

Small house architecture is all about an efficient use of space that is customised to suit the way you live. “Small homes are easier to heat, cool, ventilate and clean,” says Tim Gittos of Space Craft Architects. He’s seeing increasing amounts of infill building on the scraps of leftover land in our cities. “For first-home buyers, small new-builds closer to the city centre have become a viable alternative to larger houses or cookie-cutter homes on the city outskirts,” he says.

Space Craft is also working on some exciting co-housing projects, where people club together to buy land and build small houses with shared common areas. “This is a very exciting new area to be a part of,” he says.

Pros

+ Can customise to suit site and preferences

+ High quality and finishing

+ Options for communal living

Cons

+ Can be a more expensive option

+ Can take longer from design to build

Considerations

+ The consent process will be similar to a normal new-build

+ Some subdivisions have minimum home-size requirements

Budget

+ Price depends on location, size and other factors.

+ A one-bedroom apartment in The Pinnacle in Wellington is priced at $395K while a three-bedroom is pricedat $920K.

3. TINY HOMES

A “tiny house” usually has a floor area of 46 square metres or less, with many built on trailers. You can try your hand at DIY but it will be a lot easier to enlist an expert. Build Tiny is a new Kiwi business that’s all about building design-led tiny houses.

Gina Stevens, the designer at Build Tiny, says the best thing about going tiny is the cost savings. “You can take the cash you save and spend it on travel, experiences, good food and wine, or simply work less,” she says. And her advice for people who are thinking about a tiny house? “Try before you buy. We recommend people stay in as many tiny homes as possible to experience tiny-house living first-hand.”

Pros

+ Semi-permanent homes can be moved

+ Less maintenance, savings on bills and insurance

+ Affordable option

Cons

+ Small space for families or pets

+ Lack of storage

+ Less solitary space or privacy

Considerations

+ Ensure you think through waste disposal, site and access requirements

Budget

A Build Tiny home will cost between $60K and $120K-plus. Costs may be less if you build your own, but you will need to allow for your own labour costs.

4. CONTAINER HOMES

The potential for recycled shipping containers to become raw building materials has really entered the mainstream, with containers showing up all over the place as garden sheds and storage units, as well as granny flats and baches. The popularity of the container look is also inspiring a new wave of designs – Podlife creates small modular buildings that look like extremely stylish containers.

Pros

+ Lower foundation costs

+ Structurally strong

+ Stylish and functional designs

+ Will fit small sections

+ Easy to transport

Cons

+ Consent can be tricky, but most building companies will help you manage this

+ Design options can be limited

Budget

A 10-square-metre pod from Podlife starts at $16K plus delivery costs.

5. PREFAB HOMES

A prefabricated home is built to your specifications in a factory and delivered to your site in one or more pieces. These days, there are multiple companies offering beautiful designs using modern materials.

Pros

+ More affordable than a custom new-build

+ Fast turnaround

+ Design, consent and build process managed for you

+ Efficient use of materials

+ Minimal site disruption

Cons

+ Less design freedom

+ You may have limited material and finish choices

+ Options may be restricted by site access

Considerations

+ Make sure you get a complete price, or be aware of what costs are excluded

+ You may need two building consents as the house will be built in one location then installed in another

Budget

A two-bedroom home from Greenhaven starts at $200K plus delivery, consent and on-site costs.

2394 days ago

Hei āwhina i te hunga tamariki ki te ako mō te hua o te aroha

The Team from Ministry of Education

Auē e Koti! Kātahi ka oti te pakiwaitara kōwhiri ara e ako ai te tamariki ki te hua o te aroha. Tēnā whakamātautautia.
Pānuihia te kōrero paki ā-tihi mō Oti te Nanekoti ki te reo Pākehā, reo Māori anō hoki www.OatTheGoat.co.nz... | www.OtiTeNanekoti.co.nz...
He mea kinaki nā Te … View more
Auē e Koti! Kātahi ka oti te pakiwaitara kōwhiri ara e ako ai te tamariki ki te hua o te aroha. Tēnā whakamātautautia.
Pānuihia te kōrero paki ā-tihi mō Oti te Nanekoti ki te reo Pākehā, reo Māori anō hoki www.OatTheGoat.co.nz... | www.OtiTeNanekoti.co.nz...
He mea kinaki nā Te Tira Puoro o Aotearoa.
#OtiTeNanekoti #KeiTePaiKoe #ArohaMaiArohaAtu

2395 days ago

Quality care and professional service Wellington wide

Haven Falls Funeral Home

Haven Falls offer quality care and professional service Wellington wide - 24hrs with Funeral packages from $3990 +gst.

No deposit - 30 day invoice.

42-50 Burden Ave, Wainuiomata.

Phone 04 564 3792 and 0800 428365 or visit our website www.havenfalls.co.nz for more information.
Learn more

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2395 days ago

Bring a friend for free!

Wellington Home & Garden Show

It’s all about ideas for sustainable living at the Wellington Better Home & Living Show on 25-27 May. Here’s your chance to check out the latest trends with over 200 exhibitors with our BUY 1 GET 1 FREE ADULT TICKET OFFER! Be in to win the ‘Newstalk ZB Show Prize’ valued at $15,000. … View moreIt’s all about ideas for sustainable living at the Wellington Better Home & Living Show on 25-27 May. Here’s your chance to check out the latest trends with over 200 exhibitors with our BUY 1 GET 1 FREE ADULT TICKET OFFER! Be in to win the ‘Newstalk ZB Show Prize’ valued at $15,000. Plus, visit the NEW Springfree Family Zone there’s even a Springfree Trampoline to be won.

Save the date in your diaries; 25 - 27 May 2018
Friday and Saturday 10am - 5pm, Sunday 10am - 4pm
Westpac Stadium, Wellington

Adults $8
Gold Card Friday $4
Under 16 Free
Get your 2 for 1 ticket here!

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2395 days ago

Choral concert by the Hutt Valley Singers

Petronella from Birchville

Hi there neighbours close and further away. I would like to encourage you all to come and support your local community choir with their presentation of a beautiful concert. Some weeks ago I already posted this concert on Neighbourly and I just want to remind everybody that it is happening this … View moreHi there neighbours close and further away. I would like to encourage you all to come and support your local community choir with their presentation of a beautiful concert. Some weeks ago I already posted this concert on Neighbourly and I just want to remind everybody that it is happening this Sunday 20 May, 2.30pm at St. Patrick's College chapel, Silverstream.
Schubert, Elgar, Brahms are only just a few names of the composers we sing works from in this concert.
Prices are $15 adults and $12 concession. 
We would love to see the chapel filled with you all who love choral music!

2395 days ago

Should we bust ghost houses?

Jo Haywood Reporter from Homed

Do you have unoccupied "ghost houses" on your street? Investors buy them, park their money and pull the blinds across... but at what cost?

The last census showed there were 141,366 empty dwellings in New Zealand and in 2016, more than 33,000 houses in Auckland were officially … View more
Do you have unoccupied "ghost houses" on your street? Investors buy them, park their money and pull the blinds across... but at what cost?

The last census showed there were 141,366 empty dwellings in New Zealand and in 2016, more than 33,000 houses in Auckland were officially classified as empty. Find out why this is happening and what can be done about it.
Find out more

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2396 days ago

The Resene Wallpaper Sale is on!

Resene

Neighbours – now is your chance to dress up your walls and save 30% off* the extensive range of Resene wallpapers! Patterned or bold, textured or neutral. Offer ends 5 June 2018.
__________

* Discount off the normal retail price at Resene owned ColorShops and participating resellers until 5 … View more
Neighbours – now is your chance to dress up your walls and save 30% off* the extensive range of Resene wallpapers! Patterned or bold, textured or neutral. Offer ends 5 June 2018.
__________

* Discount off the normal retail price at Resene owned ColorShops and participating resellers until 5 June 2018. Excludes wall decals and WallPrint. Not available in conjunction with any other offer.
Find out more

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2396 days ago

The Families Package – Best Start payments

Citizens Advice Bureau from Citizens Advice Bureau Upper Hutt

From 1 July 2018 the Families Package takes effect, including the Best Start tax credit.
This is a new weekly payment of $60 per child, available to eligible parents who have a baby due on or after 1 July 2018.
All eligible families will receive this payment until the child turns 1 year old, … View more
From 1 July 2018 the Families Package takes effect, including the Best Start tax credit.
This is a new weekly payment of $60 per child, available to eligible parents who have a baby due on or after 1 July 2018.
All eligible families will receive this payment until the child turns 1 year old, regardless of their household income. Households whose income is less than $79,000 will continue to receive $60 per week until the child turns 3 years old. Those earning above $79,000 may continue to receive payments at a reduced amount. The upper threshold is $94,000 (for one child) when payments stop.

Parents can apply for Best Start when registering their baby’s birth through SmartStart. If the birth is not registered through SmartStart, the parents can apply for Best Start by completing the Working for Families registration (FS1) form.

A parent is eligible for Best Start payments if:

they are the principal caregiver of the child

they are a NZ resident/citizen and have been in NZ for a continuous period of 12 months at any time

they have received an IRD number for the child and

the child they are claiming for is both a resident and present in NZ.

For more information go to:

www.ird.govt.nz...

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2396 days ago

Cleaner Wanted!

Sophie from Brown Owl

Hello,

We are looking for a cleaner to come and clean our house once every fortnight for 3 hours. Will be paid $20 cash per hour so $60 per fortnight. Looking for someone reliable and trustworthy. Must have references available and a current NZ drivers license/passport. Please message me for … View more
Hello,

We are looking for a cleaner to come and clean our house once every fortnight for 3 hours. Will be paid $20 cash per hour so $60 per fortnight. Looking for someone reliable and trustworthy. Must have references available and a current NZ drivers license/passport. Please message me for details 😊

2397 days ago

Raised gardens

Helen from Trentham

I am looking for someone to hep build some raised gardens at our place to make them more manageable as we are getting older and find it hard to kneel

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