A Smarter Bathroom, Laundry and Outdoor Living Upgrade
Karori, Wellington
Older homes often have plenty of character, but the rooms we use every day don't always keep pace with modern living.
For these homeowners in Karori, the bathroom and laundry no longer made the best use of the available space, while the ageing deck had become tired and less practical for outdoor entertaining. Rather than simply replacing fixtures and finishes, they wanted to create spaces that would function better, feel more inviting and add lasting value to their home.
Orkney Construction was engaged to carry out a complete renovation of the bathroom and laundry, alongside the construction of a brand new timber deck, transforming both the inside and outside of the home.
Project Snapshot
Location: Karori, Wellington
Project Type: Bathroom renovation, laundry renovation, and new timber deck
Services:
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Bathroom renovation
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Laundry renovation
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Interior reconfiguration
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Plumbing and electrical coordination
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Waterproofing and tiling
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New timber deck construction
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Project management
Home Style: ????
The Brief
The owners of this Karori home wanted to modernise some of the hardest-working areas of their house.
Their bathroom and laundry no longer suited their needs, with an inefficient layout that made both spaces feel cramped. Outside, the existing deck had reached the end of its life and no longer provided the outdoor living space they wanted.
Rather than simply replacing fixtures, the goal was to rethink how the available space could work better while creating a stronger connection between the home and garden.
The Challenges
Like many renovations to older Wellington homes, this project required careful planning to improve functionality within the existing structure rather than simply adding more space.
Reconfiguring the bathroom involved relocating plumbing services, forming a recessed wet-area shower base within the timber floor structure and coordinating waterproofing, tiling and underfloor heating to ensure every stage was completed in the correct sequence.
The project also involved coordinating multiple trades across several connected spaces while keeping disruption to the homeowners to a minimum.
Our Solution
The renovation began with a complete strip-out of the existing bathroom and laundry before rebuilding both spaces with a more functional layout. By extending the bathroom into part of the former laundry room, we were able to relocate the toilet and create a room that felt significantly larger without increasing the overall footprint of the home.
A recessed wet-area shower was formed into the floor, allowing for a sleek tiled finish, while underfloor heating was installed beneath the floor tiles to provide year-round comfort. Full waterproofing and floor-to-ceiling wall tiling ensured the bathroom would remain durable for many years to come.
The adjoining laundry was also completely renovated with new plumbing, cabinetry and improved storage. At the same time, the hallway linen cupboard was enlarged by utilising the under-house space, providing the family with valuable additional storage.
Outside, the existing deck was removed and replaced with a larger, squared-off timber deck featuring wider steps into the garden and new timber balustrades. The result was an outdoor area that felt more inviting and better connected to the home.
Scope of Work
Renovation Works
✔ Complete bathroom demolition and renovation
✔ Bathroom reconfiguration to improve layout and functionality
✔ New tiled wet-area shower
✔ Underfloor heating installation
✔ Full bathroom waterproofing and floor-to-ceiling wall tiling
✔ New bathroom fixtures and fittings
✔ Laundry renovation with new cabinetry and storage
✔ Enlarged hallway linen cupboard
✔ Plumbing and electrical upgrades
✔ Construction of a new timber deck with stairs and balustrades
✔ Interior painting and finishing
✔ Full project management
Project Delivery
✔ Construction
✔ Project management
✔ Trade coordination
✔ Interior finishing
Behind the Build
Successful renovations are often about the details that homeowners never see.
On this project, careful planning was needed to reconfigure the bathroom within the existing footprint while coordinating plumbing, electrical, waterproofing, and tiling in the correct sequence. Forming a recessed wet-area shower into an existing timber floor also required precise preparation to achieve the necessary falls for drainage while maintaining a clean, level finish throughout the room.
Outside, the new deck was designed to improve both functionality and access to the garden, with wider steps and a more practical layout creating a stronger connection between the home and its outdoor living spaces.
While these details sit behind the finished result, they're the kind of planning and craftsmanship that help ensure a renovation not only looks great on completion but continues to perform well for years to come.
The Result
The finished renovation completely transformed the way these areas function.
The homeowners gained a spacious, modern bathroom with improved circulation, a practical and updated laundry, significantly more storage and a warm, comfortable tiled floor thanks to the addition of underfloor heating.
Outside, the new deck created an attractive extension of the home, providing a much more usable outdoor entertaining space with improved access to the garden.
Instead of simply updating finishes, the project delivered lasting improvements to how the family uses their home every day.
Thinking About Renovating Your Home?
Bathrooms and laundries are among the most frequently used spaces in any home, yet they're often the least efficient.
At Orkney Construction, we look beyond replacing fixtures and finishes. We consider how the space can function better, whether that's improving layouts, increasing storage, upgrading waterproofing systems or integrating quality craftsmanship that will stand the test of time.
If you're considering a bathroom renovation, laundry renovation or wider home improvement project in Wellington, we'd love to help you explore what's possible.
