Renovating Auckland’s period bungalows
Auckland’s bungalows are the homes of the 1910s through 1930s — built in the California, Arts & Crafts, and English styles that defined the inter-war period. They’re known for wide low-pitched roofs, exposed rafter tails, casement windows, brick fireplaces, leadlight glazing, and warm timber interiors. A bungalow renovation done well brings modern living to a home that was already deeply liveable a century ago.
Auckland’s bungalows were built for everyday family life
The bungalow era in Auckland ran roughly from 1910 to 1940 — a more democratic, suburban kind of housing than the grander Victorian villa. California bungalows brought the wide eaves and exposed beams; Arts & Crafts brought the handcrafted joinery, leadlight glazing, and built-in furniture; English bungalows brought the heavier roof forms and brick chimneys. What they share is honest, craftsman-built construction, warm rimu and matai joinery, and houses that already had usable kitchens and dining areas.
The renovation opportunity in most Auckland bungalows is connecting the original layout to outdoor living, opening the kitchen to family space, and bringing the bathroom and services into the present — without losing the character that draws people to bungalow suburbs in the first place.
Character detail kept
Exposed rafter tails, wide eaves, casement windows, leadlight glazing, brick fireplaces, original timber joinery — all preserved and refreshed, not removed.
Modern kitchen + family living
Original kitchens and back-of-house service spaces are reworked into open-plan kitchen/dining/family rooms with proper indoor-outdoor flow.
Services brought up to spec
Wiring, plumbing, insulation, heating and ventilation all replaced or upgraded — the things you can’t see, but that make a 1925 home actually comfortable to live in.
What does a bungalow renovation cost in Auckland?
Bungalow renovations are typically a little less complex than full villa restorations because the original layout is closer to modern living. Pricing depends heavily on scope — a kitchen, bathroom, and living refresh sits very differently to a full structural reconfiguration:
See the full 2026 cost breakdown
Our Auckland Renovation Cost Guide breaks down what each part of a renovation actually costs — kitchen, bathroom, structural work, services, finishes — and the hidden costs that catch most homeowners by surprise on older homes.
Read the full cost guideThe AVR way to renovate a bungalow
Bungalow renovations have a familiar pattern: small kitchens that need opening up, single bathrooms that need replacing or doubling, and lounges that need to connect to a usable outdoor area. We design around that pattern — and our Quantity Surveyor prices every option as we go. You see the cost trade-offs in real time: keep the chimney or remove it, retain the original kitchen window or replace with bifolds, refurbish the bathroom or rebuild it. By the end of design you have a fixed-price contract for the option you actually want.
We also handle the building consent on your behalf. Almost all bungalow renovations need consent for the structural and services work. If your bungalow is in a heritage overlay (parts of Sandringham, Mt Albert, Pt Chevalier, Westmere), we manage the additional resource consent process at the same time.
Mt Eden Bungalow Renovation
A 1925 California bungalow in Mt Eden — original front rooms preserved with their leadlight windows and brick fireplace, while the rear was reworked into an open-plan kitchen, dining and family space opening to a covered alfresco area.
Common questions about bungalow renovationss in Auckland
How much does a bungalow renovation cost in Auckland?
Most full bungalow renovations in Auckland cost between $250,000 and $750,000 in 2026, with the typical project landing between $300,000 and $550,000. Partial renovations focused on a kitchen, bathroom and connecting outdoor flow start around $150,000 to $250,000. The biggest cost driver is structural change — moving load-bearing walls, raising the ceiling height, or adding floor space at the rear.
Do bungalows have asbestos and lead paint risks?
Sometimes. Bungalows built before 1970 may have lead paint on original timber joinery and weatherboards, and bungalows altered in the 1960s to 1980s sometimes have asbestos in textured ceilings, sheet linings, or eaves. We arrange testing during the design phase where needed, and the cost of any necessary removal is built into the fixed-price contract before construction starts — not discovered halfway through demolition.
Can I open up the floor plan in a bungalow?
Yes, almost always — but the structural detail matters. Bungalows usually have a central load-bearing wall and chimney mass that needs structural engineering to remove or modify. Our team works with a structural engineer at the design stage to map what can be opened up, what needs steel beam support, and how the new opening will be detailed so it still feels appropriate to the original architecture.
Can I keep the original kitchen and bathroom?
We almost always replace original bungalow kitchens — they were built for a very different way of cooking and entertaining. Original bathrooms are similar; the original layouts rarely meet modern needs. What we do try to preserve is the character that surrounds those spaces — leadlight windows above the kitchen sink, original timber linings in the dining room, the chimney mass in the lounge. New kitchens and bathrooms are designed to feel like they belong in a bungalow, not bolted in from a catalogue.
Do bungalows have insulation? Should I add it during the renovation?
Bungalows built before the 1970s have no wall insulation as standard, and often no underfloor or ceiling insulation either. Renovating is by far the best time to add it — we insulate ceilings, walls (where linings are coming off anyway), and underfloor as part of any significant renovation. Combined with double glazing on replacement windows and a proper heating/ventilation strategy, an insulated bungalow performs very close to a new build.
Will the renovation increase my bungalow’s value?
Yes, almost always — particularly in established bungalow suburbs like Mt Eden, Sandringham, Mt Albert, Pt Chevalier, Westmere, and Onehunga. A well-executed bungalow renovation that preserves the character at the front and brings the rear into modern open-plan living adds real market value. Buyers in these suburbs specifically look for renovated bungalows.
Get a fixed-price quote for your bungalow renovation
Free 30-minute consultation. We’ll walk through your bungalow, talk about what’s possible, and give you honest advice on scope and cost — before you spend a dollar on design.