Making the Downstairs Legal
Remuera Garage Conversion + Kitchen + Bathroom 2024
A charming Remuera house with a downstairs that wasn’t quite legal.
Simon and Jo fell in love with a charming home in Remuera. The downstairs had been used as a living space for years — but when they applied for building consent for renovations, council told them the area was still officially recorded as a garage.
To bring it into the future they wanted, they had to first prove it had a past — securing a Certificate of Acceptance (COA) for work already done, then layering on new consent for what came next.
We took over the council coordination, the design, and the build — so they could focus on the home, not the paperwork.
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A fully-legal home with the rooms it should always have had.
The downstairs is now officially living space — two proper bedrooms and a full modern bathroom, all signed off, all compliant. No nasty surprises if they ever go to sell.
Upstairs, the kitchen had its full makeover too — dark oak Melteca panels, engineered stone benchtops, Miele appliances, Hettich hardware. The home’s heart finally matches the house Simon and Jo bought into.
Before & After
Charming on the outside — but downstairs was an off-the-books garage and the kitchen was tired.
Two new legal bedrooms downstairs, a brand-new bathroom, and a stone-and-oak kitchen upstairs.
Wondering what a renovation like this actually costs?
We’ve published our full Auckland renovation cost guide — real ranges by project type, what sits inside each investment level, and where the money actually goes. It’s how we open every client conversation.
- Realistic Auckland cost ranges by project type
- What sits inside good, better, best investment levels
- Where the money goes — room by room
- How design-and-build keeps your number fixed
Inside the renovated home.
Dark oak + stoneNew bedroom
New bathroom
Kitchen wide
Dining + living
Downstairs living
DetailFive steps. Same process, every job.
The scope, in plain English.
A garage conversion plus kitchen and bathroom renovation in Remuera, with a Certificate of Acceptance to legalise existing works.
Certificate of Acceptance
Coordinated a Certificate of Acceptance (COA) with council to legalise prior conversion works on the downstairs area — turning an unofficial space into recorded living area.
Garage to Living Conversion
Former garage converted into two spacious bedrooms and a full modern bathroom, all signed off and fully compliant with building standards.
New Bathroom
Brand-new fully-tiled bathroom downstairs with walk-in shower, modern vanity, and brushed tapware — built fresh inside the converted footprint.
Kitchen Rebuild
Full kitchen renovation upstairs featuring dark oak Melteca panels, engineered stone benchtops, Miele appliances, and Hettich German cabinetry hardware.
Building Consent + Inspections
Full consent package coordinated with council — new layout, plumbing, electrical and structural changes all approved and signed off through to CCC.
Get an instant estimate for your renovation.
Answer a few quick questions about your project — rooms, scope, and size — and we’ll give you a realistic Auckland cost range in under two minutes. No phone call needed.
Get My Instant Estimate →Your Estimate
Facing the unexpected challenge of the COA was daunting, but it led us to fully appreciate the importance of legality and compliance. The journey to convert our garage into livable space, coupled with the stunning kitchen renovation, was transformative.
Get an instant estimate for your renovation.
Answer a few quick questions about your project — rooms, scope, and size — and we’ll give you a realistic Auckland cost range in under two minutes. No phone call needed.
