Houses through the ages

The building is going to be a major factor of price. Auckland unfortunately has had a checkered history with certain building material types, so you should be aware of the leaky houses saga, and the stigmas attached to the various claddings and materials available in market today.

Pre 1900s

Auckland was a very small place pre 1900s, and houses built before this tend to be wooden, old, cold, damp, and small (unless you were very wealthy). Most of these houses are in the inner suburbs and have generally been renovated over time. Insurance companies don’t like these properties, and will generally ask for a building report. REFER TO CHARACTER BUILDING CHECKLIST.

1900 – 1945

Houses built in this era that’s on the market today have obviously stood the test of time (they’re still here!). They tend to be wooden, built with sheer kiwi grit, typically located in special character areas, and will usually have had some renovations over the last 120 years. Be careful with these properties – they may look good but will require some investment. REFER TO CHARACTER BUILDING CHECKLIST.

Some insurance companies are fine to insure these properties if they have been re-roofed, re-plumbed, re-wired, and sometimes, re-piled. A building report is highly recommended to make sure the roof and subfloor cavities are in good condition. Also be mindful of borer – the house may have survived two world wars, but don’t stand a chance against those insects.

1945 – 1970

The post-war boom era driven by state housing. Houses built in this time are vast and diverse, so it’s hard to generalise, but the problems tend to be cheap materials used, and bad plumbing. In the later stages of 1960s and the 1970s, the infamous dux qest black plumbing was used, causing all sorts of leaks and property damage. Most of Auckland’s housing stock was constructed in this era however, and most of them are just fine.

1970 – 2000

A bit more thought and standards arrived into Auckland’s building processes in the 70s, and houses built in this era tend to be well done and still in good condition – though might want some cosmetic renovation to make it look modern. However, as is Auckland housing, as soon as things seemed to look good, we introduced plasterboard and stucco materials into our buildings, causing the leaky housing saga of the 2000s.

2000 Onwards

Houses built in the new millennium are obvious given the use of timber, brick, and aluminium joinery. They meet the strict regulatory and building standards we now have and haven’t caused any major problems yet. One small point to remember is the glazing – some properties will have single glazing, while the more recent ones will use the mandatory double glazing.