Dylan Johnston Apprentice of the Year Competition 2026 · Project submission
Project submission · Carpentry

122 Ratanui Road

A large-scale renovation and addition in Paraparaumu — extensions, a complete reclad, and an extensively changed internal layout, built in two stages around the family living in the house.

Zone C
Exposure zone
VH
Wind zone
Zone 3
Climate zone · insulation above H1 reform
203m²
Original floor area
May 2024 – July 2026
Project period
01

Project description & scope

122 Ratanui Road is a large-scale renovation and addition project that started in May of 2024. The renovation consists of extensions, a complete reclad, and extensively changing the internal layout of the house.

The house, originally built in the 1980s and renovated in the early 2000s, is located in Paraparaumu, roughly 2km from breaking surf situated in exposure zone C and a VH windzone.

When I joined this project things were in full swing. The family had moved into the North side of the house and the extension on the South side of the house was up to the exterior envelope stage (roof cladding on, cladding systems started, all interior wall frames had been completed.)
02

Why I chose this project

Write your reason here — what made this the project worth submitting.

Worth covering: the range of work it put in front of you compared to other jobs, the responsibility you were given, the systems and products you hadn't used before, the problems that had no drawing to follow, and what it taught you that a straightforward new build wouldn't have.

03

The clients

Main contractor and client are the same person, and the family stayed on site for the whole build — so every decision was made in front of the people living with it.

The property is owned by Kyle Tonks and his family who purchased the house in 2021 and are living in the house throughout the process. As he is renovating their own house, he is both the main contractor and the client.
04

About me

Dylan Johnston — carpentry apprentice with Tonks on the Kāpiti Coast. I joined 122 Ratanui Road in September 2024, nearing the end of my second year, and have worked on it through to the final stages.

Replace this paragraph with your own words: how you got into the trade, what you enjoy most about building, what you want from your career, and why you're entering Apprentice of the Year.

Tonks
Employer
Kāpiti
Region
Sept 2024
Joined this project
05

My role and responsibilities

What I led
  • Managing subcontractors — electrician, tiler, fireplace installers
  • Booking and running council inspections, including the pre-wrap
  • Quantity surveying, ordering and picking up materials
  • Fortnightly tool box talks using the HazardCo app
  • Designing and building the back deck, and laying its decking solo
  • Working directly from plans without direct supervision

I joined this project in September of 2024 nearing the end of my second year as an apprentice. Throughout this project I was given the opportunity to be more involved in managing subcontractors such as the electrician and tiler, managing inspections, quantity surveying, ordering and picking up materials and managing fortnightly tool box talks using the HazardCo app.

I also became a lot more familiar with working from plans without direct supervision. All of this greatly improved my confidence in building, ability to time manage and plan ahead.
06

Two stages, one occupied house

In this submission I will be reporting on two stages of the renovation. Stage one consists of the renovation of the South side of the house, and stage two is about the renovation of the North side of the house.

The reason we completed this in stages is because the family is still living in the property throughout the build. This posed a few challenges, including ensuring they had functional services and somewhere to sleep and eat.

There were adults, small children and dogs coming and going throughout the work day so we had to ensure their health and safety, from driving down the driveway to site to making sure any hazardous work was completed safely.

A new garage was also constructed. I wasn't involved in much of the main construction of the garage but I did do a considerable amount of work on the wall claddings, being the same claddings used on the house. The garage acted as a practice run of sorts to figure out these new cladding systems that I hadn't had any experience with.

When I joined this project the roof cladding and wall cladding underlay were already installed on the South side. The next step was to start the cavity system for the claddings, get a pre-clad inspection and then move onto the interior linings and finishing.

07

Health & safety

Content to come — four topics below.

Site induction

How every new person on site was brought up to speed before starting work.

The hazard board

What was on it, who updated it, and how it changed as the job moved through stages.

Site Safe sign-in

The sign-in process for workers, subtrades and visitors on an occupied site.

PPE

What was worn, when, and the calls made for specific tasks — harnesses on the roof and verandah removal.
Video — site induction

Dylan running a site induction · to be added

The work, stage by stage

Stage one · South side

Envelope, linings and finishing

  • Wall cladding systems — LMA timber & Colorsteel Metcom 7
  • Ceiling framing, interior linings, insulation
  • Finishing trim and internal joinery
Stage two · North side

Deconstruction to fit-out

  • Piles, posts, subfloor and remedial framing
  • Pre-nail frames, steel beam, roof and verandah
  • Roof cladding, envelope, linings, joinery, stormwater
Decks & pool

218m² of deck, designed on site

  • Back deck — designed and led by me
  • Pool excavation and retaining wall
  • Main deck subfloor, decking and balustrade
08

Remaining work

As of 12/04/26 the majority of the project has been completed with only a few things left to complete such as:

  • The installation of the decking on the west side of the house;
  • Prep and Pour a concrete driveway to replace the current gravel driveway;
  • Kyle and Rhiannon are still deciding on a layout of the outdoor kitchen area under the verandah;
  • Landscaping and retaining walls to tidy up the entrance to the house
Conclusion

A project I'm proud of

This project has been very beneficial towards my development as an apprentice, I've had the opportunity to be a lot more involved in all aspects of this project compared to others that I have worked on in the past.

I was able to get great experience from working directly with the client (Kyle and Rhiannon), managing sub trades such as the fireplace installers and electrician, working from plans and drawings, quantity surveying materials and taking a lead on certain aspects of the project.

Spending a lot of time working on this project directly alongside my boss and colleagues has been invaluable to the progression of my skills on the tools, my leadership abilities, my initiative and ability to think ahead.

This project posed plenty of challenges, learning opportunities and teachable moments that I'm able to reflect upon and learn from now the project is almost complete.

This project has greatly improved my overall confidence as a builder and I am incredibly proud of the work that the Tonks team and I have completed on this project.
Stage one · South side of the house

External envelope to finished interior

Roof cladding and wall underlay were already on when I joined. From there: cavity systems, the pre-clad inspection, then claddings, linings and finishing.

Section 01

External envelope — wall cladding systems

Problem

The external corner flashing sits over the Colorsteel and under the timber, and its size is dictated by where the ridges land on the Colorsteel sheets.

Decision

Install the Colorsteel first, lining every sheet up to match the roofing profile as we went.

Outcome

Cladding and flashings went on before the windows, which let the joinery be directly fixed and rebated — no thermal break in the envelope.

The cladding systems used on the project consisted of LMA timber mixed pale vertical shiplap weatherboards on the gable end walls; it is reclaimed and sustainably sourced Australian and Fijian hardwood. The boards are 22mm thick, have an effective cover of 115mm and come with a 15 year warranty. They arrived in random lengths ranging from 900mm - 4400mm. You can order specific lengths but a 15-30% surcharge is applied depending on the length.

For every other exterior wall, Colorsteel Metcom 7 cladding in cloud has been used. The finish on the sheets has been upgraded from Endura to Maxx (now called Maxam). The trapezoidal like sheets have an effective cover of 889mm and are covered under warranty for 30 years. Both products require a specific maintenance and care plan to ensure warranty isn't voided.

For the cavity system on the color steel cladding we used CAVIBAT which is an extruded polypropylene batten. We chose to use this batten as opposed to a timber batten because it doesn't react with the colorsteel wall cladding. Timber h3.1 solid and castellated battens were used for the LMA cladding cavity systems. Both cavity systems were fixed on top of 7mm ecoply RAB.

After the pre-clad inspection, we started with installing the colorsteel first as the external corner flashing sits over the colorsteel and under the timber, the size of the corner flashing is also dictated by where the ridges are on the colorsteel sheets. As the wall and roof cladding shared the same profile we lined up all of our sheets to match the roofing while we installed them, the cladding was fixed to the cavity system using pre finished 65mm galvanised self-tapping screws with a neoprene washer. The windows were directly fixed/rebated to bring the double glazed glass inline with the wall frames, ensuring no thermal breaks in the thermal envelope, improving the energy efficiency of this home. Because of this the cladding and flashings were installed before the windows.

Next was the timber cladding, we took our time during the set out to make sure the boards on the edge of the exterior joinery aligned well and the ripped boards on each edge were a similar width, we started installing the weatherboards the right side on the south face so the prevailing wind blows over not into the laps.

All cut edges were sealed using Dulux's Intergrain Natures Oil, the cladding requires a coat of the same oil once installed. We initially temporarily fixed them in place using a finishing nailer and fully fixed them off later with 70mm Wurth ASSYplus stainless steel partial thread screws.
Section 02

Ceiling framing, interior linings and insulation

Problem

Plans specified 10mm standard Gib on battens at 450mm centres, and the consent predated the H1 insulation changes.

Decision

Upgrade the ceiling linings to 13mm, and meet the new H1 standard anyway — R2.8 walls, R3.1 underfloor, R8.0 ceiling.

Outcome

Battens out to 600mm centres per section 4.4.2 of the Gib Site Guide, and a Lossnay free air vent system to handle the added air tightness.

70x35 H1.2 timber battens were used to form the ceiling. A rotating laser was used to level the ceiling framing, and as we were fixing the battens to the existing trusses, there was a lot of variation.

The plans specified the ceiling linings to be 10mm standard Gib board on battens at 450mm centers. We upgraded the ceiling linings to be 13mm, which meant we could increase the battens to 600mm centers in accordance with section 4.4.2 in the Gib Site Guide.

10mm standard gib was used for normal wall linings. In wet areas, 10mm Aqualine Gib alongside 19mm Secura flooring was used as tiles were installed. This work was subcontracted to a tiler, and BL1-H walls where Braceline/Noiseline Gib was used. Linings in the bedrooms, cupboards, and the ensuite were installed vertically, as critical light wasn't an issue.

The consent for this project was passed in February of 2023, before the changes were made to the H1 clause in the code. Because of this, we were not required to meet the new standard for insulation, but we did. Being in climate zone 3, we installed R2.8 in the walls, R3.1 for the underfloor, and R8.0 in the ceiling space.

All of these are above the required values after the reform. All interior walls were insulated to improve sound transmission as well. Due to the increase in insulation and air tightness, to allow for more air movement inside the home, a Lossnay free air vent system was installed by HVAC subcontractors.
Section 03

Finishing trim and internal joinery

Trade-off understood

Hollow core doors hold their shape over time and resist warping, but are less effective at controlling sound transmission between rooms — a compromise accepted on this job, and addressed separately in the media room.

A plasterer was subcontracted to stop all of the interior linings. He installed Gib cove in bedrooms, in the wardrobes and cupboards for space optimization Intex paper beads were used on the wall to ceiling transition. He would also be plastering the James Hardie 6mm Villaboard soffits later in the project.

90 x 10mm skirting in the single bevel profile was installed false mitred in internal corners and mitered in external corners. 40 x 10mm single bevel architraves with a 4mm quirk installed. Interior joinery was installed, hollow core doors were used as they tend to hold their shape over time and not warp, although being less effective at controlling sound transmission between rooms. All flooring overlay such as tiles, carpet and timber overlay installation was subcontracted.
Next

Stage two — the north side
Stage two · North side of the house

Down to the subfloor and back up

Deconstruction with the family still in the house, then piles, framing, a steel beam out and back, two roof pitches, the envelope, and the fit-out.

Section 01

Preliminary work

Problem

Deconstructing half a house back to the subfloor while a family with small children and dogs lived in the other half.

Decision

Scaffold and wrap, hoardings between the work and the living space, regular planning discussions, harnesses for roof and verandah removal.

Outcome

Dust and noise kept down, the site kept tidy, and most of the house recycled — metals to scrap, glass to the Otaihanga zero waste plant.

To start work on the North side of the project Wellington scaffolds set up a scaffold and wrap which allowed us to start the deconstruction process leaving just the subfloor remaining. During the deconstruction process we had to ensure everything was done safely to protect us and the family living in the house. Hoardings were set up to create a barrier between their living space. We kept dust and loud noises to a minimum and made sure to keep a tidy site.

Regular discussions took place to plan the deconstruction process and how we can eliminate and minimise the involved risks. Appropriate PPE was worn throughout the whole process including harnesses which were used when removing parts of the roof and verandah.

We recycled as much of the house as we could, taking the roofing, exterior joinery, flashing and all other metals to the scrap metal recyclers. We removed the glass from the existing joinery and took it to the zero waste recycling plant in Otaihanga. The rest of the waste was sent to the local tip.

Once the deconstruction was complete we moved on to setting out the piles for the two subfloor extensions from the foundation plans.
Section 02

Piles, posts and subfloor

Problem

Only ten piles' worth of concrete to place, and every pile and post had to sit 100mm off the bottom of its hole at a set depth.

Decision

Timber braces run parallel off the existing subfloor to hold height, fixed with waratahs; three cubes of 25MPa in a mini mixer and poured by wheelbarrow rather than paying for a pump truck.

Outcome

Piles plumbed and braced to the existing subfloor, then cut to a laser line, chamfered, treated with Metal-X and separated from the bearer with DPC.

Working off the engineers plan and NZS3604, we began the earth works and dug the pile and post holes. All 3 house pile types (ordinary, braced and anchored) were specified to be at a depth of 900mm. We held the 125x125 h5 piles 100mm of the bottom of the hole using a timber brace that was parallel to the existing subfloor and fixed in the ground using waratahs, the piles were plumbed and braced back to the existing subfloor.

The verandah H5 Prolams visual posts were upgraded from 90x90mm to 112x122mm. Their post holes were specified to be a 500x500mm square hole that was 1200mm deep. Much like the house piles, we used a timber brace parallel from the existing subfloor to hold them 100mm from the bottom of the hole and then we temporarily braced them to the scaffold. 3 cubes of 25mpa concrete was ordered from a local concrete company and arrived in a mini mixer. We poured the piles from the wheelbarrow as a pump truck was not cost effective for pouring 10 piles worth of concrete.

Once the concrete had had time to set we removed the temporary bracings and started framing the sub floor. The piles were measured using a line laser and cut to height for the new 140x90mm bearer which we continued from the existing subfloor. We treated the cut piles with metal-x and gave them a chamfer cut. The bearer and piles were separated using dpc, New 140x45 h1.2 joists at 450mm centers were installed and in accordance with the engineers plan we used a LUMBERLOK 12kn fixing for our bearer connection.

I installed R3.1 Expol underfloor insulation, this turned out to be a mistake as the chickens on the property must have decided it looked tasty and pecked chunks off of it despite the fact “UnderFloor does not offer any nutritive value.” as stated in the product's technical data sheet.

19mm Ecoply flooring was installed matching the thickness of the existing particle board. Each sheet was glued to the subfloor framing and along the t&g join using gorilla grip construction adhesive. A 5mm recess along the external edge of the flooring was used to stop capillary action between the Ecoply RAB and the framing.
Section 03

Remedial wall framing and pre-nail frames

Problem

The specified 240x90mm lintel above windows 6 and 7 would have brought the head height down too far.

Decision

Order the pre-nail frames at 140mm thick so a 200x140mm LVL lintel could be used, with 2/140x45mm J-frame LVL studs on the high spanning sections.

Outcome

Head heights held, and pre-nails came in cheaper than building the frames ourselves — supplied with a frame schedule and top plate hardware.

Remedial framing

South of the ridge, there was a lot of remedial wall framing as well as erecting new wall frames. All load bearing wall framing south of the ridge was made out of 90x45 sg8 with studs at 400mm centers in accordance with table 8.2 in NZS 3604:2011. Nogs were installed at 800 centres from FFL except on exterior walls with the LMA Timber cladding, they were installed at 485mm centres. Some remedial framing work required the use of propping to support the existing structure while new frames were installed. Double sills were added as extra fixings for wanspas and the added strength.

Pre-nails

For all of the wall frames North of the ridge we had pre nailed frames made as it was more cost effective than constructing them ourselves. We used Prenail Frames, a Wellington based company, who came to site to measure up and two weeks later the frames arrived.

The prenail wall frames were 140mm thick to allow for 200x140mm LVL lintels above windows 6 and 7 as the specified 240x90mm lintel would bring the head height down too far. 2/140x45mm J-frame LVL studs were used on the high spanning sections.

They provided a wall frame schedule which detailed where each frame was to be stood, they also provided hardware for top plate connections. All of the wall frames had Pryda, lintel and top plate fixings installed. On arrival, we had 4 people lifting and standing the frames as they were quite heavy, we utilized the mobile scaffold to assist us in lifting and installing the wall frames, For bottom plate fixings we used 3/90x3.15 nails at 600mm centers as well as 100mmx14g bugle screws.

Most of the external wall frames had EPB1 bracing elements and some internal walls had GS1-N and BL1-H bracing elements.

Ecoply lintel fixing could be used for Uplifts Not Exceeding 7.5kN meaning we could use it for all type F and G lintels, for type H lintels we followed the Lumberlok Studlok Fixing Schedule as shown in the working drawings.

For bottom plate fixing, as specified in the plans 3/90x3.15 power driven nails at 600mm centers along with hold-down brackets were required for bracing elements and lintel fixings. Studlok SL170 screws and 2/90x3.15 nails were used for top plate fixing.
Section 04

Steel beam remedial work

Problem

An existing universal steel beam needed cleaning, re-priming and new timber infill — awkward and slow to do in situ.

Decision

Take the beam out entirely during framing, re-prime it on the ground, and reframe the walls it lands on while it was gone.

Outcome

DPC between beam and infill so condensation can't reach the timber, and M12 bolts on square washers recessed into the framing so the linings sit flat.

In the existing house there was a steel universal beam (RSJ). During the wall framing we decided to remove the steel beam to clean, re prime and replace the timber infill instead of doing it in situ.

While the steel beam was out we reframed the wall framing where it would be landing on each side. The beam was re-primed to stop it from rusting. The timber infill was separated from the beam using dpc so that if any condensation were to form on the beam it wouldn't contact the timber. When lifting the beam back into position we utilized many ladders and the mobile scaffold. 4 of us lifted it into position and it was fixed into the wall framing with m12 bolts on 50x50x3 square washers recessed into the framing to not affect any linings.
Section 05

Roof and verandah framing

Problem

Purlins at the specified 900mm centres made working safely on a two-pitch roof harder than it needed to be. Separately, Kyle wanted one continuous 190x35mm barge board through the change of pitch.

Decision

Bring purlin centres in to 740mm, and build the verandah with 150x50 Hypsan LVL rafters and blocked purlins between them instead of 190mm rafters with 45mm purlins.

Outcome

Still well over the 2.4kN specified, easier and safer to work on, better spacing for the roof cladding fixings — and the barge board runs unbroken.
I led this inspection

Pre-wrap inspection with Kāpiti Coast District Council for wall, roof and subfloor framing. I prepared by double-checking every connection, fixing and bracing element, and photographing what the inspector couldn't see — subfloor mechanical fixings, pile and post hole depths — with paper plans on site.

Roof framing

There are two different pitched roofs on this build, a 30° framed roof (Northside) and a 15° pre nailed truss roof (Southside) which is adjacent from the center of the 30° roof. On the 15° roof all trusses were existing and are being reused. On the 30° framed roof, new engineered rafters were installed north of the ridge while the existing roof framing was reused on the south side and strengthened by laminating another 140x45 to the side of each existing rafter.

The valleys were formed but because the roofs were at different pitches (15° and 30°) the valley was not at a 45 degree angle.

We framed the roof from the engineers plans and NZS 3604:2011, they showed that our rafters had to be 2/240 x 45 SG8 KD @900 centers, the span of the rafters was 4.6m and the fixing requirements of 2/cpc80 with 4/90 x3.15 nails to the ridge beam and 2/CPC40 with 2/90 x 3.15 nails to the wall frames to achieve 7kN of hold down.

When we were fixing the rafters we fixed them at the ridge beam first and then used them to straighten our pre nailed wall frame. We had 4 people lifting the rafters into place while using ladders and the mobile scaffold.

Outriggers and fly rafters were installed and we used the outrigger to straighten the pre nailed wall frames on the gable ends. 5 skylights were framed between the rafters which increased the amount of natural light brought in but also the amount of critical light, because of this we will have to install our linings vertically on the wall that the skylights are pointing at. Purlins were installed with 2/80x3.15mm paslode purlin nails and 1 80mmx10g lumberlok bluescrew which archives more than the 2.4kn specified as per the engineers plan except we decided to decrease the centers from 900mm to 740mm this made it easier to work safely on the roof and worked well with the fixings for the roof cladding. 1 pair of diagonally opposite 4kn strip braces was installed on each side of the roof in accordance with the roof plan.

Verandah framing

An enclosed verandah has been added on the North side; it consists of a 4m long section above W7 and a 1300mm section for the rest of the North side. It has a pitch of 4 degrees. The roof cladding would continue onto the verandah from the change of pitch flashing. The soffit linings will be James Hardies 6mm Villaboard with plastered sheet joins.

Kyle wanted to have one continuous 190x35mm barge board through the change of roof pitch. To achieve this on the verandah, we used 150x50 Hypsan LVL rafters and blocked purlins between them, instead of 190mm rafters and 45mm purlins.

To cut the Prolams visual posts to the correct height for the 112x112mm Prolams visual beam to be installed we used a laser for improved accuracy. Kyle wanted the post to beam connection to be secret fix so we used a Simpsons strong tie Concealed Beam Tie.

Now that we had completed the majority of the framing we could book a pre-wrap inspection for the wall, roof and subfloor framing. The inspection was booked with the Kapiti coast district council. I had the opportunity to manage/lead this inspection. I prepared for this by double checking over all of the connections, fixings, framing, bracing he would be checking, I also prepared photos of aspects that were difficult to see/inspect like subfloor mechanical fixings and depth of pile/post holes. A paper copy of the plans were also present during the inspection.
Section 06

Roof cladding

Problem

The house sits 2km from breaking surf but outside the zone that would require an upgraded finish, and the verandah's 4° pitch risks condensation pooling behind the underlay.

Decision

Upgrade from Colorsteel Endura to Maxx anyway, choose 'cloud' for lower heat absorption and less movement, and support the underlay on the verandah with Ausmesh roof safety mesh.

Outcome

Warranty up from 18 to 50 years, no pooling behind the underlay, and a reduced fall risk while working the low pitch.

At Tonks we usually install our own roof cladding unlike many other companies, this has been great throughout my apprenticeship. Because of this I've been able to get practical roofing experience with multiple different profiles.

We started with installing the fascia and barges, when joining barges at a change of angle we put jolt screws in the endgrain of one side and drilled a corresponding hole on the endgrain of the other piece. We applied glue to the holes and engrain of the timber before fixing them into place, this was to strengthen the join and prevent it from opening up over its lifespan.

Eaves flashings and valleys flashings and underlay were installed next, we used Covertek 407 for underlay. We installed the underlay vertically on all roofs. On the verandah we used Ausmesh Roof Safety Mesh to support the underlay to stop condensation water pooling as the verandah is on a 4 pitch and in turn decrease the risk of a fall from height while working.

The roof cladding we are using on this project is colorsteel in the Metcom 7 profile. We chose to upgrade the finish on the roof and wall cladding from colorsteel Endura to colorsteel Maxx (now called Maxam). This was not required as it is not located in exposure zone C, however it is still only 2 km from breaking surf and it also offers a significant improvement in the warranty of the product from 18 years to 50 years. An off white color called cloud was chosen, being white it will absorb considerably less heat from the sun and expands and contracts less compared to other colours offered by colorsteel. The Metcom 7 profile is a lot stronger compared to corrugate and tray profiles.

We installed the verandah sheets first as they needed to be in place for our change of pitch flashing to be installed. The architect provided a detail on how to flash this junction, we could have also used the detail provided by metalkraft for the Metcom 7 profile. We measured our purlins and pre-drilled all our sheets as we were using type 17 screws. This also made for an efficient installation when fixing sheets down.

I previously had not done much work with flashings apart from window heads before this project, as I was a lot more involved in the flashing and roofing of this project. It improved my skill and confidence in measuring, ordering, cutting and installing flashings.
Section 07

Exterior envelope

Problem

The specified 4.5mm Hardie Flex soffit needed standard jointers, which would break up a long continuous soffit line.

Decision

Substitute 6mm Hardies Villaboard — smoother, available with recessed edges, so the joins can be plastered flush.

Outcome

A continuous plastered finish, a stronger soffit, and a better base for the inbuilt speakers, lights and outdoor heating.

Wall claddings

The cladding installation during the second stage of this project was the exact same process as stage one. As I had installed the cladding before, I was confident in my abilities and the installation went much faster this time round.

External joinery

The external joinery units were supplied by Wellington windows and doors, they consist of sealed double glazed glass with argon gas between the panels, aluminium frames and timber jambs, head flashings were also supplied with them. Certain windows and doors were quite large and came unglazed to make installation easier. Once installed, glaziers came to fit the glass.

Soffits

Kyle decided to upgrade from the specified 4.5mm hardie flex soffit to 6mm hardies villaboard as they wanted to have a continuous plastered finish opposed to the standard jointers. Villaboard has a much smoother finish compared to hardie flex and it can come with recessed edges making it the ideal product to substitute.

This small design change greatly improved the feel of the outdoor area providing a cleaner, modern finish highlighting the inbuilt speakers, lights and outdoor heating. The change also provided a stronger soffit and a better base to mount outdoor accessories too.

I fixed the soffits in place with Galv flat head nails and gorilla construction adhesive, the plastering was sub-contracted to DR plastering.
Section 08

Internal linings and finishing

Problem

A Sonos system in the media room sitting alongside the open sitting, dining and living areas, and an inbuilt fireplace needing a substrate that can take the heat.

Decision

GBTLA60r Gib sound rail system on the media room wall, and a Skamo enclosure board layer under 6mm Villaboard with countersunk screws and heat rated silicone at the fireplace.

Outcome

STC 55, Rw 54 and FRR 60/60/60 on that wall, and a fireplace surround ready for veneer plaster and matching tile.

The interior lining and finishing of stage two was very similar to stage one, with only a few new features.

The house is fitted with a sonos sound system, to minimise sound transmission from the media room to the sitting/dining/living areas the GBTLA60r gib sound rail system was used. This detail gives the wall a STC rating of 55, Rw rating of 54 and a FRR rating of 60/60/60.

A Sparthem inbuilt Corner fireplace was installed by Wellington Fireplace Studio in the dining/sitting/kitchen area. This being used in conjunction with the hvac system is very efficient to generate and spread heat around the home. We worked with them to ensure the substrate was suitable for the installation.

The fireplace was clad in a layer Skamo enclosure board, it is a heat resistant board that contains the warmth generated. To finish the surface we installed a layer of 6mm villaboard with counter sunk screws and heat rated silicone for the vaneshain plaster to be applied too. The heath was framed and lined with villa board as well, a tiled finish matching the bathrooms and pool surround was installed by the tiler.

Kyle and Rhiannon (Kyle's wife) undertook the task of painting the internal linings, it turned out amazing and was submitted to dulux paint awards.
Section 09

Internal joinery and hardware

Detail that matters

Jambs fixed with reverse thread jolt screws, the same method as the exterior window jambs, and the frame-to-jamb gap sealed with expanding foam to minimise sound transmission. Cavity slider brace wall units bolted to the subfloor framing where a slider landed in a bracing wall.

The internal doors and wardrobe doors were supplied by bds doors LTD and the hardware, vanities, bath tub, pendants, toilets etc were supplied by ABI interiors. I was able to gain a lot of valuable experience and knowledge installing internal joinery units and hardware on this project as I hadn't done much on previous projects.

The door jambs were fixed to the frames using reverse thread jolt screws similarly to exterior window jambs. The gap between the frame and the jambs were sealed with expanding foam to minimise sound transmission. I enjoyed the precision and accuracy required when installing hinges, striker plates, handles and stops.

The cavity sliders were supplied by Cavity sliders, Cavity slider brace wall units were used when being installed in walls with a bracing unit, they are bolted to the subfloor framing and utilize plywood to achieve bracing capabilities

The joinery units In the kitchen scullery and study nook were constructed on site and installed by kitchen creators.
Section 10

Water tanks and stormwater disposal

Problem

A rural property with no access to main stormwater drainage, now carrying an addition, a new garage and a 20,000L pool.

Decision

A sealed system to Cuttriss Engineering's design — two 25,000L storage tanks and a 6,000L retention tank feeding a soakage channel of Rainsmart modules around perforated PVC.

Outcome

Raw soakage tested at 90mm/hr; the installed system releases at 23mm/hr, signed off by a council drainage inspection before backfill.

The property is located in a rural area and it does not have access to main stormwater drainage. To allow for the increased level of stormwater from the addition to the existing dwelling, the new garage and 20,000L swimming pool, a storm water disposal system design detailed by Cuttriss Engineering was installed.

The ground on the property was tested with a soakage rate test, the result of this showed a raw soakage rate of 90mm/hr, the stormwater drainage system has a soakage rate of 23mm/hr.

This soakage rate was achieved by Two 25,000L water tanks and one 6,000L retention tank installed behind the garage. This is a sealed system that collects the storm water from the spouting in the two larger “storage” tanks, when they are full it fills up the smaller retention tank that slowly releases the water into the drainage channel.

The drainage channel was excavated and the ground was prepped with a drainage chip. rainsmart stormwater modules with a perforated 100mm PVC pipe running through the length of the channel were dropped into place and plumbed into the retention tank, These modules were wrapped with a geo textile cloth. A building inspector from the Kapiti coast council completed a drainage inspection and signed it off before the channel was backfilled with more drainage chip.
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Decks and pool
Decks & pool · No consent, still to code

218m² designed on site

Neither deck required consent, so there were no drawings. The design was ours to make — inside the building code, the product limitations, and what Kyle and Rhiannon wanted.

18m²
Back deck · designed and led by me
200m²
Main deck, excluding the pool
4×8m
Fibreglass pool unit
15kN
Janka hardness · Grey box decking
Section 01

Two decks, one continuous floor level

Code, without a consent

Both decks sit under 1500mm from ground level, so no consent was required — but the building code still applies. Balustrades where the fall risk exceeds 1m, and a two-yearly inspection of the pool gate and fence.

We built two decks, one small deck accessed from the laundry, spare room and scullery leading to the back of the house. It is 18 sqm with a step/seat around the outside. As well as a larger 200sqm deck excluding the pool, it wraps around from the north side of the house and continues down the west side all the way to the master bedroom.

Both decks do not require a consent as they are less than 1500mm from ground level. Although no consent is required the decks still have to follow the building code. The balustrades are required in areas with fall risks exceeding 1m and the gate and fence around the pool requires an inspection every 2 years.

The decking product we used was Grey box decking supplied by the same company as the wall cladding, LMA timber. Grey box is a durable and resistant sustainably sourced Australian hardwood exhibiting a janka hardness rating of 15kn. The decking comes in 135x19mm boards pre oiled from the factory requiring re-oiling every 12-18 months to maintain its deep natural colours, it can also be left to silver off.

As the decks did not require consent, we did not get plans drawn up and it was at our discretion to design and construct the decks within the boundaries of the building code and product limitations. Communication with Kyle and Rhiannon during this stage was critical to successfully bring their ideas to life.

For a seamless indoor outdoor flow the FFL of the decks were matched to the FFL of the building.

Section 02 · I led this

The back deck

Problem

Stormwater, water feed and power feed to the garages all ran through the ground where the piles needed to go.

Decision

Design the deck to use the fewest piles possible — bearer fixed to the verandah post, 190x45mm joist to carry the resulting span — then map every service in spray paint and hand dig instead of using the auger.

Outcome

No services struck, spans checked against NZS3604, and a deck I set out, framed and laid myself off the house FFL.

I was given the opportunity to lead the construction of the smaller deck, and undertook some of the work myself. This was an excellent opportunity to push myself and test my skills!

One of the biggest challenges with this deck was the pile locations, there were many services in the ground such as storm water, water feed and power feed to the garages. I designed the deck to utilise the least amount of piles necessary, this was achieved by fixing the bearer to the verandah post and using a 190x45mm joist to account for the large span introduced.

To minimise the risk posed by digging near these services, all the services were mapped out using spray paint before any earthworks commenced. Instead of using the auger attachment on the excavator, all the piles were carefully hand dug to ensure our safety.

The piles were dropped into the holes and braced using scrap timber, in this scenario it was more cost effective to order a concrete truck from mini mix kapiti as opposed to using bagged concrete. Once the concrete had set, the bracing was removed and the piles were cut down to height and treated with metal x, we worked backwards from the FFL of the inside of the house to ensure a seamless indoor outdoor flow.

The two h3.2 140x90mm bearers supporting the main section of the deck were installed first, DPC was used to separate them from the H5 piles and z-nails were used to fix them to the piles. Any high points were planned down. h3.2 190x45mm joists were used, I checked NZS3604 to make sure they were an acceptable size to cover the span. Two rows blocking was added to increase rigidity and stop the joists rolling. The bench seat and steps were framed out from the main deck, the back was fixed to the piles supporting the bearer and the front was supported by another line of piles.

I was given the opportunity to install the decking by myself, I decided to take my time, pay a lot of attention to detail and really focus on constructing a high quality finished product. I was confident in my abilities as I installed the same decking products on the larger deck and I am very proud of the end result.
Section 03

The pool

Problem

The pool's location meant the sides needed support — a load introduced on the west side and an excavation required on the east.

Decision

A timber retaining wall of H5 175mm SED poles and H4 200x50 retaining timber, kept within 500mm of the top of the pool, with geotextile cloth and 100mm perforated novacoil behind it.

Outcome

Enough support for the pool shell, drainage maintained behind the wall by backfilling with Gap 10 chip, and a temporary barrier kept up until the deck went on.

The pool is a 4x8m fiberglass unit and was installed by capital pools before we started the deck, we only prepared the substrate for them. Due to the location of the pool and the sides needing support we had to construct a retaining wall to support the load introduced on the west side, and an excavation was required on the east side.

Working with the subcontractors, the specs provided by them and the company's 2.7 ton excavator we started the excavation, making the dig out 400mm bigger than the pool on all sides.

We built a timber retaining wall on the west side of the evacuation using H5 175mm SED poles and H4 200x50 retaining timber. The retaining wall had to be within 500mm from the top of the pool to provide enough support. For drainage behind the wall a geotextile cloth and 100mm perforated nova coil was installed.

From there it was up to the subcontractors to prepare the substrate for the pool by using bedding sand they built our excavation up to the correct height and had the pool craned into position by Banks crane hire. Gap 10 drainage chip was used to backfill between the pool, being so small it filled in all gaps and provided support while maintaining adequate drainage for the retaining wall.

They then boxed a concrete nib around the perimeter of the top of the pool to add rigidity and provide a suitable surface for tiled surround to adhere to. We would also be using this concrete nib to fix our ribbon plates when framing the deck.

Once the pool was filled up, we kept a temporary fence / barrier around to minimise the risk of an open body of water, only removing it when working on the pool / deck.
Section 04

The main deck

Problem

On the east side the ground level was highest, and a spa pool was going on that same section — extra load, and a transition to the lawn to resolve.

Decision

Rather than lower the ground, change the subfloor design: concrete footings in dug channels, an H5 125x125 pile laid on its side as the bearer, 150x50 H4 joists, and two laminated to 150x100mm under the spa.

Outcome

A smooth deck-to-lawn transition, joists kept clear of the ground, and 400mm centres held throughout so the visible decking fixings stayed regular.

We created a plan for the subfloor framing. We utilized the posts supporting the verandah, concrete nib around the perimeter of the pool and the retaining wall poles when we set out the piles. We constantly referred to NZS3604 to make sure the design was following the building code. We set out our piles at 1200mm centers along the span of the bearer and 2000mm centers along the span of the joists.

We used the company's excavator with a 450mm diameter auger attachment to drill the pile holes, this saved a lot of time and labour when compared to hand digging all the holes. The piles were braced with scrap timber and waratahs

On the east side of the deck the ground level was the highest. In this section, instead of lowering the ground level we changed the design of the subfloor framing to allow for smooth transition between the deck and the lawn. The spa pool was also located on this section of the deck. We chose to dig channels for concrete footings to be poured. On these footings we installed an H5 125x125 pile on its side as the bearer.

Once all the piles had been braced, the nib around the pool had been boxed and the channels for the footings had been dug a concrete order was placed. We chose to pour it all at once instead of doing it in stages to be as cost effective as possible.

The bracing was removed and the piles were all cut to height, chamfer cut at a 60 degree angle to prevent water sitting on the piles and treated with metal-x

Subfloor framing

The boxing around the concrete nib of the pool was removed and we installed our ribbon plates, keeping them 20mm below FFL. H4 150x50mm was used for the ribbon plates because they would be in contact with the backfill surrounding the pool. DPC was used to separate them from the concrete and they were fixed to the concrete nib using 316 stainless steel M12 through bolts.

The bearers on the main section of the deck were 2 / 140x45mm h3.2 laminated together. These were mechanically fixed to the piles using stainless steel wire dog staples and Z-nails. In the east section of the deck the bearers were installed 10mm lower to account for the size difference between the joists.

For the main section of the deck h3.2 140x45 joists were installed at 400mm centers. In the east section of the deck the joists were close to the ground level so we chose to use 150x50 H4 sg8 to prevent them from rotting over time. The spa pool was also being located in this section so to deal with the extra load it added, we laminated 2 joists together to be 150x100mm. We kept the joist centers at 400mm not to interfere with the visible decking board fixings.

Around the perimeter of the deck a double boundary joist was installed. In the sections where the aluminium balustrade was installed as a pool and fall barrier blocking at 400mm centers and 4 x SSCPC40 were used to fix the boundary joist as per the balustrade's specifications. Blocking at 2400mm centres was installed throughout the deck to prevent the joists from rolling.
Section 05

Decking and glass balustrade

Why the boards were pre-cut

Grey box arrives in random lengths from 2000–6000mm. Cutting every board back to the nearest multiple of 400 meant each one landed on a joist in the random pattern, with cut ends sealed and the same 316 stainless screws used on the cladding.

The decking was installed in a random pattern, as the decking came in random lengths from 2000-6000mm the decking was pre-cut at the nearest multiple of 400. The cut ends of the decking were sealed with Dulux's Intergrain Natures Oil, The decking was fixed to the joists using 65mm Wurth 316 stainless steel assyplus partial thread screws, the same as the cladding and the recommended screws from the manufacturer. The decking was kept 12mm from the wall claddings.

The pool required a physical barrier to minimise the risk of having an open body of water, this was installed by supreme balustrades
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Project overview