CHARACTER HOMES
Villa and Bungalow Restorations in Tauranga
Tauranga's older suburbs still hold villas and bungalows with high ceilings, timber floors, deep verandahs and the kind of proportions that new homes rarely match. They also hold draughts, cold rooms, tired services and layouts designed for another century. Bespoke Construct carries out villa and bungalow restorations in Tauranga that keep what made these homes special while bringing them up to modern standards of comfort, performance and daily use.
Restoring Character, Not Erasing It
The value of a character home lies in the details: sash windows, timber joinery, ceiling roses, skirtings, architraves, fretwork and weatherboard profiles. A restoration should protect those, repair them where they have been damaged and match them where they have been lost. We source or mill matching profiles, repair original joinery rather than replacing it wherever that is practical, and detail new work so it sits comfortably beside the old.
At the same time, a home built in 1910 or 1930 was never insulated, wired or plumbed for the way we live now. We upgrade insulation in walls, ceilings and floors, replace services, improve ventilation and heating, and address the borer, rot and foundation issues that come with age, so the finished home is warm, dry and sound as well as beautiful.
The aim is a home that looks like it has always been cared for and lives like it was built yesterday.
Sympathetic Layout Changes and Additions
Villas and bungalows were planned around a central hallway with small rooms off it and the kitchen at the back. Most families now want an open kitchen, dining and living space that opens onto the garden. We make those changes carefully, keeping the formal front rooms and the street frontage intact while opening up the rear of the house.
Where more space is needed, a rear or side extension can add a modern living pavilion, a master suite or a second bathroom without touching the character of the original. We match or deliberately contrast the new work, depending on the architecture and your preference, and we make sure floor levels, ceiling heights and the transition between old and new are resolved properly.
The result is a home with the best of both eras.
Kitchens and Bathrooms in Period Homes
New kitchens and bathrooms that respect the scale and detail of the house. We plan plumbing and drainage around original floors and framing, and choose fittings and finishes that sit comfortably in a character setting.
Insulation, Heating and Services
Underfloor, ceiling and wall insulation, new wiring and plumbing, ventilation and efficient heating, installed with minimal damage to original linings. A restored villa should be as warm as a new build.
Foundations, Piles and Structure
Many older Tauranga homes sit on timber piles that have settled or rotted. We re-level and re-pile, repair floor framing and address borer and moisture damage before the finishing work begins, so the restoration lasts.
Weatherboards, Roofs and Exterior Restoration
Exterior restoration is where many character homes need the most work. We repair or replace weatherboards with matching profiles, restore verandahs, posts and fretwork, replace roofing and spouting, and repaint in colour schemes that suit the period. Where the home has been clad over in later materials, we can assess whether the original exterior can be recovered.
All exterior work is detailed for Tauranga's coastal conditions, with proper flashings, cavities where they are required and coatings that last, so the house stays dry as well as looking right. See our recladding services for homes that need more than repair.
Why Choose Bespoke Construct for a Villa or Bungalow Restoration
Character homes reward patience and punish shortcuts. Nothing is square, original materials are irreplaceable, and every wall opened up reveals something the drawings did not show. That takes a builder who is comfortable with old buildings, plans for the unexpected and communicates constantly. Alex leads every project personally, so the decisions that come up on site are made by the person who priced the work.
Clients choose Bespoke Construct for direct communication, tidy sites, honest timelines and clear cost tracking through Buildertrend, and for a standard of finish recognised at the 2025 Registered Master Builders House of the Year Awards with a Regional Gold Award and a place in the national Top 100.
Restorations are part of our wider renovation services. Read more about Bespoke Construct or see our recent projects.
How a Restoration Project Works
We start with a free onsite consultation and a careful look at the house: foundations, framing, roof, cladding, services and the original features worth keeping. We talk honestly about what the home needs, what you want from it and what it is likely to cost, and we recommend a building surveyor's report where the condition of the structure is uncertain.
From there we follow our six step process: scope, design with your architect or designer where needed, detailed pricing, consent, programme and construction, with a proper handover at the end.
GET IN TOUCH
Ready to Restore Your Character Home?
If you own a villa or bungalow in Tauranga, Mount Maunganui or the wider Bay of Plenty and want it restored with care by builders who understand old houses, Bespoke Construct is ready to help.
Book your free consultation with Alex to discuss your project, your site, and the best way to move forward.
EMAIL: alex@bespokeconstruct.co.nz
PHONE: 027 884 8175
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. We source matching profiles where they are still made and have them milled where they are not. Original joinery is repaired rather than replaced wherever that is practical.
It should be. Insulating walls, ceilings and floors, improving ventilation and installing efficient heating make an enormous difference. A properly restored villa can be as comfortable as a new home.
Only a small number of Tauranga homes are formally scheduled as heritage buildings. Most villas and bungalows are not, so the usual building consent rules apply. We check the status of your property early in the process.
Yes, and it is the most common request. We keep the front rooms, hallway and street frontage intact and open up the rear of the house, retaining the ceiling heights, timber floors and detailing that give the home its character.
A full restoration with layout changes and an extension typically takes six to twelve months on site. Smaller restorations are quicker. We give you a realistic programme once the scope is clear.