THE GUIDE | Your driveway is worth more than you think
On properties across Auckland, driveways and garages routinely occupy some of the most valuable space on the section. Space that could be living area, garden, pool, or studio. Most homeowners never question it. The garage has always been there, and so it stays. For many families, it represents hundreds of thousands of dollars of section being used for little more than a place for the children to learn how to ride their bikes.
It doesn't have to be.
RELOCATING YOUR GARAGE - WHAT’S INVOLVED?
Relocating a garage to the front of a property and reclaiming the rear is often more straightforward than people expect. In most cases, it can be incorporated directly into your building consent with no separate resource consent required. Macfie Architecture handles the concept design and the consenting from start to finish. Town planning stipulations may vary from property to property.
HERITAGE OVERLAY SITES: ONE ADDITIONAL STEP
On heritage overlay sites, the process takes one additional step. Any significant change to the front facade of your property requires resource consent before building consents can proceed. At Macfie Architecture, this is a process we navigate every day. Getting resource consent across the line on a heritage site requires experience, careful documentation, and a thorough understanding of what councils are looking for. We have all three.
A recent example: Point Chevalier Transitional Bungalow
Point Chevalier Transitional Bungalow is a good example of what's possible. We relocated the garage from the rear of the property to the front, integrating it into the heritage bungalow form. What had been a driveway consuming the best part of the section became a vaulted open-plan extension, saltwater pool, and Xanthe White garden. The street character was preserved. The resource consent was approved. The result speaks for itself. Explore the full project: www.macfiearchitecture.co.nz/point-chevalier-transitional-bungalow
BEFORE & AFTER GARAGE RELOCATION -
Start the conversation
If you've been wondering what's possible on your property, we'd love to help. We'll tell you honestly what can be achieved and how to get there.
Get in touch with the Macfie Architecture team today: info@macfiearchitecture.co.nz or 09 379 6687.