Christmas Lights in Hamilton

Some people put in an incredible effort around their own homes ... these lights were in Harrowfield.

NATIONAL PARK : Thanks to all who contributed
With completion of the house at National Park I’d like to thank those people who contributed to significant components of the project since 2005;

Paul Gellatly for design drawings and submitting Resource Consent and Building Permit documentation, and recommending a number of tradespeople for the finishing work. Quality and timeliness of Paul’s work was incredible, and certainly launched the project extremely well. Being based in Taumarunui I’ve yet to actually meet Paul to thank him personally for a superb job.

Murray ‘Foz’ Byrne and his team did an absolutely incredible job replacing around 200m of weatherboards, adding new baseboards, fantastic pine ceilings in both lounges, new roof over the kitchen and dining room and other significant aspects of the house that I simply could not have tackled alone.

Murray Wilson worked between rainstorms to complete the priming and final painting to improve the outer appearance dramatically, so the house now fits with the 30’s/40’s theme and actually now appears to have been on the site since it was built.

Ken Brunston had a challenge wiring up the house, completely replacing all the old system, so now there are sufficient lights that the interior in winter will resemble daylight.

Colin Levien had so many brilliant suggestions for the plumbing system with the gas system now working perfectly supplying hotwater no matter how many people are staying, and not having to wait for a hotwater cylinder to heat up. The entire plumbing system was replaced and has worked perfectly since it was installed.

Warren Furner for pursuing Ruapehu District Council to sort out the fiasco when 30 trees vanished from the backyard as a result of a stormwater line appearing without warning in March 2008, which Brian & Shirley alerted me to, as they saw my backyard vanishing in a scene of devastation resembling trenches of the Somme.

Last but certainly not least the entire staff of Eivins for many many meals, much entertainment and a great place to relax at the end of long days working on the house over the last 2 years. Bryce and Marie made everyone who has stayed in the last two years feel so incredibly welcome, and are superb ambassadors for National Park Village.

NATIONAL PARK : House in Hastings (December 2004 & May 2005)
These images are of the house when I first saw it, after sitting for some years in the Hastings yard of Brittons, awaiting a new piece of land to call home ... after being removed from Napier Hill. At NZ$27,000 (around US$40,000 at the time) including transport to site (250km away), foundations and re-assembly it was a deal tooooo good to miss, though I knew there would be a considerable amount of work required to have it livable.

Interior views from May 2005 ... a challenging task ahead with this mess ...

Main Lounge showing gaping hole where the fireplace was previously, props for the ceiling and cut through the centre of the house for transport.

Kitchen with hole in floor (and ohhh so lovely curtains), Dining Room full of debris, including new stove which appears not to have been previously installed.

Bathroom almost looking civilised, yet the toilet was missing an importnat component ... the Toilet !!!