Stokes Valley Rebuild Includes STRATA Wet Area Flooring for Special Effect
Woodland Lifestyle Strata Flooring installed in the kitchen.
Tania and Gary Gregory liked their location in Stokes Valley, Lower Hutt but not their 50-year-old weatherboard home. So, with the help of a local building company, SLC Builders they decided to rebuild it.
The ambitious project included extending the 97sqm home to 172sqm and taking it back to “bare bones”. A new floor plan was decided, floor joists repaired and re-laid, exterior weatherboards replaced, new windows installed, new plumbing and rewiring and a total new interior design. The project was more extensive than first anticipated but fortunately 2018 was one of the more milder Wellington winters for the couple who spent eight months living on site without running water and an outdoor porta-loo.
Woodland Lifestyle’s multi-layer Strata wet area flooring was selected for the kitchen, laundry and bathrooms. Its selection was prompted by the exuberance of PlaceMakers and the builder who had used the new ISOCORE technology in a previous project. Peter Manser (of PlaceMakers Lower Hutt) showed the versatility and strength of the flooring with a ‘toughness test’ which reassured the Gregory’s it would withstand their lifestyle.
Strata Commercial flooring is also the perfect foil for two furry cats and provided peace of mind for the couple because it carries a Lifetime Warranty in homes.
It also appealed as the Strata flooring is loose laid with an insulative underlay so they could remove the necessity for underfloor heating. The 7mm PVC core provides additional insulation saving time and money. The couple chose the Swiss Oak Bern colour which was an easy fit with their charcoal theme. I liked it because it was cool in colour, toning with the charcoal cabinets and carpet but also warm, said Tania.
The builder assisted with a designer touch by powder coating the edge trims to the Strata to match the aluminum windows, giving it a stylish junction with the carpet throughout. There was nothing available on the market that we liked and was well worth the extra dollers, according to Tania.
Inspired by a picture in a magazine, Tania decided she wanted the Strata flooring featured on one wall in the bathroom. This has been a huge part of creating the look Tania was seeking. (Please note, that Strata flooring is not warrantied for wall installations)
The cats also enjoy the warmth of the flooring and prefer to park themselves on the sun warmed Strata bathroom floor, than anywhere else in the house. This has been a bonus for the Gregory’s as both cats shed but it is difficult to see. An easy sweep and quick mop with a standard floor cleaner keeps the flooring maintained.
With the leftover Strata flooring the Gregory’s have put the generous floor planks 220W x 1510L to good use in laundry cabinetry and lining some garage shelving.
Visitors to the Gregory’s home, go ‘wow’ when they see the renovation and particularly love the Strata on the wall in the bathroom, said Tania.
“We built if for ourselves, we are certainly happy,” said Tania, about their first renovation project.
They enjoyed the rebuild process so much, with SLCBA builders and their project manager, Tama Leaf, they are planning the next, possibly larger project in the next 5 years.
Words by L M Powell
