RESTORING A PIECE OF AUCKLAND HISTORY
The suburb of Ponsonby, located in Auckland’s central city, is an area of great historic beauty. The streets are lined with fine examples of classic villa architecture, and 10 Norfolk Street was undergoing a major restoration to join the ranks.
getting it right
The client, a builder and the homeowner, was to live in the house during works, along with his young family. Starting from the top, he brought Topline onboard to take care of replacing the extensive and complex roof. 10 Norfolk Street has a particularly intricate roof profile, with three chimneys, plus turrets and internal guttering.
For a villa restoration, it is critical all elements retain the original character of the house. The materials used and colours chosen are hugely important to achieving the desired result, and doing the architecture justice. Endura .55 corrugated roof sheets were perfect for the project, to be finished with step flashing into the chimneys, and a classic bullnose roof on the veranda.
a challenging site
Like many homes of this era, access to the Norfolk Street site was tricky. There’s no driveway, and the site is tight.
Topline project manager Karl Symons worked to devise a way of safely removing the existing roof and bringing new materials into place, as well as allowing ongoing, secure access for the team working on the roof.
With a great deal of experience working in tough spots, Topline overcame the issues by double-handling all roofing materials – lifting them between the street and the backyard, and manually between the backyard and the roof.
As always, health and safety was Topline’s priority. During the movement of roofing materials, the street was cordoned off, with all powerlines sleeved. Full scaffolding was erected for the duration of the project, to ensure the safety of the Topline team, plus ease of access to facilitate signature Topline craftsmanship.
THE PERFECT FINISH
A two-week long project, 10 Norfolk Street’s new roof was completed on time, on budget and perfectly in keeping with the home’s character. The client was delighted, and could continue with his restoration assured his home was well on its way to reclaiming its original grandeur.
“This was an unusually complex villa roof. Topline did a superb job, safely, for a good price with minimum fuss. I can recommend them totally.”
NICK MOLLOY
