Helping Kiwis with Wet Area Renovations

As New Zealand house prices escalate, more and more Kiwis are renovating and improving their existing space rather than trying to sell and buy a new home.
During 2017, New Zealanders spent more than $1.4 billion on home renovations.  This includes new kitchens, bathrooms, laundry and sheds.
Some real estate agents and builders believe the increase in renovations is a result of the recession and the escalating real estate market, as Kiwis stay put and do up, rather than sell and move up. Or, it could be just the innate DIY Kiwi culture to have ‘to do something’ to their space.  
Whatever the reason, the areas of the home frequently updated are the kitchen and bathroom. These wet area renovations can be easier, less expensive and quicker than you think, especially when it comes to plumbing.
Before you begin your renovations, sit down and take note of everything your dream bathroom or kitchen would include and where it would ideally be located. By doing this first you may be surprised by what can actually be achieved, especially when it comes to location.
Below are some locations that you may not have considered possible for a kitchen or bathroom, and how they are actually achievable.

The Outdoor Kitchen

An alfresco kitchen can be a fantastic option for those who love entertaining outdoors.  Having a kitchen in your alfresco area maximises the time spent outdoors socialising with your guests. For a practical alfresco kitchen consider installing a sink to wash your vegetables, fruit, hands and dishes. Saniflo’s grey water pump, the Sanivite, can pump up to 50m away to the nearest drainage point which means your alfresco kitchen can just about be located wherever you want it to be.

The Ensuite

These days an ensuite is a standard home feature, but what you may have not considered is turning an existing walk-in-wardrobe into an ensuite. Renovations like this are usually avoided by homeowners because many homes are built on concrete slabs and the associated plumbing cost is too great. However, with Saniflo’s macerator, the Saniaccess 3 pipework being just 20mm, creating a new ensuite within your home is possible, cost-effective and easier for your tradesman.

The Basement Retreat or Granny Flat

If you need additional space for a growing family, guests or grandparents, turning your basement into a retreat complete with a kitchenette and ensuite can be an excellent addition to your home. A complete basement fit-out including all plumbed amenities is possible, even if your location is below the sewer line.
To achieve this space, you will need a Saniflo lifting station such as the Sanicubic 1 WP. It features a powerful 1500W motor, and can handle waste water from multiple fixtures including a toilet, hand basin, shower, bath, kitchen sink, dishwasher and washing machine.
All Saniflo pumps work literally by pushing water and waste uphill to meet the sewer, making basement wet areas possible.

Powder Room

If space for a full bathroom is an issue, why not consider adding a powder room to your home instead? Powder rooms typically require small spaces, like a cupboard, making them a more simple and affordable option. Saniflo’s Sanicompact C43 is ideal for this type of project. It combines Saniflo’s famous macerating technology all in one product. It features a water saving cistern-less flush – 3L for a full flush and 1.8L for a half flush. This saves the average household up to 13,000L of water per year!
The Sanicompact C43 is the first ever 6-star WELS rated toilet, and has the ability to add a basin, perfect for powder room or a toilet addition in your laundry.
Saniflo is known for making seemingly impossible bathroom and kitchen installations possible. It is now easy and affordable to add wet area fixtures anywhere you desire.  As with any plumbing product, you will need to get your local plumber to install a Saniflo product.
Unlike traditional fixtures, Saniflo products don’t rely on gravity. With small pipework, Saniflo opens up a world of possibilities for your dream bathroom, kitchen, laundry, granny flat or powder room.

You may also be interested in What Exactly is a Wet Room

To find out more about Saniflo products, simply click the highlighted text, or click the link below to find out if Saniflo can be used with your next Refresh Renovation. 
For more ideas on wet area renovations, Get in touch with Refresh to discuss your home renovation project We will get in touch with you at a time that suits you to discuss your project. If you would like to provide us with more information about your project, we have a more comprehensive enquiry form on our "Get in touch" page too.
*All information is believed to be true at the time of publishing and is subject to change.