Kāinga Ora Hutt Valley Retrofit Project
Kāinga Ora Hutt Valley Retrofit Project
Impact commenced a pilot programme in 2017 to retrofit 66 existing Kāinga Ora homes to make them warm and dry for residents. The pilot was the precursor to a nationwide Kāinga Ora Retrofit Programme.
The successful completion resulted in the appointment of Impact as Lead Consultant, Project Manager and Engineer to Contract for the retrofit 390 homes to achieve warm, dry, accessible, and modern open plan living. The total construction budget was $88M, with an average cost of $226,000. Our consultant team included an architect, structural engineer, quantity surveyor, asbestos, roof, and drainage experts.
Refurbishment work included, new double glazing, insulation, removal of walls to create open plan living, new kitchens and bathrooms, carpet and painting throughout. The home was transformed, and the result provided another 50 years of physical life. Tenant’s lives have been significantly bettered because of the financial commitment to a warm dry and modern living environment.
The project was completed in mid-2021, on budget but slightly later than targeted due to Covid-19.
The process started with site and tenant selection by Kāinga Ora, then confirmation by the Impact team that the home was suitable for retrofit. Like most old homes, borer and asbestos were expected and often encountered. Design started with initial plans and cost estimate and following approval by Kāinga Ora proceeded to full design and local authority consenting. Pricing by pre-approved contractors occurred based upon accepted rates and margins. The total turnaround for each property was six months, including three months of construction on site.
We managed up to nine contractors and at the peak in 2020 there were 104 properties in construction and in one month we handed back 37 homes to delighted tenants.
The whole project was a logistical challenge with numerous suppliers, designers, and contractors to plan and manage. As a team, we focused on minimising the disruption to tenants' lives and reducing the time a tenant was relocated out of their home.
Today, Impact continues to lead the Hawke's Bay, Gisborne, and Manawatū regions.