What to Look for When Buying a House in Christchurch: A Builder’s Guide
When you’re in the market for a new home in Christchurch, there can be a little more to consider than whether you like the kitchen, the neighbourhood or the size of the backyard.
The Canterbury earthquakes, varying ground conditions, older housing stock and the huge amount of repair and renovation work completed across the city over the past 15 years mean that two homes which look similar on the surface can have very different histories underneath.
That shouldn’t put you off buying an established Christchurch home. There are plenty of excellent properties across the city, including older homes that have been repaired, renovated and maintained extremely well. It simply means it pays to understand what you’re actually buying before you commit.
At JC Construction, we work on homes throughout Christchurch and Canterbury, from substantial renovations and extensions through to recladding, architectural builds, knock-down rebuilds and multi-unit developments. That gives us a slightly different perspective on existing homes in the Canterbury region. We’re interested not only in how the property presents today, but in the condition of the building underneath, what has been done to it previously and what could realistically be done with it in the future.
This isn’t intended to replace a professional pre-purchase building inspection, engineering advice, a LIM review or legal due diligence. Instead, it’s a builder’s perspective on some of the things worth understanding when you’re considering buying a Christchurch home.
Look beyond the kitchen and fresh paint
It’s very easy to walk through an open home and focus on the things immediately in front of you.
You might decide the kitchen needs replacing, the carpet isn’t your style or the walls need repainting. Equally, a recently renovated house can make a great first impression because everything feels new and modern.
Those things matter, but they don’t necessarily tell you much about the condition of the building itself.
A dated kitchen is usually straightforward to replace. Foundations, structural problems, drainage, cladding or poorly completed previous alterations are very different matters.
When we look at an existing house, we tend to think about the fundamentals first. Is the structure sound? How is the house sitting on the site? What condition are the roof and exterior in? Has the building obviously been altered? Are there signs that water has been getting somewhere it shouldn’t? Does the layout have potential if the owners want to renovate later?
A tired house with good bones can sometimes be a much better opportunity than a beautifully presented property hiding more significant problems underneath.
Understand the property’s earthquake history
For many Christchurch homes, one of the first things worth establishing is what happened to the property during the Canterbury earthquake sequence.
The fact that a house experienced earthquake damage doesn’t automatically make it a bad purchase. Huge numbers of Christchurch properties were affected to some degree, and many were subsequently repaired to a high standard.
What matters is understanding the extent of the damage, what repairs were completed and whether there is good documentation available to support that history.
Where possible, find out whether the damage was primarily cosmetic or whether foundations, structural elements, drainage or other parts of the building were involved. If substantial repairs were undertaken, it’s also useful to understand who completed them and whether engineers or other specialists were involved.
This is an area where documentation becomes particularly valuable. Repair scopes, engineering reports, invoices, photographs, council records and other information can help build a much clearer picture of what has happened to the home.
You shouldn’t assume that a property is fine simply because it looks good today, but equally, you shouldn’t assume that evidence of previous earthquake repairs means the property should be avoided.
The goal is to understand the history well enough to make an informed decision.
Signs that may be worth investigating further
As you walk through a property, pay attention to the way the building feels as well as the way
it looks.
Noticeably uneven floors
Doors that won’t close correctly
Windows that bind
Recurring cracks around openings
Unusual gaps between building elements
can all be reasons to take a closer look.
None of these things automatically indicate serious earthquake damage. Houses move over time, materials shrink and old buildings often have quirks that are completely unrelated to the Canterbury earthquakes.
The important thing is not to diagnose the cause yourself. If something feels unusual, raise it with a building inspector and let the appropriate professional determine whether further investigation is warranted.
That could mean bringing in a structural engineer or another specialist before you purchase.
Understand the land beneath the house
In Christchurch, it’s also important to think beyond the building itself and understand the land it sits on.
Ground conditions vary considerably across the city and surrounding Canterbury area. Following the earthquakes, Christchurch homeowners became familiar with classifications such as TC1, TC2 and TC3, which broadly relate to expected land performance and the level of foundation investigation that may be required when rebuilding.
You don’t need to become a geotechnical engineer before buying a home, but understanding the general ground conditions associated with a property can be useful, particularly if you’re considering significant future building work.
A TC2 or TC3 property shouldn’t automatically be written off. Homes can be successfully constructed on more challenging ground when the appropriate engineering and foundation systems are used.
The more useful questions are what the ground conditions mean for this particular property, how the existing house has performed and what may be required if you substantially renovate, extend or rebuild in the future.
That last point is particularly relevant if you’re buying an older home with a long-term plan in mind. You might be perfectly happy to live in the existing house for several years but eventually want to demolish it and build something new. Knowing more about the site now can help you make that decision with much better information.
Look closely at any previous earthquake repairs
Knowing that repairs took place is only part of the story. It’s also worth understanding what was actually repaired.
One Christchurch home may have required little more than plastering, painting and cosmetic work. Another may have needed foundation relevelling, structural repairs, flooring work, drainage repairs or substantial rebuilding.
The finished result can make those differences difficult to see.
A wall can be replastered. Flooring can conceal what is underneath. Foundations are largely out of sight. That’s one of the reasons a professional building inspection is so important, particularly where a property has a complicated earthquake history.
If significant foundation or structural work has been completed, try to obtain as much supporting information as is reasonably available. Where records are unclear or the building inspector identifies something concerning, that may justify further specialist investigation.
It doesn’t necessarily mean there is a problem. It simply means you’re making a decision based on evidence rather than assumptions.
Check for moisture, drainage and weathertightness problems
Water can cause significant damage to a home, and the source of a moisture problem isn’t always obvious.
A property doesn’t need to fit the stereotypical image of a “leaky home” to have issues. Failed flashings, deteriorating cladding, leaking gutters, plumbing problems, poor drainage and inadequate clearance between the ground and cladding can all allow moisture into parts of the building where it shouldn’t be.
Inside, pay attention to things such as musty smells, mould, water staining, damaged flooring, swollen skirting boards, bubbling paint or unusual discolouration. Any one of these could have a relatively minor explanation, but they’re worth asking about.
Then make sure you spend time outside.
Look at the relationship between the house and the surrounding land. Does water appear to drain away from the building, or does the section funnel it towards the foundations? What condition are the gutters and downpipes in? How does the cladding meet the ground, decks, windows and doors? Are there areas where water could regularly sit against the house?
These aren’t particularly glamorous things to look at during an open home, but good drainage and a well-performing building envelope matter considerably more once you own the property.
Understand the condition of the cladding
Christchurch homes use a wide range of cladding systems, from brick and traditional weatherboard through to fibre cement, plaster, metal and combinations of several materials.
Every system has its own maintenance requirements, lifespan and potential problems.
Sometimes an older exterior simply needs maintenance and repainting. In other cases, deteriorated materials, poor detailing or underlying damage can mean more substantial work is required.
If you’re looking at a property where the exterior is a concern, try to establish whether the issue appears to be isolated maintenance or something more significant. A building inspector may recommend further investigation where moisture ingress or concealed damage is suspected.
And importantly, the possibility of recladding doesn’t automatically make a property a bad purchase.
If you love the location, the underlying structure is worth retaining and the purchase price reflects the work required, recladding can sometimes form part of a much broader renovation that substantially improves both the performance and appearance of the home.
Our guide to recladding a house in Christchurch goes into much more detail about what that process can involve and why the cost can vary so widely between properties.
Look at the bones of the house, Not just the finish
One of the easiest traps when buying property is allowing the finishes to influence your view of the whole building.
A new kitchen, fresh carpet, modern lighting and a coat of paint can completely change the way a home feels. They’re valuable improvements, but they don’t necessarily tell you whether the fundamentals are good.
From a builder’s perspective, we’re much more interested in the condition of the foundations, structure, roof, cladding, joinery and drainage, as well as how well the existing layout lends itself to future changes.
Consider two houses.
One hasn’t been renovated since the 1990s. The kitchen is dated, the bathroom needs work and the décor definitely isn’t going to make anyone’s Pinterest board. But the house is structurally sound, it sits well on the section and the layout has plenty of potential.
The other has a beautiful new kitchen and fresh finishes throughout, but there are unresolved moisture, foundation or structural issues underneath.
Which is the better property?
There’s no universal answer because price, location and circumstances all matter. But we’d certainly want to understand the expensive, difficult-to-change parts before placing too much value on cosmetic improvements.
Check previous renovations and alterations
Many Christchurch homes have evolved considerably since they were originally built.
A fairly simple 1960s or 1970s house may now include a later extension, conservatory, deck, ensuite or converted garage. Internal walls may have been removed, kitchens relocated and large openings created between rooms.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with that. Some of the best homes we work on are older properties that have been altered thoughtfully over many years.
The important thing is understanding whether those alterations were properly designed, approved where necessary and carried out to an appropriate standard.
If something about the layout doesn’t quite make sense, ask about it.
Perhaps a garage appears to have become a bedroom. Maybe an unexpectedly large opening has been created between two rooms, or a bathroom has been added in a location that looks unusual. Or, maybe the house feels like two homes joined together.
There may be a completely straightforward explanation, but it’s worth comparing what physically exists with the available council documentation.
Unconsented or undocumented work doesn’t automatically mean a property should be avoided, but it can create complications around future alterations, insurance, finance and resale. If anything doesn’t line up, seek appropriate building and legal advice before proceeding.
Consider the layout and not just the condition
Sometimes there is nothing particularly wrong with a house structurally. It simply doesn’t suit the way people want to live today.
Many older Christchurch homes were designed around a different lifestyle. Kitchens were smaller and more separated, formal dining rooms were common and indoor-outdoor connection often wasn’t given the same importance it is now.
You might find a perfectly solid house with small windows, dark hallways, living areas facing away from the sun or a kitchen completely disconnected from the backyard.
These can be frustrating features, but they can also represent opportunity.
Instead of asking only whether you like the house as it is today, ask whether it could realistically become the house you want:
Could the kitchen and living area be opened up?
Could new doors improve the connection with the garden?
Could an extension provide the fourth bedroom or larger living area your family needs?
Could a second-storey addition make better use of views or unlock space without consuming more of the section?
This is where an experienced builder can be particularly useful. Sometimes relatively targeted changes can transform the way a house works. In other cases, achieving the result you want requires considerably more structural work than it first appears.
Our Renovations & Extensions focus heavily on this kind of work: taking an existing Christchurch home and making it better suited to the people living in it today.
Don’t automatically walk away from a house that needs work
A lot of advice about buying property treats defects as simple red flags: find a problem and move on to the next house.
We think that’s too simplistic.
A problem only becomes useful information once you understand what it is, what it may cost to resolve and whether the property still represents good value once that work is taken into account.
A tired house can still be a very good purchase. So can a property requiring significant work, provided you go into it knowing what you’re taking on.
If the fundamentals are good, the work may simply be a matter of modernising the kitchen and bathrooms, improving heating and insulation, refreshing the interior and creating better outdoor living.
At the other end of the spectrum, a property may require new cladding, significant structural alterations, replacement windows, extensive interior work and an extension. That’s no longer simply “doing up” a house; You’re starting to reconstruct significant portions of the building.
That can still make sense, especially if the section and location are excellent and the existing structure is worth retaining. But once the scope becomes that substantial, it’s worth comparing renovation with the alternatives.
When could knocking down and rebuilding make more sense?
Homeowners often assume renovation must be cheaper than rebuilding because part of the house already exists.
Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn’t.
If you buy an older home and then discover that it requires foundation work, recladding, a new roof, major internal renovation, new services, structural alterations and a decent extension, you can end up investing a considerable amount while still working around the limitations of the original building.
At some point it becomes sensible to ask whether starting again would deliver a better result.
There’s no simple formula for deciding whether to renovate or rebuild. Retaining the existing home can make excellent sense when its structure is good, the character is worth preserving and the alterations required are reasonably contained.
Rebuilding can become more attractive where the existing house is fundamentally unsuitable, extensive structural work is required or most major components of the home need replacing anyway.
A new build also gives you the opportunity to design the house specifically for the site, with control over orientation, layout, insulation, energy performance, indoor-outdoor flow, materials and future maintenance.
Our Knock Down and Rebuild in Christchurch guide explores that decision in more detail and looks at some of the situations where starting again may create better long-term value than continuing to invest in an older home.
Look at the whole property, Not just the house
This is an area buyers sometimes overlook completely.
You’re not only purchasing a building. You’re purchasing the land underneath and around it, and in some cases the land may represent a much bigger opportunity than the existing house suggests.
An older three-bedroom home sitting near the front of a large Christchurch section might not be particularly impressive in its current form. But depending on the site, access, services, planning rules and ground conditions, the property could potentially offer options the existing house doesn’t reveal at first glance.
That might mean retaining and renovating the existing home while making better use of the rear section. It could involve subdivision, an additional dwelling or, in the right circumstances, a more substantial multi-unit development.
None of those possibilities should be assumed. Subdivision and development feasibility needs to be properly investigated before it becomes part of your purchasing decision.
But if you’re looking at a large or unusually configured Christchurch property, it’s worth asking the question.
Could a Redevelopment create more value?
Sometimes the existing house isn’t actually the most valuable part of the property - the opportunity may lie in what the site could become.
Depending on the property, that could eventually mean demolishing the existing house, changing the way the site is configured, subdividing or creating multiple dwellings.
That doesn’t mean every old house on a large Christchurch section should make way for townhouses. Development economics depend on far more than section size. Planning controls, access, infrastructure, ground conditions, finance, construction costs and the end value of the completed properties all matter.
What is useful is recognising that buying a property can sometimes be a longer-term decision.
You may purchase it as a home today, renovate it in the short term and discover years later that redevelopment offers a much better use of the land.
JC Construction works with property owners on multi-unit developments throughout Christchurch and Canterbury, so this is something we regularly consider from both the construction and long-term property perspective.
Pay attention to the things you can’t easily change
A surprising amount of a house can be altered.
Kitchens can be replaced, bathrooms moved, walls removed, extensions added and exteriors completely transformed.
Other characteristics of the property are much harder to change.
You can’t move the neighbourhood. You can’t rotate the section to face north. Changing difficult access can be expensive or impossible, and ground conditions remain part of the site regardless of what you build above them.
That’s why we’d generally place a lot of weight on things such as location, sunlight, orientation, access, neighbouring properties, the shape of the section and the way the house sits on the land.
In some situations, buying the ugly house on the excellent site can make far more sense than buying the beautiful house on a property that fundamentally doesn’t work for you.
The house can potentially change. The land usually can’t.
What to check before buying an existing Christchurch home
There’s a lot to consider, so it helps to pull the most important questions together before making an offer:
Understand the building: Look at its general condition, foundations, roof, cladding, drainage and any obvious evidence of movement or moisture. Think about the layout as well as the finish, and pay attention to previous extensions or alterations.
Understand the history: Find out what earthquake damage occurred, what repairs were completed and what documentation is available. Where significant structural or foundation work has taken place, get the appropriate professional advice.
Understand the property: Consider ground conditions, drainage, sun, access, services and any natural-hazard considerations that may affect the site.
Understand the paperwork: Obtain a professional pre-purchase building inspection, review the LIM and relevant council records, investigate previous building work and use your lawyer and other specialists where appropriate.
Understand the future: If the house needs substantial work, think beyond simply repairing it. Could renovation dramatically improve it? Would rebuilding make more sense? Does the section have subdivision or development potential that should influence what you're willing to pay?
The aim isn't to find a property with absolutely nothing wrong with it. That can be an unrealistic expectation, particularly with older homes.
The aim is to know what you're buying.
Found a problem? Ask what it means before walking away
If something comes up during your due diligence, the first question should be what the problem actually is.
A crack might be relatively insignificant, or it might be a reason for an engineer to take a closer look. A small area of moisture could come from a straightforward plumbing leak, while moisture in another part of the house may point towards a more substantial building-envelope problem.
Once you know what you're dealing with, the next question is what it would realistically take to resolve.
That could range from normal maintenance through to targeted repairs, structural work, recladding or a comprehensive renovation.
Then take the thinking one step further:
If significant work is required anyway, is there an opportunity to improve the home at the same time?
If walls need to be opened, could the layout be changed?
If the house needs recladding, is it worth upgrading windows or insulation as part of the project?
If structural work is required, would an extension make the finished home much more useful?
Necessary work doesn't always have to mean simply restoring a house to exactly what it was before. Sometimes it creates the opportunity to make the property considerably better.
And if the work becomes extensive enough, compare it with rebuilding or redevelopment before committing to one path.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I look for when buying a house in Christchurch?
Alongside the things you would consider when buying a home anywhere in New Zealand, Christchurch buyers should pay particular attention to earthquake and repair history, foundations, ground conditions, drainage, moisture, cladding and previous alterations.
A professional pre-purchase building inspection is an important part of that due diligence, and more complex properties may warrant additional engineering or specialist advice.
Should I buy an earthquake-repaired house in Christchurch?
There’s no reason to automatically avoid a property simply because earthquake repairs have been completed.
What matters is understanding the original damage, the repair methodology, the quality of the work and what documentation is available. If there are unanswered questions around significant foundation or structural repairs, further professional investigation may be worthwhile before purchasing.
Is a TC3 property bad?
Not necessarily.
TC3 relates to the potential for more significant land deformation and generally means greater site-specific investigation may be required when designing foundations for new construction.
It shouldn’t be treated as a simple measure of whether a property is good or bad. The specific site, existing building and any future plans for the property all need to be considered.
Is buying a house that needs renovation a bad idea?
Not at all. Some of the best renovation opportunities are dated homes with good underlying structures on excellent sections.
The important part is understanding the likely scope and cost of the work before you buy, rather than discovering after settlement that what looked like a cosmetic renovation is actually a much larger construction project.
Is it cheaper to renovate or knock down and rebuild?
It depends entirely on the house.
Renovating often makes sense when the existing structure is sound and the work is reasonably contained. Once major structural changes, extensive recladding, replacement services and significant additions are required, it becomes worth comparing the cost and compromises of renovation with the benefits of starting again.
Can I subdivide a Christchurch property I'm considering buying?
Possibly, but don't make a purchasing decision based on an assumption that subdivision will be available.
The planning rules, section configuration, access, infrastructure, ground conditions and other site-specific factors all need to be assessed. If future development potential is important to you, investigate it properly before purchasing.
Buying a Christchurch home? Understand what you're really buying
There probably isn't such a thing as the perfect house.
Most properties come with compromises. Sometimes that's an old kitchen or a bathroom you know you'll eventually replace. In other cases, the real issue might be the layout, previous earthquake repairs, ageing cladding or the structural condition of the home.
What matters is understanding the difference before you buy.
In Christchurch particularly, spending the time to understand the building's condition, earthquake history, previous work, land and longer-term potential can give you a much clearer picture of what the property is actually worth to you.
And finding a problem doesn't automatically mean you should walk away.
A dated Christchurch house could become an outstanding family home through a well-planned renovation. A poor layout may be transformed through an extension. An exterior that has reached the end of its useful life could be incorporated into a broader recladding project. A
An ageing home that no longer makes economic sense to retain may be better replaced with a new house designed specifically for the site.
In some cases, the opportunity may not even be the house at all. It could be the potential to subdivide or develop the land more effectively in the future.
The important thing is understanding those possibilities before you make the decision.
Considering buying a Christchurch property that needs work?
If you're looking at a Christchurch property that could require major renovation or extension, recladding, significant alterations or potentially a complete rebuild, JC Construction can help you explore what's possible.
We work across Christchurch and Canterbury on complex existing-home projects as well as new builds, knock-down rebuilds, subdivisions and multi-unit developments. That means we can help you think beyond the condition of the house today and consider what the property could realistically become.
Get in touch with us to discuss the property and your plans for it.
