Saving a Flood-Damaged 1920s Villa in Herne Bay

How we solved complex structural issues in a tight-access heritage home

When we were called to inspect a stunning 1920s villa on Curran Street, Herne Bay after the Auckland floods, it quickly became clear this wasn’t going to be an ordinary repair job.

What we found on inspection was alarming:

• A basement level had been poorly constructed, with framing built around existing pile foundations.

• A retaining wall had been installed tight against the house, acting as cladding instead of proper drainage or waterproofing.

• Water had flowed freely through the walls during the floods, causing significant damage.

Despite the challenges, this villa had strong bones—the original pile footings were still solid but not fit for purpose. What it needed was a full foundation rebuild, waterproofing, and detailing to match existing to ensure it would withstand the test of time and any future weather events.

The Challenge

This was a job that many builders shied away from due to its complexity. But for us, it was exactly the kind of project we thrive on.

The biggest challenges included:

✅ Tight site access – less than 900mm down one side, meaning all work, including trench digging, had to be done by hand.

✅ Structural risk – we needed to lift and hold the home in place while demolishing and rebuilding critical walls below.

✅ Weight sensitivity – the villa had a large four-panel timber slider directly above one wall with only 5mm of tolerance—any movement up or down would cause it to bind.

✅ Uneven existing weatherboards – old walls were out of level and not evenly spaced, so we had to visually blend new work into existing cladding.

✅ Working with older construction methods – blending new structural solutions into a home nearly a century old.

What We Did:

Structural & Foundation Work

✔ Lifted the house onto acro-props and beams to safely remove damaged walls.

✔ Hand-dug and poured new strip footings (trench foundations) under the existing piles to strengthen the base.

✔ Built a new nib wall on top of the strip footings with Volclay waterproofing to protect against future water intrusion.

✔ Re-settled the house in stages (nearly 10 times) to allow natural settling in clay-based soil, ensuring the heavy slider doors operated perfectly.

Drainage & Waterproofing

✔ Installed new drainage around the perimeter to carry water away from the foundation.

✔ Worked with engineers to redesign the rear entry, creating a more desirable 30mm step over the sill at the back door (down from 200mm).

Framing & Exterior Work

✔ Rebuilt exterior walls with Eco-ply bracing for structural rigidity on top of the new nib wall.

✔ Carefully integrated new timber weatherboards into existing cladding, using strategic breaks to visually disguise uneven old lines.

✔ Installed custom timber joinery From Next Level Joinery to match the home’s heritage aesthetic.

✔ Extended window jambs and custom-detailed flashings to make new windows appear original.

Laundry & Interior Work

✔ Removed old linings in the laundry, rebuilt framing where required, and installed new exterior cladding with mechanical ventilation.

✔ Completed insulation, plasterboard, plastering, and painting to restore the interior to a high standard.

Roof Work

✔ Rebuilt and re-framed a leaking flat roof section, creating a new diamond fall and installing custom flashings for watertightness.

The Result

The result is a structurally sound, watertight villa that’s ready to stand strong for decades to come.

The clients were thrilled not only because the home is now safe from future flooding, but because we took the time to solve complex details others might have overlooked.

From carefully matching heritage details to ensuring every line looked right, we treated this villa with the care and craftsmanship it deserved.

Why This Matters

Working on heritage homes like this requires more than just building experience it demands:

✔ Problem-solving under pressure

✔ Knowledge of older construction methods

✔ An eye for detail to blend new work with old

At Substrait Construction, we love these kinds of projects where thinking outside the box and attention to detail make all the difference.

Want To find out how we might be able to help you with you villa Renovation or extension dreams? Get in touch today and we can come visit your home and help create your next best steps to the home you deserve!

Contact us today