WE ALL LOVE A SEA VIEW, AND THE CLOSER WE GET, THE BETTER. BUT HOW CLOSE IS TOO CLOSE? IF YOU GO TOO FAR, YOU MIGHT FIND YOURSELF TEETERING ON THE BRINK. 'GRAND DESIGNS' THEME MUSIC CAPTIONS BY ABLE. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2015 TUI CALLS INQUISITIVE MUSIC HAMISH DIVETT IS A CHRISTIAN MINISTER WHOSE OTHER RELIGION IS SURFING. I THINK BEING A SURFER, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IT DOES, IT PUSHES YOU OUT INTO THE EXTREMITIES. YOU'RE IN THE WATER. YOU'RE AT SUNRISE, AT SUNSET. YOU'RE SEEING NATURE FROM ANGLES AND PLACES AND SPACES THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE JUST DON'T DO. HE AND HIS COUNSELLOR WIFE, DIANE, SPEND MUCH OF THEIR LIVES CHASING THE WAVES. IT'S LIKE A BIG GOD SPACE FOR HIM. HE GETS OUT HERE, GETS ON THE WAVES, HE THINKS, HE PHILOSOPHISES, HE, UM, DREAMS, HE SCHEMES. IT'S REALLY A PART OF HIS WORK RHYTHM. SURFING HAS GIVEN HIM A TASTE FOR WILD WEATHER, ADVENTURE AND RISK, WHICH MIGHT EXPLAIN WHY THEY'RE PLANNING TO BUILD AN AMBITIOUS HOME ON AN INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING SITE. I'M NOT LOOKING FOR SOME BUNKER IN THE SUBURBS WITH EVERYTHING CUTESY AND, YOU KNOW, ORDERLY AND NEAT. UM, IT'S LIKE JUST CONNECTING TO THAT RAW, EVER-CHANGING ENVIRONMENT AND NOTICING ALL THE NUANCES. THAT'S WHAT WE LOVE, AND THAT'S WHAT THE HOUSE IS ABOUT. HAMISH AND DIANE BUILT THEIR FIRST FAMILY HOME 26 YEARS AGO IN HILLSBOROUGH ON THE SOUTH-WEST SLOPES OF THE MANUKAU HARBOUR. IT'S AN AREA EXPOSED TO SOME OF THE WORST WEATHER IN AUCKLAND, WHICH IS WHY THE HOUSE HAS WHAT THEY NOW BELIEVE IS A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW, SOMETHING THEY'RE DETERMINED TO RECTIFY IN THEIR NEW BUILD. WHEN WE FIRST DESIGNED THIS PLACE, ONE OF THE CONCERNS WAS THE EXPOSURE TO THE SOUTH-WESTERLIES, AND SO WE ENDED UP PUTTING A DECK OUT ON THE NORTHERN SIDE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SHELTERED ASPECT AND THE ALL-DAY SUN. BUT THE DILEMMA WAS THAT WHEN YOU HAD A BEAUTIFUL DAY, YOU WERE TUCKED AWAY AT THE BACK SIDE OF THE HOUSE, CUT OFF FROM THE VIEW. WE'RE VIEW FREAKS. AND BUSH IS A LOVELY VIEW, BUT YOU CAN'T BEAT THE MOODY, CHANGING SORT OF THINGS GO ON WITH THE MANUKAU. REFLECTIVE MUSIC THEY'RE ABOUT TO SELL THE OLD HOUSE, BUT THEY WON'T BE GOING FAR. HI, DIANE AND HAMISH. GOSH, WHAT A LOVELY SPOT. HI, CHRIS. HI, CHRIS. WELCOME. THIS IS OUR LITTLE PIECE OF PARADISE. TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS HOUSE, THE FIRST ONE THAT YOU BUILT. IT WAS BUILT IN 1989. THE ARCHITECT WAS GRAHAM PITTS, AND, UH, HE DESCRIBED IT AS A RAILWAY CARRIAGE HOUSE, SO IT'S LONG AND THIN ACROSS THE AXIS OF THE VIEW. BUT HE WAS A BIT OF A HIPPY. HE HAD A LONG BEARD. AND HE SORT OF TRIED TO CONVINCE ME NO DOORS ON ANY OF THE BEDROOMS. AND ALSO HE WANTED THE BATH SITTING OUT IN THE OPEN SO THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD JUST SIT OUT AND LOOK AT THE VIEW. AND IT WAS LIKE, 'YEAH, GRAHAM, THAT'S SORT OF LIKE` WE'RE NOT PROBABLY QUITE WHAT YOU THINK WE ARE,' YOU KNOW. DID HE THINK YOU WERE EXHIBITIONISTS OR WHAT? WELL, WHO KNOWS? POSSIBLY THOUGHT WE WERE EXHIBITIONISTS. BUT OUR NEW HOUSE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BUILD, WE ARE HAVING, LIKE, THIS AMAZING BATHROOM. BUT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO HOPEFULLY HAVE ANY NEIGHBOURS SITTING OUT IN THE MANUKAU, IT'S GOT FLOOR-TO-CEILING GLASS AND THE BATH THAT YOU CAN JUST SIT IN THE BATH AND JUST, YOU KNOW, REALLY ENJOY THE VIEW. TO GET THOSE PRECIOUS VIEWS, HAMISH AND DIANE ARE ABOUT TO TAKE A HUGE RISK. THEY'VE DISCOVERED THEY MAY BE ABLE TO SUBDIVIDE AND BUILD IN THE MOST UNLIKELY SPOT ` IN FRONT OF THEIR OLD HOUSE ON THE EDGE OF AN ERODING CLIFF THAT PLUMMETS 40M TO THE SEA BELOW. WE WANT THE HOUSE TO SUSPEND US IN THE VIEW. IT WAS ABOUT SOMEHOW TRANSPORTING OURSELVES INTO THE ENVIRONMENT. YOU'VE REALLY GOT QUITE A CHALLENGING SITE HERE WITH A VERY STEEP DROP-OFF OF A CLIFF. HOW ARE YOU GONNA DEAL WITH THAT? BECAUSE IT IS ERODING BACK, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PLACE AN IN-GROUND BARRIER PILE WALL, REINFORCED CONCRETE GOING DOWN UP TO 10M INTO THE BEDROCK SANDSTONE. GOSH, THAT'S QUITE CONSIDERABLE. AND IT'S` YES, IT'S A FAIR AMOUNT OF ENGINEERING. AND ON THIS FAIRLY PRECIPITOUS SITE, IT'S GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE. TO BUILD ON THE EDGE OF A CRUMBLING CLIFF CALLS FOR SOME EXTREME ENGINEERING. BEHIND A BARRIER WALL, PILES WILL BE DRILLED UP TO 10M INTO THE CLIFF BEDROCK. A STEEL AND WOOD EXOSKELETON MAKES FOR A LIGHTWEIGHT STRUCTURE WHICH SOUNDS SENSIBLE FOR A HOUSE ON A PRECIPICE. HAMISH AND DIANE ARE NUTS FOR VIEWS. THE GROUND FLOOR RUMPUS ROOM SITS SNUGLY IN THE BUSH. BUT ON THE SECOND FLOOR, A MAIN BEDROOM HAS AN ENTIRE WALL OF GLASS. THE BATHROOM ALSO HAS EXPANSIVE WINDOWS SO HAMISH AND DIANE CAN RESUME THEIR OLD BATHING HABITS WITH NO DANGER OF OFFENDING THE NEIGHBOURS. GLASS ON THE SUNNY NORTHERN SIDE LETS IN LIGHT, BUT FOR PRIVACY DIANE WANTS TO CREATE A WATERFALL-LIKE WALL OF SLENDER STEEL RODS. ON THE TOP FLOOR, OPEN-PLAN LIVING LEADS TO DECKS THAT SOAR ABOVE THE SEA BELOW. HAMISH AND DIANE WILL HAVE FRONT-ROW SEATS, ALL RIGHT, BUT I SUSPECT THEY'LL COME WITH A PREMIUM PRICE TAG. WHAT IS THIS GONNA COST? WAY TOO MUCH MONEY. AT THIS STAGE, IT'S NORTH OF, UH, 800,000. OH, I THINK IT'S EVEN, YEAH, VERY NORTH OF 800,000. HE'S BEING CONSERVATIVE. UM, I THINK IF WE COME OUT UNDER A MILLION, WE'LL BE VERY LUCKY. WHAT AN AMAZING IDEA TO DO ALL OF THIS SUSPENDED IN THE BUSH. YOU MUST BE TREMENDOUSLY EXCITED. WE ARE. YEAH, NO, IT'S AWESOME, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY AT OUR STAGE OF LIFE. WE'RE IN OUR 60S, AND IT'S LIKE WE RECKON WE'RE GOING TO SORT OF, LIKE, SLIDE INTO OUR RETIRING YEARS, NOT THAT I WANT TO RETIRE. I LOVE MY JOB. SO I THINK IT'S JUST` IT'S JUST THE BEST PLACE IN THE WORLD TO LIVE. ENGINEER GLENN GILL SPECIALISES IN DIFFICULT CLIFFTOP BUILDING SITES. IT'S HIS JOB TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO STOP HAMISH AND DIANE'S HOUSE FROM FALLING INTO THE SEA. GLENN, LOOKING AT THIS, IT'S CLEAR TO ME THAT THIS IS GONNA ERODE, ISN'T IT, OVER TIME? ABSOLUTELY. IT'S PRETTY TYPICAL FOR THESE TYPES OF CLIFFS TO ERODE SORT OF 3M TO 5M EVERY HUNDRED YEARS. THEN WHAT WE SEE BEHIND US IS A TYPICAL EXAMPLE OF A TREE THAT'S FALLEN OFF A CLIFF. WHEN THEY GO, IT'S QUITE DRAMATIC. THEY TAKE A LOT OF SOIL WITH THEM. SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING TO HAMISH AND DIANE IS, 'DON'T BUILD HERE. IT'S CRAZY.' NO, ABSOLUTELY WE CAN WORK AROUND THAT AS LONG AS WE MAKE AN ALLOWANCE FOR THE SITE CONDITIONS. SO REALLY THE KEY IS THIS ` YOU CAN BUILD HERE IN THIS CRAZY LOCATION, BUT IT IS GONNA FALL DOWN. HOW LONG HAVE THEY GOT? OH, WE DESIGN` WE ALLOW FOR THE NEXT 100 YEARS. GOOD GRIEF. IT'S ALL OVER IN A HUNDRED YEARS. NO, NO, NOT AT ALL. UM, LIKE I SAY, THAT'S CONSERVATIVE, AND WE DO SORT OF` WE DO TAKE THE` IT IS AN ESTIMATE ON WHAT'S GOING ON, UM, BUT WE ALLOW FOR THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO. SEEMS TO ME LIKE YOU'VE GOT A FANTASTIC APPETITE FOR RISK, HAMISH. I MEAN, HERE WE ARE HEARING FROM THE EXPERT THAT THE CLIFF IS ERODING, SO CLEARLY IT'S NOT A CASE OF IS IT GONNA HAPPEN, IT'S WHEN, AND IT'S ABOUT PREVENTING THAT. WE COULD TAKE A VERY CONSERVATIVE APPROACH. WE COULD PULL BACK FROM THE CLIFF FACE AND BUILD VERY CLOSE TO OUR EXISTING HOME, SMALLER, LIGHTER, WHATEVER, BUT WE WOULD BE DISSATISFIED WITH THAT. WE'D FEEL LIKE WE HADN'T GIVEN IT OUR BEST SHOT, THAT WE HADN'T TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY, AND WE'VE NEVER LIVED LIKE THAT. WE'VE ALWAYS TAKEN SOME RISKS, AND WE SEE NO DIFFERENT HERE. WE'RE GOING FOR IT. TRANQUIL MUSIC SAW BUZZES IN LATE SPRING, HAMISH AND DIANE TAKE A LEAP OF FAITH AND START PREPARING THEIR BUILDING SITE. IT'S A BITTERSWEET THING. WE'VE LIVED HERE 25 YEARS, AND, UH, SO WE HAVE LOOKED OUT AND APPRECIATED THE BUSH YEAR AFTER YEAR, THE BIRDLIFE. THE KIDS AND THE GRANDKIDS HAVE ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, SORT OF PLAYED IN THIS AREA, AND IT'S KIND OF SAD. WE LOVE THE TREES AND ARE HOPING TO PRESERVE A NUMBER OF THEM FOR REPLANTING, BUT IT WILL CHANGE THE WHOLE OUTLOOK CONSIDERABLY, AND IT HAS TO HAPPEN IF WE'RE TO LOCATE THE HOUSE HERE. CLEARING SITES IS ALWAYS AN UGLY BUSINESS. AS AN ARBORIST RIPS OUT THE TREES, A DIGGER CARVES AWAY THE HILLSIDE TO CREATE A NEW DRIVEWAY. HAMISH AND DIANE HAVE A FIXED PRICE OF $650,000 FOR THEIR BUILD, BUT THE COST OF THE EARTHWORKS IS UNKNOWN. THAT'S OFTEN THE WAY, BECAUSE UNTIL YOU GET STARTED, NOBODY KNOWS WHAT LIES BENEATH, AND ALREADY HAMISH AND DIANE ARE STRIKING TROUBLE. THE SUBSOIL IS SOFTER THAN WE ANTICIPATED. I CAN TELL YOU IT'S WEAK, BUT MEASURING EXACTLY HOW WEAK IT IS, IT'S REALLY A GEOTECH ENGINEER. IT'S LIKE BLANCMANGE, ISN'T IT? IT JUST OOZES. THERE'S A SPRING UP IN THE HILL UP HERE SOMEWHERE, AND THIS IS THE ORIGINAL WATERCOURSE, SO OVER CENTURIES IT'S FLOWED THIS, UH` THIS SORT OF PATH. SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DIG DOWN FURTHER AND PUT MORE MONEY AT IT. IF STARTING MASSIVE EARTHWORKS WITH NO IDEA OF A FINAL BUDGET SOUNDS SCARY, THAT'S BECAUSE IT IS. HAMISH AND DIANE HAVE SET ASIDE $200,000, MOST OF WHICH IS FOR THE HUGE RETAINING WALLS WHICH SHOULD HOLD THE HOUSE UP IF ` I MEAN WHEN ` THE CLIFF ERODES BENEATH THEM. THE` THE BARRIER PILE WALL ALONG THE CLIFF FACE IS REQUIRED TO, UM, ESTABLISH A BUILDING PLATFORM THAT IS, UM` IT'S NOT GONNA MOVE; IT'S NOT GONNA SLIP; IT'S SUITABLE FOR PUTTING A HOUSE ON. AND UNTIL THAT IS IN PLACE AND IT'S ALL CERTIFIED, WE CAN'T ACTUALLY COMPLETE OUR SUBDIVISION. AND UNTIL WE COMPLETE THE SUBDIVISION, WE CAN'T ACTUALLY BUILD THE HOUSE, SO THIS WAS KIND OF THE CRUNCH POINT. AND, OF COURSE, COMING UP TO CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS, UM, EVERYTHING STOPS FOR A FEW WEEKS, SO THERE'S BEEN SOME URGENCY. SO HAMISH AND DIANE INTEND TO SPEND $200,000 ON EARTHWORKS WITH NO GUARANTEE THEY CAN BUILD HERE ON A SITE WHICH IS ONLY SECURE FOR THE NEXT HUNDRED YEARS. HOLY MOLEY. UPBEAT GUITAR MUSIC IN DECEMBER, HAMISH AND DIANE UP THE STAKES IN THEIR GAMBLE TO GET SUBDIVISION CONSENT AND START CONSTRUCTION OF THE BARRIER PILE WALL. THE CLIFF FACE IS GOING TO EVENTUALLY ERODE BACK, AND SO THERE HAD TO BE SOME SORT OF MITIGATION OF THAT WITH A` WHAT THEY CALL AN IN-GROUND BARRIER PILE WALL. IT'S PRETTY MUCH CRITICAL. BASICALLY, IF IT'S NOT DONE PROPERLY, THE HOUSE BECOMES WORTHLESS. UM, IF ANYTHING GOES WRONG WITH THE HOUSE WITH REGARDS TO INSTABILITY, UH, LAND MOVEMENT, UM, A SETTLEMENT OF THE HOUSE, THEN THOSE ISSUES ARE MUCH HARDER TO FIX FURTHER DOWN THE TRACK. EIGHT HOLES WILL BE DRILLED THROUGH THE SOIL AND INTO THE SANDSTONE BELOW, THEN 7M-LONG STEEL CAGES WILL BE LOWERED INTO THE GROUND AND FILLED WITH CONCRETE. WELL, THAT WAS THE PLAN UNTIL THEY STARTED DIGGING. AS THEY'VE DUG DOWN AND ENCOUNTERED THE, UM` THE SANDSTONE, THE BEDROCK, UH, IT'S PROVED TO BE A LOT HARDER THAN THEY THOUGHT, AND THAT SLOWED THE WHOLE PROCESS DOWN. SO WE'RE NOW FACING SOME COST OVERRUNS WITH OUR` YOU KNOW, THE HARDER IT IS TO DRILL THROUGH, THE LONGER IT TAKES, THE MORE EQUIPMENT COSTS, ETC, ALL MOUNT UP. SO, WHAT DID WE SAY? 900 MORE. THE SANDSTONE'S NOT ONLY HARDER, IT'S DEEPER THAN EXPECTED, SO THE PRE-MADE STEEL CAGES ARE TOO SHORT. WE TRY OUR BEST ON THE DAY TO GET IT TO THE LENGTH OF WHAT THE GROUND MIGHT BE LIKE, YOU KNOW, SO, UM, NOW WE ACTUALLY DRILL IT ON THE DAY. THINGS CHANGE. THE GROUND'S A BIT DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, SO, UM, WE'VE HAD TO EXTEND THEM UP A BIT. THE SOLUTION IS TO CUT THE ENDS OF SOME AND CONNECT THEM TO THE ENDS OF OTHERS, BUT THEY ONLY HAVE AN HOUR TO DO THIS. WE'VE GOT THE CONCRETE ON ITS WAY, BUT WE HAVEN'T GOT ANY STEEL IN THE HOLE, SO WE HAVE TO GET MOVING. RIGHT, ARE WE DONE? YEAH. GO AND GET THE OTHER END, BRO. CUTTING AND WELDING THE CAGES ON SITE IS TIME-CONSUMING. AND BY THE TIME THE CONCRETE ARRIVES, ANY HOPE OF EVEN GETTING HALF THE PILES IN IS DASHED. YOU'RE HOPING TO GET THEM ALL POURED TODAY? THESE TWO. JUST THE TWO. AND THIS IS WHY IT'S NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO GET A FIXED PRICE FOR EARTHWORKS. IF YOU BOUGHT MORE STEEL THAN YOU NEED, YOU'RE PAYING NEEDLESSLY. BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH, THEN YOU HAVE THE KIND OF DRAMAS THAT WE'VE JUST HAD, WHERE IT SORT OF ALL COMES TO A HALT AND THEY'VE GOT TO QUICKLY MAKE UP THE APPROPRIATE DISTANCES. AND THAT'S TIME, AND THAT'S MONEY. EXTRA STEEL AND CONCRETE WILL NEED TO BE ORDERED TO COMPLETE THE REMAINING PILES. FOR HAMISH AND DIANE, THE DOLLARS ARE MOUNTING UP. I'M JUST PRAYING THEY DON'T BLOW THEIR BUDGET BEFORE THEY EVEN GET APPROVAL TO START BUILDING. REFLECTIVE MUSIC HAMISH AND DIANE ARE DESIGNING AND BUILDING THEIR HOME WITH A COMPANY THAT SPECIALISES IN MODULAR HOUSES, LIKE THIS ONE ON WAIHEKE ISLAND. THE SIMPLICITY OF IT, AND YET AT THE SAME TIME IT'S GOT AN ABSOLUTE BEAUTY. I THINK IT REALLY WORKS IN THE ENVIRONMENT. IT'S A STYLE HEAVILY INFLUENCED BY MID-CENTURY MODERN ARCHITECTURE, WHICH EMPHASISES AMPLE WINDOWS AND OPEN-PLAN LIVING. USING AN EXPOSED POST-AND-BEAM SYSTEM REDUCES THE NEED FOR INTERNAL WALLS, WHICH MEANS MORE VIEWS. SO, DAN, WHY IS THIS STYLE GOOD FOR HAMISH AND DIANE'S BUILD? I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, GIVEN WHERE THEY ARE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE NEED FOR LIGHTWEIGHT, DUCTILE BUILDING, I THINK THE WHOLE POST-AND-BEAM SYSTEM SUITS ITSELF VERY WELL TO THAT KIND OF SITE. NORMALLY, CROSS-BRACING IS ACHIEVED BY EITHER METAL STRAPS THAT ARE INSIDE THE STRUCTURAL WALL, WHICH YOU DON'T SEE, OR IT'S LITERALLY IN THE SKIN OF PLYWOOD, FOR EXAMPLE. BUT IF YOU REMOVE ALL OF THAT AND YOU DO WANT TO HAVE A WINDOW, THEN YOU DO NEED SOME FORM OF CROSS-BRACING. ABSOLUTELY, AND WITH THIS PARTICULAR WAY OF BUILDING, THE STRUCTURE IS ON THE OUTSIDE. YOU SEE THAT SKELETAL FRAME. WE HAVE THIS, UH, CROSS-BRACE FEATURE ON THE BUILDINGS AS WELL, WHICH HELPS GIVE IT SOME KIND OF STABILITY. IT'S OBVIOUS. YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THE CROSS-BRACING. YOU HAVE THE POST AND BEAM. IT'S NOT HIDDEN BEHIND FACADE. IT'S NOT HIDDEN BEHIND DECORATION. AND I FIND THAT WHOLE PRINCIPLE TO BE QUITE, UM` QUITE POWERFUL. I LOVE IT. I REALLY LIKE THIS ONE. I LIKE THE CROSS-BRACING, BUT LET'S HOPE THEY'RE NOT PLANNING TO PUT IT OVER ANY WINDOWS LIKE THEY HAVE IN THIS HOUSE. REFLECTIVE MUSIC IN MARCH, HAMISH AND DIANE GET GOOD NEWS. THE SUBDIVISION AND BUILDING CONSENT ARE APPROVED, BUT THE BAD NEWS IS THE CONSENTS ARRIVE MUCH LATER THAN EXPECTED. THEY HAD HOPED TO BUILD OVER SUMMER, BUT IT'S AUTUMN BY THE TIME THEY'RE FINALLY UNDERWAY. WE HAD A HIATUS INITIALLY BECAUSE OF THE GROUNDWORKS AND THE WEATHER. THE GROUND WAS JUST TOO WET. AND THEN GETTING THE SUBDIVISION THROUGH JUST TOOK TIME AND UNFORTUNATELY THROUGH THE BEST OF THE SUMMER WEATHER, SO IT WAS KIND OF DRAGGING ON AND ON AND ON. FROM THE OLD FAMILY HOME, THEY CAN NOW OVERSEE EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING ON SITE, WHICH MUST BE A LITTLE UNNERVING FOR THE BUILDERS. I KEEP DASHING TO THE WINDOW AND WATCHING EVERY LITTLE BIT OF CHANGE THAT'S GOING ON. IT'S FASCINATING. ON THEIR CLIFFTOP SITE, HAMISH AND DIANE'S HOUSE WILL BE EXPOSED TO SOME WILD WEATHER. I RECKON THEY'VE MADE A GOOD DECISION TO GO WITH A POST-AND-BEAM DESIGN. TOGETHER WITH THE CROSS-BRACING, IT CAN ACHIEVE A STRONG YET SUPPLE STRUCTURE, ENABLING THE HOUSE TO FLEX IN STRONG WINDS OR EARTHQUAKES, NOT UNLIKE THE POHUTUKAWA TREES. THE AVERAGE HOUSE ` THE STRUCTURE OF THE HOUSE IS THE WALLS ITSELF. THE WALLS BECOME THE STRUCTURAL ELEMENT. THEY HOLD THE ROOF UP. IN THIS, THE POST AND BEAM ` THE POST-AND-BEAM'S DOING ALL THE WORK. WE'VE GOT POSTS, AND BEAMS CONNECTING THE POSTS TOGETHER. SO RING-BEAMED COMPLETELY AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE, ONE EVERY FLOOR LEVEL AND THEN THE ROOF LEVEL, AND THAT IS THE STRUCTURE OF THE HOUSE. THE HOUSE IS THEN BASICALLY SUSPENDED INSIDE THAT POST-AND-BEAM STRUCTURE. HAVING FEWER INTERNAL WALLS MEANS THE HOUSE CAN HAVE LARGE OPENINGS AND HAMISH AND DIANE CAN MAXIMISE THOSE PRECIOUS VIEWS. BUT ANOTHER BENEFIT OF MODULAR DESIGNS LIKE THIS ONE IS THAT THEY ARE USUALLY MUCH FASTER TO BUILD, WHICH IS GOOD NEWS AS THE BUILDERS HOPE TO BE INSIDE BY THE TIME THE WILD WINTER WEATHER ARRIVES. TENSE MUSIC BUT WHEN IT COMES TO A RACE BETWEEN BUILDERS AND WEATHER, BUILDERS INEVITABLY LOSE. SOFT CLASSICAL MUSIC BIRDS TWITTER COME WINTER, HAMISH AND DIANE'S CLIFFTOP HOUSE IS STILL NOT CLOSED IN, AND IT'S WATERLOGGED. YEAH, IT'S A BIT OF A SWIMMING POOL, ISN'T IT? WELL, CERTAINLY HERE AND DOWN THE OTHER END, IT'S` YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF RAIN THAT'S COME IN IN THE LAST FEW HOURS. AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T PERSIST, WE'LL BE OK. BUT IT'S WINTER. COME ON, HAMISH. IT IS. BOTH LAUGH IT'S AUCKLAND. I KNOW. THAT IS VERY TRUE. YOU CAN GUARANTEE THAT YOU'RE GONNA GET A BIT OF RAIN PRETTY MUCH EVERY DAY. THIS IS WHAT WE HAD IN VIEW ALL THE TIME ` THE` THE FRUSTRATIONS OVER THE SUMMER MONTHS, TRYING TO GET THE BUILD GOING, TRYING TO GET SOME TRACTION, TRYING TO GET THE TITLE THROUGH SO THAT WE COULD COMMENCE THE BUILD. AND, OF COURSE, THE THING THAT HAPPENS WITH THE WET IS EVERYTHING EXPANDS. YOU KNOW, THE TIMBER'S ABSORBING ALL OF THAT. THEY HAVE PUT A VERY THIN COAT OF POLYURETHANE ON THE FLOORING, JUST BECAUSE OF THE TIME AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF RAIN, AND THAT GIVES YOU A LITTLE MORE WIGGLE ROOM, APPARENTLY. THE BUILDERS HAVE CALLED IT A DAY, BUT NOW'S A CHANCE FOR ME TO SEE WHAT DIANE AND HAMISH HAVE BEEN DREAMING ABOUT FOR SO LONG. THIS WILL BE INCREDIBLE. I MEAN, THE VIEW, RIGHT OVER THE TOP OF THE TREES... YOU'VE BEEN LIVING HERE FOR 25-ODD YEARS, BUT NOW YOU'RE SEEING IT ALMOST WITH FRESH EYES, AREN'T YOU? WE DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT IT WAS GOING TO BE LIKE, AND I CLIMBED TREES WITH LADDERS AND THINGS AND TRIED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT WAS LIKE, BUT NOW, PERCHED UP HERE, IT'S` IT'S BEYOND OUR EXPECTATIONS. WE'RE THRILLED. COMING TO THE NITTY-GRITTY, HOW'S THE BUDGET DOING? (SIGHS) CAN WE`? CAN WE GIVE A BIG SIGH? (CHUCKLES) IT'S NOT SPECTACULAR. NO. WE'VE, UH` WE'VE HAD SOME COST OVERRUNS. SO WE SORT OF THOUGHT $1 MILLION WHEN WE STARTED, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S PROBABLY CREEPING UP OVER THAT. HAMISH AND DIANE WERE ALWAYS GOING TO SELL THEIR OLD HOUSE TO PAY FOR THE NEW ONE, BUT NOW THEY HAVE TO DO THIS SOONER THAN THEY HAD HOPED. WE THINK WE'LL HAVE ENOUGH, UH, FROM THE SALE OF THE PROPERTY TO COVER US, BUT IT'S` IT'S AT THE POINTY END. OTHERWISE, I'M GOING TO SELL HAMISH. < AH. BUT HE'D PROBABLY FETCH MORE, WOULDN'T HE? I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT. (LAUGHS) HOWEVER, THEY HAVE ANOTHER MORE PRESSING ISSUE TO DEAL WITH. HAMISH AND DIANE HAVE REALISED THESE INCREDIBLE VIEWS ARE ABOUT TO BE COMPROMISED. THEY WERE ALWAYS HAPPY TO HAVE CROSS-BRACING ON THE WALLS OF THEIR HOUSE, BUT THEY'VE ONLY JUST REALISED THAT FOR ENGINEERING REASONS, A STEEL CROSS-BRACE IS GOING TO HAVE TO GO RIGHT ACROSS THEIR BEDROOM WINDOW. DIANE IS ON THE WARPATH. I GUESS THE THING I HAVE A BIT OF A QUESTION ABOUT WITH YOUR PARTICULAR DESIGN IS THOSE THINGS. THE CROSS-BRACES? OUR LOVELY CROSS-BRACES? YEAH, THOSE LOVELY CROSS-BRACES. DO WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO HAVE IT? THERE'S NOT A LOT TO STOP THE BUILDING, SORT OF, GOING LIKE THIS. YOU DON'T WANNA BE SWAYING AROUND LIKE A TREE, REALLY, DO YOU? I MIGHT NEED A LITTLE BIT OF CONVINCING. I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT THEM IN MY VIEW. THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE DONE QUITE A LOT OF TIMES BEFORE. IT'S, UM` IT ALLOWS US TO HAVE THAT BIG WINDOW. I MEAN, IT'S PRETTY DISCREET, REALLY, AND IN A WAY` IT DOESN'T LOOK DISCREET. I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME. IT LOOKS LIKE A BIG EYE IN THE MIDDLE OF A WINDOW. IT HELPS TO FOCUS YOUR VIEW, YOU KNOW? ALL CHUCKLE IT, SORT OF, DRAWS YOUR EYELINE INTO THE, SORT OF` THE CROSS HAIRS. YEAH. IT'S A VERY HONEST WAY OF BUILDING, BECAUSE YOU` YOU SEE THE STRUCTURE OF THE HOUSE ` THE POSTS AND THE BEAMS, EVERYTHING THAT IS HOLDING THE HOUSE UP ` AND THE CROSS-BRACE IS JUST ANOTHER ELEMENT OF THAT. IT'S SHOWING YOU THE STRUCTURAL COMPONENT THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING THE HOUSE UPRIGHT. I THINK DIANE'S GOT A POINT. SHE AND HAMISH ARE SPENDING LOTS OF MONEY AND TAKING HUGE RISKS TO BUILD ON THE EDGE OF A CLIFF BECAUSE THEY WANT UNINTERRUPTED VIEWS. THE POST-AND-BEAM DESIGN THEY LOVE HAS COME WITH A CATCH, AND FOR THEM, IT'S THE ULTIMATE COMPROMISE. BIRDSONG 'GRAND DESIGNS' THEME IT'S MIDWINTER, AND AFTER WEEKS OF CONTINUOUS RAIN, HAMISH AND DIANE HAVE GOT A BREAK IN THE WEATHER. WITH THE SUN FINALLY OUT, THE TIMBER IS DRYING OFF, AND THEY ARE ABLE TO BELATEDLY FINISH THEIR ROOF. HAMISH AND DIANE WANT A FLAT ROOF. THEY'RE THE HEIGHT OF FASHION, BUT NOT SOMETHING I'D DO. IT'S A LITTLE BIT LIKE INVITING THE DEVIL IN, BUILDING A FLAT ROOF WITH NO EAVES AND AN INTERNAL GUTTER, AND I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY YOU MIGHT DO IT FOR AESTHETIC REASONS, BUT, REALLY, I'M NOT A FAN. THE ROOF ONLY HAS A 2-DEGREE PITCH TO DRAIN THE WATER OFF. IT'S WEATHERTIGHTNESS RELIES ON THREE LAYERS OF TORCHED-ON BITUMEN MEMBRANE. THE SAME PRODUCT GOES ON A DECK WHICH IS DIRECTLY ABOVE THE MASTER BEDROOM. ANY LEAKS HERE, AND HAMISH AND DIANE WILL BE SLEEPING IN A WATERBED. THE WHOLE ISSUE OF WATERTIGHTNESS IS OBVIOUSLY MAJOR, BUT IT'S A WELL-TESTED EUROPEAN CONCEPT, A EUROPEAN PRODUCT, AND APPLIED PROPERLY, UH, EVEN THOUGH WE DO HAVE THOSE INTERNAL GUTTERS AND INTERNAL DOWNPIPES, PRETTY MUCH GUARANTEED THAT IT'S` IT'S GOING TO BE, UH, OK. BUT HAMISH HAS MORE PRESSING WORRIES. THE FINAL COST OF THE EARTHWORKS HAS COME IN AT ALMOST $250,000. HE AND DIANE NOW NEED TOP DOLLAR FOR THE SALE OF THEIR OLD HOUSE, SO THEY'RE TAKING ON A MAJOR RENOVATION AND CONTINUE TO LIVE HERE AMONGST THE CHAOS. THE THINGS YOU DO IN ORDER TO REALISE YOUR DREAM. WOW. YOU'RE BUILDING ANOTHER HOUSE. OH, CHRIS, STOP IT. STOP IT. (CHUCKLES) WE HAVE A MAXED-OUT LOAN, UM, THAT WE ARE DRAWING DOWN ON, BUT GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA SPEND ANOTHER HUNDRED GRAND HERE ON THIS PLACE, AT LEAST, UH, WE ARE GOING TO RUN OUT BEFORE D-DAY. REALLY, WE HAVE TO SELL THIS PLACE, BECAUSE WE'RE BUILDING COMPLETELY ON BORROWED MONEY. INEVITABLY, WITH ANY BUILD, UH, THERE'S` THERE'S A LOT OF MESS AROUND. NOT EXACTLY THE IDEAL SITUATION TO BE UPGRADING YOUR OLD HOUSE AND` AND SELLING IT IN A RUSH. (SIGHS) I` HONESTLY, WE HAVEN'T ACTUALLY LITERALLY PLANNED OUT WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE, BUT WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO CLEAR AWAY SOME OF THE RUBBLE, SOME OF THE DETRITUS OF THE WHOLE BUILDING PROCESS AND` AND GETTING` LOOKING A SEMBLANCE, BUT IT WILL NOT BE A MANICURED SITE. IT` IT'S FUNNY, THOUGH, HOW FICKLE THE MARKET IS WITH THINGS LIKE THAT. YOUR SETTING IS REALLY QUITE SPECIAL, AND, YOU KNOW, THAT` THAT'S A HUGE ASSET, BUT WHEN THERE'S A LOT OF MESS AROUND, PEOPLE SEE MESS. SO, THEN, WHAT DO YOU ACTUALLY NEED TO SELL THIS HOUSE FOR IN ORDER TO PAY FOR THE BILLS? SIGNIFICANTLY OVER ONE MILLION. OH, KEEP GOING. UM,... (CLEARS THROAT) VERY SIGNIFICANTLY OVER ONE MILLION. WHAT ARE WE TALKING? ONE AND A HALF? UH, UH, I'D SAY 1.5. TENSE MUSIC WOULD YOU BUY THIS HOUSE FOR ONE AND A HALF? ABSOLUTELY. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. AND, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IF THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO HAPPENED, WE CAN SELL THAT BABY DOWN THE FRONT, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT OUR INTENTION IS. HAMISH AND DIANE SURE HAVE AN APPETITE FOR RISK. THEY'RE NOW BORROWING MONEY FOR TWO BUILDS AND GAMBLING ON GETTING TOP DOLLAR FOR THEIR OLD HOUSE TO PAY FOR THE RENOVATION AND THEIR DREAM HOME. THE AUCKLAND PROPERTY MARKET IS HOT, BUT I HOPE THEY HAVEN'T BITTEN OFF MORE THAN THEY CAN CHEW. GENTLE GUITAR MUSIC HAMISH AND DIANE'S HOUSE IS A SIMPLE BUT ELEGANT MODERNIST HOME. WHAT'S EXTRAORDINARY ABOUT THIS BUILD CAN'T BE SEEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. THEIR HOUSE WILL BE A SERIES OF PERFECTLY POSITIONED VIEWING PLATFORMS SUSPENDED IN THE VIEW OVER THE TREES AND THE CLIFFS BELOW. FOR THEM, WINDOWS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN WALLS. 85KG OF GLASS PANEL POISED TO SLIDE ALL THE WAY DOWN THERE. OR WORSE STILL, DOWN INTO THE HARBOUR. THE VIEWS MEAN EVERYTHING TO HAMISH AND DIANE, WHICH IS WHY DIANE HAS BEEN SO WORRIED ABOUT WHERE THE STEEL CROSS BRACES ARE GOING TO GO. THEIR BUILD COMPANY HAS TRIED TO LIMIT THEM AND KEEP THEM OVER THE WALLS RATHER THAN THE WINDOWS. THE HOUSE IS STANDING AT THE MOMENT WITHOUT THEM, BUT THE BRACING UNITS ARE DESIGNED FOR WORST-CASE SCENARIO ` EARTHQUAKES AND STORMS, HIGH-WIND SITUATIONS, WHEN THINGS START MOVING AROUND. THAT'S WHEN THESE COME INTO PLAY. BUT DIANE HAS LOST HER BATTLE TO KEEP THE CROSS BRACING OFF THE MASTER BEDROOM WINDOW. ONE DIANE'S WORRIED ABOUT IN FRONT OF THE WINDOW ` WE COULD GET RID OF THE BRACE AND TURN THAT WALL WINDOW INTO A SOLID WALL, BRACE IT THAT WAY. I THINK DIANE QUITE LIKES THE WINDOW. GOES RIGHT ACROSS THIS WINDOW, AND I GUESS ONE ADVANTAGE IS WE'VE HAD THIS SCAFFOLDING ` UGLY SCAFFOLDING ` SITTING HERE FOR A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME, AND WE'VE GOT USED TO SOMETHING SLIGHTLY ANNOYING IN THE VIEW. AND MAYBE THAT'S BEEN A BONUS. I WON'T BE AS TICKED OFF ABOUT IT. AND ESPECIALLY ONCE THE SCAFFOLDING'S GONE, IT'LL PROBABLY BE... (SIGHS) MAYBE WELCOME RELIEF. BUT IT CERTAINLY IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. THEY'VE CONVINCED ME IT IS, SO I'M HAVE TO TRUST THEIR JUDGEMENT. I MEAN, IT'S SIGNIFICANT. IT'S PLONKED IN THE MIDDLE OF ONE'S WINDOW, AND IT DOES LOOK LIKE A BIG EYE WATCHING YOU. WHOA, SO THIS IS IT. MY FIRST REACTION IS IT'S IRRITATING. MY FIRST REACTION IS IT'S IRRITATING. IT'S LIKE YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING IN YOUR EYE THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO SEE AROUND. YOU CAN STILL SEE THAT BEAUTIFUL VIEW OF THE SEA AND THE BEAUTIFUL POHUTUKAWA. YOU KNOW, IT'S DISAPPOINTING, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S NOT NEARLY AS SIGNIFICANT AND AS OBTRUSIVE AS I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE. IT'S DISAPPOINTING BUT LESS DISAPPOINTING THAN FINDING OURSELVES SLIDING SIDEWAYS INTO THE MANUKAU HARBOUR. NOW, THERE'S A POINT. HAMISH AND DIANE ARE NOW 10 MONTHS INTO THE BUILD OF THEIR MODERNIST HOME, AND SO FAR, THE HOUSE IS SHAPING UP TO BE EVERYTHING THEY'D DREAMED OF. WELL, ALMOST EVERYTHING. WHILE DIANE LOST THE BATTLE OVER THE WINDOW CROSS BRACING, SHE'S NOW DIGGING HER HEELS IN OVER ANOTHER FEATURE OF THE HOUSE. SO, I'M CONFUSED, MARCUS, BECAUSE IN THE PICTURES, I WANT THE FLOOR TO CEILING, NO BROKEN IMAGE AT ALL. TO CREATE PRIVACY FROM THE OLD HOUSE, DIANE WANTS A WALL OF FLOOR-TO-CEILING STEEL RODS SUSPENDED BY THE STAIRWELL. SHE HOPE THIS WILL LOOK A LITTLE LIKE A WATERFALL. HOWEVER, THE RODS ALSO ACT AS A BALUSTRADE, AND FOR SAFETY REASONS, THE BUILDERS WANT TO CHOP THEM IN HALF. BECAUSE IT'S DEFINITELY WHAT I HAD... ENVISAGED. SEE FLOOR TO CEILING, FLOOR TO CEILING IS WHAT I ASKED FOR. SO WE'VE GOT A CONTRADICTION GOING ON IN THESE DRAWINGS. A LITTLE BIT, YES, BECAUSE IT IS STILL A BARRIER BUT TO STOP PEOPLE FALLING DOWN THE STAIRS. IF YOU MAKE THAT ROD OVER 5M LONG,... RIGHT. ...YOU CAN IMAGINE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GRAB THEM, MOVE THEM APART LIKE THAT. ONE OF THE IDEAS WAS TO JOIN THEM BEHIND A PIECE OF PLYWOOD THAT RAN ACROSS THIS FLOORING CONNECTION HERE. BUT I STILL DON'T WANT THAT BROKEN. I WANT THAT FEEL OF... OK, I DON'T MIND SOMETHING BEHIND IT, BUT I WOULDN'T WANT IT TO BE A VISUAL BARRIER. YOU DON'T WANT IT...? NO, IT WRECKS THE CONCEPT. I'M NOT SURPRISED THAT HAMISH AND DIANE ARE STARTING TO FEEL LIKE THEY'RE LOSING CONTROL OF THEIR BUILD. WHILE THEY TRY TO KEEP THEIR VISION FOR THEIR NEW MODERNIST HOME INTACT, THE RENOVATION OF THEIR OLD HOME IS SNOWBALLING. COMPLETELY NEW KITCHEN. COMPLETELY NEW BATHROOMS. OH, AND THE LIGHTS ` ALL NEW LIGHTS. PEOPLE KEEP ASKING US, YOU KNOW, 'IS IT STRESSFUL?' WELL... YES. > YES AND NO. YOU KNOW, IT HAD TO BE DONE. THE OUTSIDE, WE DECIDED WE WOULD FIRST OF ALL JUST CLEAN IT AND PAINT IT UP. BUT THEN I SAID TO HAMISH, 'WE ARE LOOKING AT THIS HOUSE FROM OUR HOUSE DOWN THERE. 'WHY DON'T WE STAIN IT SO THAT THE TWO LOOK LIKE THEY'RE REASONABLY RELATED?' SO THE PLACE HAS GROWN EXPONENTIALLY IN TERMS OF THE COST. THE RENOVATION BUDGET HAS CREPT UPWARDS OF $100,000. ON TOP OF THAT, THEY'RE BORROWING NEARLY $900,000 FOR THE NEW HOUSE BUILD. THEIR BANK WON'T LEND THEM ANY MORE MONEY, SO HAMISH AND DIANE ARE TURNING TO THEIR CHILDREN FOR HELP. THEY'VE HAD TO BORROW MONEY FROM THEIR DAUGHTER, LISA, AND THEY'RE FREQUENTLY STAYING AT THEIR SON DAVID'S HOUSE. AFTER YEARS OF CARING FOR OTHERS THROUGH THEIR CHURCH, HAMISH AND DIANE ARE NOW RELYING ON THE CHARITY OF FAMILY. FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER, MUM'S ALWAYS BEEN COUNSELLING SOMEONE, THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN SOMEONE CALLING IN DIRE CRISIS, AND THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN THERE TO HELP. AS A COUNSELLOR AND AS MINISTERS, THEY'RE ALWAYS INVOLVED IN OTHER PEOPLE'S LIVES, AND OTHER PEOPLE RELY ON THEM HEAVILY. MUM'S COUNSELLING IS AN INCREDIBLE GIFT THAT SHE HAS, BUT SHE GIVES IT AWAY FOR NEXT TO NOTHING. THE KIDS HAVE STEPPED IN TO ACT LIKE RESPONSIBLE PARENTS AND HELP OUT. WELL, THEY'RE VERY IRRESPONSIBLE, SO THEY NEEDED SOME HELP. (LAUGHS) WE'VE RECENTLY LENT THEM SOME MONEY, BUT IT'S REALLY JUST... OH, DID THEY BLOW THE BUDGET? MAYBE JUST A LITTLE BIT. I THINK MORE WITH JUST THE SENSE OF THE TIMING, WITH ONE HOUSE HAVING TO SELL AND THE OTHER HOUSE NOT BEING QUITE READY. SO, YEAH, WE'VE JUST HELPED THEM AS SOME BRIDGING FINANCE. WELL, ACTUALLY, OUR BANK HAS HELPED THEM WITH SOME BRIDGING FINANCE. LOVELY, THOUGH, THAT FAMILY ALL GET TOGETHER TO KIND OF HELP EACH OTHER OUT THROUGH THOSE CHALLENGES. IT'S WHAT THE FAMILY'S FOR. THIS BUILD HAS BEEN RUNNING LIKE A WELL-OILED MACHINE, MOSTLY BECAUSE IT'S BEEN MANAGED BY A ONE-STOP SHOP THAT OVERSEES THE PROJECT FROM DESIGN THROUGH TO LANDSCAPING. BUT HAMISH AND DIANE ARE ABOUT TO THROW A SPANNER IN THE WORKS. TO SAVE MONEY AND REGAIN SOME CREATIVE CONTROL, THEY'RE TAKING OVER SOME OF THE BUILD AND ARRANGING THEIR OWN CONTRACTORS, CREATING HEADACHES FOR PROJECT MANAGER MARK SHORT. WHAT ARE YOU UP TO HERE, MATE? OH, JUST BEEN DIGGING... JUST RAMPING UP AND THEN JUST GOTTA LEVEL THE LANDING HERE. OK, COS WE ORIGINALLY HAD STAIRS, SO HAS HAMISH ASKED YOU TO MAKE IT A RAMP NOW? YEAH, HE'S CHANGED HIS MIND. ALL RIGHT. OK. I GUESS THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE CLIENT STARTS TO TAKE OVER A BIT OF THE JOB. YOU SORT OF LOSE A BIT OF CONTROL. DEALING WITH A DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACT, THE WHOLE THING COMES AS A PACKAGE. IT'S NOT BROKEN DOWN INTO ITS COMPOSITE BITS PARTICULARLY WELL. THEY'RE TRYING TO STREAMLINE EVERYTHING, AND I LIKE THAT PHILOSOPHY, AND IT'S WORKED FOR SOME OF THE MAJOR COMPONENTRY AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT FOR THE CABINETRY, FOR THE FLOORING, FOR THE DECKING, ETC, WHERE WE HAD STRONGER IDEAS ABOUT WHAT WE WANTED, THAT HAS CREATED SOME TENSIONS. BUT SOMETIMES CUTTING CORNERS CAN END UP COSTING MORE. THE KITCHEN IS ALREADY BEHIND SCHEDULE, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE COULD BE A PROBLEM CARRYING IN THE KITCHEN BENCH. HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL WE NEED TO...? WELL, WE WILL BRING FIVE GUYS, BECAUSE THE ONLY WAY IS TO CARRY IT BY HAND. WE CAN'T AIRLIFT IT INTO THE HOUSE. NO. BUT THESE ARE THE BETA-MODEL STAIRS. THEY'RE NOT THE FINISHED ONES. THEY'RE A BIT RICKETY. YOUR BUILDER HAS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WILL COPE WITH THAT. OK. (CHUCKLES) YEAH, YOU BETTER TALK TO MARCUS ABOUT THAT. GET THE CARDBOARD UNDER THERE. LIFT IT. THE JOY OF BUILDING WITH A ONE-STOP SHOP IS THAT THEY ARE ACCOUNTABLE FOR EVERYTHING. ONCE YOU START MEDDLING WITH THAT AND START DOING LITTLE BITS AND PIECES YOURSELF, IT ALL STARTS UNRAVELLING. TALKING WITH ABDUL AND THE BENCH GUYS, THEY ARE HOLDING OFF DOING THE VANITIES, BECAUSE THEY'RE STILL NOT SURE HOW MUCH SPARE MATERIAL THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO CUT OUT OF THE BENCH TOPS. WHEN WILL THAT ARRIVE? COS I'VE GOT PLUMBERS COMING IN IN A COUPLE OF DAYS, SO THAT'S NOT GONNA BE IN THE NEXT WEEK, IS IT? NO, COS THE BENCH TOP, BEST-CASE SCENARIO IS THIS FRIDAY. I'M WORRIED THAT HAMISH AND DIANE'S LAST-MINUTE DECISION TO MANAGE SOME ELEMENTS THEMSELVES I'M WORRIED THAT HAMISH AND DIANE'S LAST-MINUTE DECISION TO MANAGE SOME ELEMENTS THEMSELVES COULD DERAIL THE WHOLE BUILD. WE'RE NOT OVERSPENDING. WE'RE SPENDING WHAT WE THINK WE NEED TO. AND AS LONG AS WE RECOVER IT IN THE SALE WHEN WE AUCTION THE PLACE, THEN WE'LL BE FINE. IN OCTOBER, THE RENOVATION OF HAMISH AND DIANE'S OLD HOUSE IS FINALLY COMPLETED. IT'S COST MORE THAN $100,000, BUT THEY CAN NOW, AT LEAST, FINALLY PUT IT UP FOR AUCTION. A WEEK LATER, IT'S D-DAY. TODAY IS TERRIFYING, TO BE HONEST. I'M QUITE A CALM PERSON AND USUALLY DON'T GET VERY JITTERY OR NERVOUS ABOUT MOST THINGS, BUT TO BE HONEST, THERE'S A SORT OF DEEP ANXIETY, LIKE, LET'S SAY NOBODY BIDS. WE'VE GOT A LOT RIDING ON IT. WE'VE NEVER BEEN THIS INDEBTED THAT WE'RE SCRAMBLING TO GET THE LAST FEW DOLLARS TO PAY THE FINAL BILLS FOR THIS AND FOR THE NEW BUILD. SO IT WOULD BE A MASSIVE RELIEF TO GET A GOOD PRICE AND, UM, TO BE ABLE TO MOVE PAST THIS POINT. THE AUCKLAND PROPERTY MARKET IS STILL PEAKING, AND THEY'RE HOPING TO SELL FOR $1.5 MILLION. BUT THERE ARE SOME DISADVANTAGES TO SELLING AN OLDER HOUSE WHEN IT'S RIGHT NEXT TO YOUR DESIGNER DREAM HOME. FIRST TIME WHEN WE CAME TO SEE THE OPEN HOME, WE THOUGHT IT WAS THE NEW HOUSE. OVERLAPPING CONVERSATIONS THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE GONNA LIVE. IT'S NICE. HAMISH AND DIANE HOPE THIS DAY WILL END WITH THEM RELIEVED OF THE FINANCIAL PRESSURES OF THE LAST 12 MONTHS. IT'S TIME TO HAND TO YOU, TALK THROUGH YOUR OPENING BIDS AND OFFERS. WHO SAYS GO? SEND ME A LIGHT. 1150, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. BID ME 10, WE'LL HAVE A CONVERSATION. IF THERE'S NO FURTHER ACTIVITY, I'LL PASS THE PROPERTY IN AT 1,150,000. FIRST CALL. SECOND CALL AT 1,150,000. THIRD CALL. 1150 TO BID NOW. WITH ME ON A VENDOR'S BID AT 1,150,000. DONE. SILENT. ALL FINISHED, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. YOU LEAVE ME NO CHOICE BUT TO PASS THE PROPERTY IN AT 1,150,000. THANKS, JILL. DISAPPOINTING, BUT THAT'S THE WAY IT IS. IT'S DISAPPOINTING. BUT IT'S STILL A BEAUTIFUL HOME, AND THERE IS OPPORTUNITY FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO COME ALONG. DREAMS AND PRAYERS SO FAR HAVE GOT DIANE AND HAMISH THROUGH SOME REALLY TOUGH TIMES, BUT ARE THEY BLINDING THEM TO FINANCIAL REALITY? What's wrong? (SIGHS) Hey, hon. How's the painting? Oh, hi, Kev. What do you think? Yeah. Nah, good. Be honest. Nice. Kev, honesty. Uh, I like it. (SIGHS) What? What's wrong? (SIGHS) You've changed your mind, haven't you? Pink?! Magenta. We should've gone with magenta. Oh, pink, magenta ` same thing, isn't it? They're not the same thing, Kev. When you paint with Valspar, if you're not in love with your colour, you can change it for free. WHEN HAMISH AND DIANE FIRST REALISED THAT THEY COULD BUILD IN FRONT OF THEIR OLD HOME, THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A GIFT. BUT THE CHALLENGES OF BUILDING ON SUCH A DIFFICULT CLIFF-TOP SITE HAVE MEANT THEY'VE HAD TO TAKE HUGE RISKS. I'M JUST HOPING THAT THEIR GAMBLE HAS PAID OFF. I'VE GOT TO HAND IT TO THEM. IN LESS THAN A YEAR, THEY'VE COMPLETED NOT ONLY ONE BUT TWO BUILDING PROJECTS ` THE RENOVATION OF THEIR OLD HOME AND A NEW MODERNIST HOME POISED PRECARIOUSLY ON THE EDGE OF A CLIFF. HELLO, HELLO. HI, CHRIS. GOSH, LOVELY TO SEE YOU, DIANE. SO LOVELY TO SEE YOU. GOSH. HI, CHRIS. HI. HOW ARE YOU, MATE? WELCOME TO OUR HOUSE. THIS IS IT. MY GOODNESS. LAST TIME I WAS HERE, IT WAS JUST SCAFFOLDING. YOU MUST BE TOTALLY EXHILARATED. NO, EXHAUSTED. LAUGHS: EXHAUSTED. EXHAUSTED. IT'S BEEN A BIT OF A MARATHON, ESPECIALLY DOING THE TWO TOGETHER, BUT WE'RE THRILLED. IT'S EVERYTHING THAT WE WISHED FOR. THE PROPORTIONS OF THIS FACADE AS YOU COME IN ARE WONDERFUL. VERY MUCH IN THE SPIRIT OF THE '50S, '60S CALIFORNIAN MODERNIST HOUSES. RIGHT. I GUESS IT'S A STYLE THAT WE'VE ADMIRED ALL THE WAY THROUGH IN TERMS OF ARCHITECTURE ` YOU KNOW, THE UNDERSTATED, THE EXPRESSED, THE SIMPLE, THE HORIZONTAL AND THE VERTICAL. BUT ANYWAY, COME ON INSIDE AND COME AND HAVE A LOOK. GREAT. CAN'T WAIT TO HAVE A LOOK. HAMISH AND DIANE CHOSE A MODULAR HOUSING SYSTEM TO BUILD ON A VERY DIFFICULT SITE. THE QUESTION FOR ME IS HOW WELL THE DESIGN HAS BEEN PERSONALISED FOR THEM AND THEIR LOCATION. HERE WE ARE. OH MY GOODNESS. DIANE'S DESIGN FOR A WATERFALL-LIKE STEEL BALUSTRADE WAS ONE OF THEIR PERSONAL TOUCHES. THIS IS SO INCREDIBLY ELEGANT. AND I KNOW YOU HAD ALL THESE CHALLENGES, DIANE, WITH THE RODS BEING CUT. HOW DID YOU END UP SOLVING THOSE IN THE END? WELL, MARCUS AND I HAD SOME INTERESTING DISCUSSIONS AROUND THIS, AND I ENVISAGED THEY WERE GOING TO BREAK THAT FLOW AND IT WAS GOING TO LOOK REALLY SCRAPPY AND NOT AT ALL HOW I HAD DESIGNED IT IN MY HEAD. BUT THE REALITY, AS YOU CAN SEE, IT IS; IT'S ELEGANT, IT'S BEAUTIFUL. I THINK THEY HAVE DONE AN EXQUISITE JOB. I LOVE THE WAY THE STAIR REALLY FLOATS. IT FEELS LIKE IT'S ALMOST HOVERING. AND THE WAY THAT THE RODS CONTINUE SEAMLESSLY RIGHT THROUGH THOSE STAIR TREADS HAS WORKED BEAUTIFULLY. DIANE'S BESPOKE BALUSTRADE BLENDS SEAMLESSLY WITH THE MODULAR BUILD, BUT IT HASN'T PROVIDED THE PRIVACY SHE HOPED IT WOULD. FAILURE. D, D-MINUS. THE REALITY IS THE NEIGHBOURS CAN PEER STRAIGHT IN HERE, SO, NO, I DIDN'T GET THAT RIGHT. SHE'S STILL FIGURING OUT HOW TO RESOLVE THE SCREENING, BUT FROM THE SEAWARD WINDOWS, THE VIEWS ARE EVERYTHING THEY HOPED FOR. I LOVE THE WAY THIS SPACE JUST FLOWS. IT'S REALLY SEAMLESS, ISN'T IT? IT'S SPECTACULAR, ISN'T IT? YOUR OLD HOUSE HAD A VERY SECLUDED DECK, BUT HERE, YOU'RE REALLY IN IT, AREN'T YOU? YOU'RE RIGHT OUT THERE. A SECLUDED, LOVELY LITTLE DECK BUT WITH NO VIEW, NO ASPECT OTHER THAN THAT IT WAS TUCKED IN THE TREES. AND NOW WE'VE GOT BOTH. WE'VE GOT SUN, WE'VE GOT LOOKING DOWN INTO THE CANOPY HERE, AS WELL AS LOOKING OUT INTO THE MANUKAU. YOU CAN ACTUALLY HEAR THE LAPPING OF THE WATER. AND BEING IN THE TREETOPS TOO, YOU JUST SEE, THERE'S THE KERERU, THE TUI. YOU REALLY DO NOTICE THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE KIND OF AT EYE LEVEL, WHICH IS A SOMEWHAT UNUSUAL EXPERIENCE. SO, CHRIS, COME ON INTO OUR BEDROOM. AH, YOUR LOVELY CROSS BRACE. THE LOVELY CROSS BRACE. HAVE YOU COME TO TERMS WITH IT NOW? I HAVE COME TO TERMS WITH IT, AND SURPRISINGLY, I ACTUALLY REALLY LIKE IT, COS IT BREAKS UP THESE SPACES IN A WAY THAT I HADN'T PREVIOUSLY ANTICIPATED. WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE LIKE A BARRIER, LIKE A BLOCK, BUT IT'S NOT. THERE'S A SENSE IN WHICH YOUR EYE STILL TRAVELS THROUGH IT, IT'S MINIMAL, IT'S LIGHT. IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL SURPRISE. THE LOVELY THING ABOUT THIS ROOM IS THAT YOU'RE AT A DIFFERENT LEVEL IN RELATION TO THE TREES, SO YOU'RE RIGHT IN MID-CANOPY, REALLY, AMONGST IT, AND THAT LOVELY LITTLE GLIMPSE THAT YOU GET JUST OVER THE TOPS THERE FOR THAT MORNING VIEW ACROSS THE MANUKAU ` BEAUTIFUL. AND IT'S NOT JUST HERE. THIS HOUSE IS FULL OF VANTAGE POINTS OFFERING UNIQUELY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD. IN THEIR BATHROOM, HAMISH AND DIANE CAN NOW REVERT TO THEIR OLD BATHING HABITS, ENJOYING WONDERFUL VIEWS WITH NO CHANCE OF BEING OVERLOOKED. AND ON THE LOWER LEVEL, A GUEST ROOM FEELS NESTLED IN THE BUSH. BUT THIS IS NOT JUST A HOME; IT'S A PLACE WHERE DIANE CAN CONTINUE HER COUNSELLING. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY, CHRIS? WELL, WHERE TO BEGIN? LYING IN THIS LE CORBUSIER CHAIR GIVES ME A VERY ARCHITECTURAL PERSPECTIVE. IT'S REALLY QUITE BEAUTIFUL WHAT YOU'VE GOT HERE. A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL A LITTLE BIT UNSAFE WHEN THEY COME TO COUNSELLING, SO BY CREATING THIS OTHER BEAUTIFUL SPACE, WHAT IT MEANS IS THEY CAN ACTUALLY DISAPPEAR OUT THE WINDOW, AND THEY CAN BE DISTRACTED BY OTHER THINGS, AND IT JUST MAKES THEM FEEL LIKE THEY'VE GOT CONTROL OF THE ENVIRONMENT. I FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE HERE. YES, I'M A BIT WORRIED ABOUT THAT. YOU LOOK LIKE YOU'VE SETTLED IN FOREVER. (CHUCKLES) THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF CHALLENGES ALONG THE WAY TO GET TO THIS POINT. I MEAN, AT THE BEGINNING, YOU DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IF IT WAS POSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE THE SUBDIVISION, DID YOU? NO. NO. LET ALONE ALL THE GEOTECH CHALLENGES THAT HAPPENED ALONG THE WAY. YEAH, THERE WERE LOTS OF THOSE LITTLE CURLY THINGS THAT CAME UP, BUT THEY SEEM PRETTY DISTANT NOW. FINANCIALLY, THOUGH, WE ARE KIND OF LEFT HANGING, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SELL OUR OLD HOME. SO IT'S KIND OF PUTTING US UNDER SOME PRESSURE. HOW DID YOU GUYS GET ON IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET? IT'S GONE OVER BUDGET. AND HOW MUCH DID IT GO OVER BUDGET? ALL UP, WE'RE ABOUT 1.2 MILLION IN THE RED. OH MY GOODNESS. BUT WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE IN THE WINGS, UM, STILL SNIFFING AROUND, NEGOTIATING, SO, UM,... IT SHOULD RESOLVE. SO IT'S BEEN WORTH THE BIG CHALLENGES, THE ADDITIONAL COSTS, THE UNCERTAINTIES? I THINK SO. YEAH. I THINK THE OUTCOME IS PHENOMENAL. WE THINK IT FITS THE SITE BEAUTIFULLY, AND WE'RE THRILLED WITH THE RESULT. ARCHITECTURE IS NOT ALWAYS ABOUT REALISING INCREDIBLE BUILDINGS. SOMETIMES THE REAL FEAT IS BEING ABLE TO BUILD AT ALL. HAMISH AND DIANE TOOK A HUGE GAMBLE TO REALISE THEIR HOME. THE RESULT IS A TREE HOUSE THAT ENABLES THESE TWO RISK-TAKERS TO KEEP LIVING ON THE EDGE. HERE, CHRIS. OH, WONDERFUL. THANKS VERY MUCH. LAUGHTER CAPTAIN AT THE TILLER. LAUGHTER YOU'RE A HAPPY MAN, AREN'T YOU? I AM. AND I THINK WE SHOULD DRINK TO THAT. A SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION. CONGRATULATIONS. THANKS, CHRIS. CHEERS. CHEERS, EVERYBODY. SALUT. CHEERS. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR.