When Shayden and Georgia found their little 96m² cottage among the villas of St Albans, Christchurch, they could see its potential. Even though it had been battered and bruised by the earthquakes, it stood out as a survivor. Armed initially with just cleaning supplies and paintbrushes, plus lots of energy and ideas, Shayden and Georgia gradually transformed the house into what it is today.

They discovered ways to recycle what was already there. For instance, the old rimu skirting boards found a new life as shelving in the master bedroom and kitchen. Original features such as the oversized architraves were retained if they added to the character of the house, otherwise, the look they were after was simple, elegant and contemporary.

The old gem already had Marley Classic spouting and RP80 downpipes like many of the traditional style homes in the area. Shayden and Georgia were happy about this as it suited the house perfectly, and it was made of uPVC, which meant it would still have many years left of life, and they were able to repair any damaged portions themselves. Whether repairing, or replacing, Marley uPVC spouting is easy to handle, easy to cut, and simply glues together.

Shayden and Georgia have also installed Marley Twist, a compact rainwater diverter that turns a downpipe into a free source of water for watering the garden, topping up the pool, general cleaning or emergency use. Twist can be easily installed on existing or new RP80 uPVC downpipes and can quick connect to a collection tank via any standard garden hose fitting. A simple “twist” on-off control lets Shayden and Georgia access rainwater from the downpipe as and when they need it. Twist is designed to connect a single downpipe to a small collection tank of up to 1,000 litres.

What Shayden and Georgia have done in just six months is truly impressive, but there’s still a way to go. All the new lawns and planting on the 680m² section need time to bed in and mature. There’s a new bathroom in the planning stages, and who knows what’s in store for the backyard.