Building stability through our Home Repair Programme

Grateful for critical repair work completed by Habitat, a whanau in Horotiu, Waikato, feels much more confident and motivated to make sure their homestead remains a decent place to live.

Referred through a Toiora Whare Toiora Whanau, a pilot programme with Waikato Tainui, Whare Ora and Te Puni Kokiri, Habitat for Humanity Central Region undertook this critical repair work as part of their Home Repair programme. Work spanned weathertightness, insulation, safety, water and sanitation.

When Habitat met this Horotiu whanau – two sisters raising four mokopuna – their home was in critical need of bathroom repair, floor insulation and roofing, with the homeowner saying “you should have seen it before.”

“There were gaps in the floor and we had bolts over it, the vanity had chipped away and we had duct tape over it.”

It was also stressful for the whanau, who rely on a rainwater tank, to know that leaky plumbing meant their precious ‘tank water’ was seeping away.

Habitat’s builder Paul said the house also had a blocked drain which created a huge puddle of water under it, which had caused moisture to damage the floor, especially the bathroom. The roof was leaking over the kitchen and gutters were sagging.

After a thorough inspection, the drain blockage was immediately fixed, and the bathroom floor was replaced. Habitat’s construction team refurbished the bathroom, including fresh paint, making it cleaner and more hygienic. The roof was replaced and fully insulated, and guttering was fixed to avoid any drainage issues.

The family was thankful for the repair work and happy to see how affordable it was. The bathroom was funded by Toiora Whare Toiora Whanau programme whereas the other repairs were a part of Habitat’s Home repair programme, supported by BNZ.

Now living in a much healthier place, the homeowner said they now feel more safe and secure, and feel motivated to keep the house warm, clean and dry.

“You know when something’s done – that gives you that motivation to do more,” she said.

“Our kids, their kids, their kids…it’s our homestead.”

“We were grateful that there is help out there.”