There are renovations, and then there are projects where you’re trusted with more than 130 years of history.

This Denholm Road villa on Hospital Hill was a full-scale restoration of a character home dating back to the 1880s. The goal wasn’t to turn an old house into something new. It was to carefully bring it into the modern day while protecting the character, proportions and details that made the home worth saving in the first place.

Years of age had left plenty to work through, and as with any home of this era, not everything reveals itself until the work begins. The project demanded careful problem-solving throughout, balancing restoration with modern building requirements and making considered decisions around what could be retained, what needed replacing, and where new work needed to disappear seamlessly into the original home.
The result is a home that still unmistakably feels like a grand old Napier villa — only now restored for another generation of living.

From the restored weatherboard exterior and traditional detailing through to the expansive outdoor living areas and carefully finished interior, this was the kind of project where craftsmanship mattered in every corner. IJM managed the build alongside a trusted group of local subcontractors, coordinating the many moving parts required to bring a project of this scale together.

And perhaps the best description comes from the homeowner herself:

"IJM Construction were excellent to work with on my most recent renovation of an old rundown 1880’s villa. Fantastic communication, problem solving and the finishes were done to an exceptional standard. Loved their subbies that they worked with and managed as well — as a team they have consistency which I’ve found can be hard to find across the board at times. Would highly recommend." - Sharon