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How To Build A Brand New Period Replica Colonial New Zealand Villa Home Or Homestead With All Of The Character And Charm Of Yester-Year (1800 To 1940 Vintage)…

5 Of The Most Frequently Asked Questions Or Comments

Contemporary design and architecture; it certainly isn't for everyone…

If you're sick of the straight sharp lines of so-called ‘modern or contemporary architecture’, then you'll love what Moss Brothers have to offer. Moss Brothers specialise and are specialists in the designing and building ‘new’ traditional Victorian and Edwardian replica New Zealand villas, bungalow and historic buildings and homesteads. We combine architectural designs from between 1800 to 1940 with present day building materials and construction techniques.

Please watch this brief YouTube video clip.

How to design and build a New Zealand period home?

Aren't we so lucky here in New Zealand to have our own unique style of architecture? The homes built in this country between 1880 (even earlier) and 1940 are like nothing seen anywhere else and loved and admired by kiwis and foreigners alike.

So how would you go about designing and building a period replica home? Well, we have a range of period home brochures which some people have used as a launching point and develop what they want based on their own personal requirement. But the architecture we specialise in (spanning more than of 60 years of NZ history) is enormous so we couldn’t, nor would we try, cover all possibilities.

Realising this, what often happen is; people will see an old house or homestead they like in a magazine or newspaper and rip it out and say something like, “see this design or style, we want you to build a new home that looks old like this but using similar finishings and attention to detail as other previous Moss Brothers projects” or other detailing they’ve seen elsewhere. Or while out walking or driving they’ll see a beautiful old style they love, take a photo of it & say the same kind of thing – “please apply some of your design magic to this old home or homestead”. It’s that simple and more cost effective to have specialist like Moss Brothers carry out the designing who does all the time than a design professional that attempts a one-off.

So you see it’s not about our brochures or what we have in the way of brochures. It’s about the architecture for a period in New Zealand’s history.

What are the advantages of building new?

Visitors or guests to a Moss Brothers show home or past Moss Brothers project will often struggle to tell the house is brand new. A new period home just looks like an old house that’s been beautifully restored an in immaculate condition. What gives it away is the floor is flat, straight and level. It’s easy to heat and cost effective to maintain the desired temperature (double glazing and very high ‘R’ rated insulation is standard). Fittings and fixtures are seamlessly integrated into the build which leaves a stunning result and makes day to day living easy and enjoyable.

What you will miss with an old house is the high maintenance, upkeep, rotten weatherboards, zero insulation, draughts, rusty water pipes, brittle electrical cables, damp conditions and the sun coming in the wrong room at the wrong time of the day. Let’s face it, even after restorations and renovations, sometimes at enormous cost, at the end of the day you are still left with an old house.

Why would you consider employing Moss Brothers?

Moss Brothers have been in business since 1985. Over the last 20 plus years, in particular the last 10, Moss Brothers has evolved to specialise in designing and building traditional period replica New Zealand Homes. If you go to the ‘Past Project’ section you’ll discover samples of the work we do – and not all of the projects are from the period aria though. Some clients like the way we conduct our business but prefer other styles.

Attached to many of the ‘Past Project’ photos are dozens of testimonials. We could say how good we think we are but we doubt you’d find that credible. We think you’ll find the testimonials speak for themselves.

Another form of client appreciation and satisfaction is them allowing their house to be entered in the Master Builders House of the Year competition and ‘Awards’ by us. Most Moss Brothers past client value their privacy and this is not compromised by the competition. But think about it, who would allow their builder to enter their house in such a competition if the relationship between the parties was not a good one?

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