Our Big Little Budget

This couple managed a large-scale reno of their Dunedin cottage on a miniature budget – all while studying medicine and raising a baby 

- Debbie Harrison

When we say the Hau family are a hard-working bunch, we’re not exaggerating. Through savvy shopping, clever solutions and sheer hard graft, Kenny and Nikita have renovated almost an entire house with a budget smaller than what many would spend on a new kitchen or bathroom alone.

Throw in the fact that during the renovation Kenny was also studying medicine, Nikita was working full-time and their son, Freddie, arrived after a complicated pregnancy that required lots of to-ing and fro-ing from hospital, and you start to get the idea that this family doesn’t shy away from tough stuff. And at the end of the process? The Haus had completely overhauled the interior of their Dunedin home for less than $20,000.

But let’s start at the beginning. In 2015, Kenny and Nikita moved from New Plymouth to Dunedin so Kenny could pursue his dream of becoming a doctor. Even though student life meant they’d be cash strapped, the couple were also ready to start a family so they set about doing what they could to reduce their weekly expenses. The biggest expense? Rent. “It became clear that purchasing an old, rundown house would be much cheaper than continuing to pay Dunedin's high rents,” explained Nikita. So they started their search for a home.

1|THE ORIGINAL HOUSE

After an unfruitful 12-month search, the Haus stumbled across a dated, dark, 1910 weatherboard cottage with a peculiar layout and blue-and-brown colour scheme. It was perfect. They viewed the house during Nikita’s lunch break, went back for a second look that night and made an offer the next day. Their plan was to rejig the layout for better flow and use of space, as well as modernising the interior.