Beach and Cavalli Apartments Case Study

New Zealand’s Housing Market: What Do Homeowners Want?

Price increases have been the predominant theme in the country’s housing market for a few years. By the end of 2019, Auckland homes were more expensive than those in Wellington. Although felt nationwide, price pressures have affected mostly stand-alone houses in the largest city in the North Island, and market analysts believe this upward trend will continue well into 2020 and possibly beyond.

There’s an interesting development stemming from the skyrocketing prices of stand-alone homes: a growing trend to live in apartments and terraced houses. The number of apartment projects that have received consent to go ahead has doubled in just a couple of years.

Michael Boulgaris, a real estate agent, says there is a growing interest in the apartment market and it has finally reached international standards. (credit – One Roof)

Due to different factors, apartment living is increasingly being considered by many city residents as a more accessible and affordable alternative to traditional homes. It is particularly true when it comes to low-rise developments, which are much more desirable than multi-storey apartment buildings. The preference for apartment living is not exclusive to Auckland, and in fact, not even to New Zealand. The rising popularity of apartments is a global trend, in particular when it comes to luxury and amenity-rich buildings.

Of course, with the increasing demand for apartment living comes an increase in prices. But higher prices have not put off prospective apartment owners, and especially not those interested in moving into or buying higher-quality properties. For many people, who are looking for housing options that suit their lifestyle, high-end apartment living seems to tick all the boxes.

Another reason for driving the spike in demand for quality apartments is the fact that stereotypes about apartment living are gradually broken down. Homeowners increasingly realise that flats and terraced houses don’t always have to be small and crowded, but they can offer superior living standards and exceptional comfort. As an example, take the Beach and Cavalli apartments in Long Bay, northern Auckland.

Beach and Cavalli Apartments: Luxury Living on the North Shore.

Like other suburbs in northern Auckland, Long Bay is an established affluent and high-rent area, which means it’s ideally positioned for the development of high-end residential properties. It offers an exclusive apartment living with all modern comforts and amenities. The Beach and Cavalli apartments are an example of this, as this development is an iconic and luxurious investment that includes 38 deluxe units. This low-rise building is situated in the popular Long Bay neighbourhood, only a few minutes from a beautiful beach that is suitable for swimming and recreational activities.

These luxury apartments are located in one of the city’s most sought-after neighbourhoods. Long Bay is a highly desirable location due to its proximity to beaches, parks, restaurants, shops, and schools. It is also known for its impressive business growth rates, making it a prosperous and dynamic place to live in. It combines a laid back atmosphere with a reasonable commute to downtown Auckland, which is only half an hour away.

The Beach and Cavalli development boasts superior design standards and the perfect mix of privacy and outdoor living. The building consists of spacious two and three-bedroom units ranging from 112 to 174 square metres in size, and each equipped with two bathrooms, on-site parking space, and storage units. Other amenities include a cafe, a shared lounge in the upper level/penthouse area, and a living roof. The developer, tells the story of how he chose the site based on its privileged location and unrivaled panoramic views over Little Barrier and Tiri.

At Warmup Auckland, we are proud to be a part of this new trend towards higher apartment living standards. It was a privilege for us to take part in the Beach and Cavalli project and to add those important touches that make a world of difference in terms of home comfort and enjoyment.

Back to the Beach and Cavalli development, the focus on outdoor living made it essential to ensure ultimate comfort in terms of temperature and acoustics, which is more critical considering that it’s not unusual for Auckland’s winter temperatures to be in the single digits. To achieve this, our team focused on delivering first-class insulation solutions using state-of-the-art technology.

Our team installed acoustics insulation, waterproofing, and wet rooms in 76 bathrooms, as well as in other areas that required quality insulation, such as kitchens, laundry rooms, sculleries, and entrance areas. The products used by our team of specialists included:

• Marmox insulation boards are a crucial element in any area fitted with underfloor heating as they offer multiple benefits in a single product. The boards have excellent acoustic insulation properties (with a noise reduction of up to 20dB), are fully waterproof, and prevent the appearance of rot and moisture build-up. The boards function as a thermal barrier, and at the same time, they ensure the optimal functioning of heating systems by directing heat upwards and making tiled or concrete floors warm up faster. 
• For wet rooms, the Warmup specialists used Marmox shower bases – preformed floor level panels that can be cut to fit any shower layout. They are placed directly onto a concrete or wooden floor.
• In addition, Marmox shower niches were installed to provide extra space for small shower items. Marmox shower niches are entirely waterproof and ready to tile over.
• All bathrooms featured Warmup undertile heating which is the best heating solution for bathrooms – silent, comfortable, and cost-effective to run – it can cost less than a cup of coffee per week.
• We also installed Ardex waterproofing membranes – a high-performance solution used in bathrooms, steam rooms, and swimming pools.At Warmup, we are strong advocates of Tranquillity bathroom products due to their outstanding performance levels and design. Bathrooms at the Beach and Cavalli apartments were fitted with Tranquillity drains, adding a luxurious finish to all the shower areas. All apartments at this development were equipped with a sleek and distinctive Tranquillity range of bathroom accessories, including heated towel rails, paper holders, and hooks.
• After achieving insulation and heating, it was time to deliver temperature control solutions. For this, we installed Warmup Color-Touch Thermostats, an advanced but at the same time user-friendly device that allows you to set the perfect temperature in underfloor heating systems.
• This upmarket development features floor-to-ceiling glass exteriors and covered balconies. Each balcony is fitted with a Moderno Carbon Infrared heater, a product that we’ve used extensively and strongly recommend. Moderno infrared heaters allow homeowners to enjoy the outdoors in comfort all year round irrespective of the outside temperature. You can find more details about the benefits of these heaters in our blog post.

At Warmup New Zealand, we have more than 25 years of experience making home comfort and personalised temperature control a reality. We are passionate advocates of innovation, technology, and design solutions that improve quality of life and have helped implement this in tens of thousands of homes all over New Zealand. Get in touch if you’d like to learn more about what we can do to make your home better.