Stand and deliver

Possessing real mana on a corner site in Timaru, this house draws exceptional presence from its form and craftsmanship. But Dan Gallagher and his crew’s can-do attitude can be seen right throughout this build, from the foundations through to the finishing touches that turn a house into a home.

Not only did the Gallagher Trade Building team use their technical skills to construct the dwelling itself, they also assembled the flatpack shelving system in the living room, finished off the fencing, landscaped, and even put up the garden shed. Dan got to use his artistic side as well when it came to hanging a trio of pendants in the corner of the music room. “The owner, electrician and I came up with the plan to use three balloons to replicate the pendants first, so we could get the composition just right.”

Before construction on the 290sqm home could begin, however, there was a paper hiccup: a district council sewer line (that nobody knew was there) ran across the property. The whole house had to be shifted 1.5 metres. The next challenge came due to upgraded insulation regulations. Creating a thermal break in the concrete-slab foundations was a first for the crew. “There were some testing details to get around, but we worked with the underfloor heating suppliers to achieve that,” says Dan.

Clad in plaster and vertical cedar shiplap that wraps the living block, the three-bedroom dwelling is also anchored to its site by Central Otago schist walls. “The clients were clear that they wanted dry-stack schist, with no visible mortar,” explains Dan. Says one of the owners: “Dan and his team were fantastic to work with – nothing was a problem.”

The T-shaped house, with extensions to the north and south, features a mix of strong, simple gables and sloping rooflines. To the west, a fireplace chimney stretches up to the southern sky. Internally, that fireplace becomes a focal point beneath cathedral ceilings that lend incredible volume to the main living zone. “From floor to ceiling is easily 5.5 metres,” says Dan. “You don’t quite appreciate that until you are up on a scissor lift to start hand-pitching it.”

A copper-effect paint finish on the fireplace wall ties in with the copper pendant, which floats like a wide-brimmed hat above the dining table. Alongside, the kitchen is crisp in white, with a custom splashback that traces the outline of the Kepler Mountains and Cathedral Peaks in relief.

Marble floors give the powder room pizazz; the scullery is a clean-lined workhorse; an office with a built-in desk is a WFH happy place; and there’s sheltered outdoor living with lovely views of the Hunter Hills.

What more could anyone ask for?

Location: Timaru | South Canterbury

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