Speight’s Ale House rebuild

A fire at Speight’s Ale House destroyed the kitchen and caused extensive damage in the rest of the Historic Place Category 2 listed building. We worked closely with the client, consultant team and heritage authorities from the design stage to formulate a methodology and budget to reinstate the building, balancing heritage preservation with the opportunity to strengthen and upgrade the 143-year-old structure.

We started carefully stripping the building while the design and consenting were being finalised, erecting a tent over the structure to prevent further weather damage. The seismic strengthening involved hand excavating under the foundations to install an anchor system and drilling 6-metre-long core holes through the schist walls to accommodate the structural steel cross bracing and timber roof trusses.

Our team of carpenters and specialist subcontractor executed period-accurate textured plaster finishes, tongue-and-groove linings and ornate skirting boards and architraves with precision. All materials were reviewed and approved by Heritage New Zealand, including tōtara timber flooring from 2,500-year-old logs felled in the 1800s. We repurposed the fire-damaged floorboards in the bench seating and gave the original beech rafters a new life as outdoor tables, donating any offcuts to the local high school.

We established open channels of communication from the outset, fostering a collaborative environment that encouraged effective coordination. Regular meetings and updates ensured that everyone was aligned on project goals, while friendly interactions among team members built trust and facilitated the swift resolution of challenges. This positive dynamic was instrumental in navigating the complexities of the project, which we completed in just 18 months.