●BREAKING: Kittens hijack live weather bulletin●Rates revolt spreads through the regions●AI call centre rehires the staff it replaced●Coach sacked at half-time●Supermarket price gap hits 32 per cent●Secret album recorded in a Wairarapa woolshed●BREAKING: Kittens hijack live weather bulletin●Rates revolt spreads through the regions●AI call centre rehires the staff it replaced●Coach sacked at half-time●Supermarket price gap hits 32 per cent●Secret album recorded in a Wairarapa woolshed

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Home & Garden

Renovations, real estate reality checks and the backyard trends taking over.

Half finished kitchen renovation with exposed framing and tools

They Budgeted $180,000. The Final Bill Was $412,000 — And the Kitchen Isn't Finished

A renovation that was meant to take five months has taken twenty-two. Their story is now being shared in every building group in the country.

Claire Nikora · 8 September 2026 · 6 min read

Lush New Zealand native garden with ferns and flax plants

Rip Out the Lawn: The Native Garden Trend Taking Over New Zealand Backyards

Lower water bills, no mowing and tūī back in the trees within a season. Here is exactly what the converts planted.

7 September 2026 · 5 min

Damp mouldy window frame in an old rental house interior

Home & GardenPremium

"Fix It or Sell It": The Rental Standards Letter Landlords Are Dreading

Thousands of properties are still non-compliant, and the enforcement approach has just changed sharply.

6 September 2026 · 6 min

Modern tiny house on wheels parked on a green rural property

She Built It for $68,000. Now the Council Wants a Word

Tiny homes are solving a housing crisis one driveway at a time — until the rules catch up with them.

5 September 2026 · 5 min

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Wall mounted heat pump unit in a warm living room with remote control

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Your Heat Pump Is Costing You Double. It's Almost Certainly the Setting

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Home & GardenPremium

Bought in March, Listed in September, $210,000 Better Off — Legally

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Plant These Six Things This Weekend and You'll Be Eating by November

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