Fresh take

Sometimes, opportunity presents itself when you least expect it. Just ask Jecasta South and her husband, Pat. The couple moved to Rangiora seven years ago, after their Christchurch home was ruined in the 2011 quakes. They eventually built a house there, designing it themselves and spending months scouring salvage yards and Trade Me for demolition building materials.

“We wanted an industrial, eclectic look,” says Jecasta of the 260-square-metre design.

But it turned out that the project chewed up most of their time and energy. “We were spending every evening and weekend finishing it. We