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Auction date unveiled for 2016 charity house

Wednesday 23 November 2016, 10:54AM

By Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology

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BAY OF PLENTY

Housing buyers looking for a modern new home and a way to give back to their community can rejoice – the auction date for this year’s Charity House project at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology has been unveiled as 2pm Sunday, 4th December 2016.

A legacy project started by the then Waiariki Institute of Technology, now in its fourth year, the Charity House is proudly built by the institute’s local carpentry, electrical and interior design students, under expert supervision and training.

Providing a hands-on learning experience, the project also features one other significant advantage, in that all profits from the house’s sale go back into local community initiatives around Rotorua, via Rotary Rotorua Sunrise.

“2016 has been another extremely successful year for the Charity House team,” says AJ Smith, Programme Area Lead carpentry and electrical at Toi Ohomai.

“The students have again exceeded their own expectations and done a fantastic job with this three bedroom two bathroom home.

“This year’s 137sqm transportable home has been tweaked to give a heightened sense of space and extremely high levels of insulation. As a result, it will no doubt be well received by the market as a healthy and warm home to live in - not to mention cheap to heat!”

One of the first buildings in Rotorua to feature “SmartFit” windows, additional features of the 2016 build include double glazing and full insulation to twice the existing building code requirements.

In June of this year, over $30,000 in proceeds from the 2015 Charity House were handed out to 13 local community charities such as Lakes Medical Services Trust, Rotorua SPCA, and the Ngongotaha Community Patrol.

“We are expecting an increased level of interest in the Charity House this year due to the heat in the property market and demand for new homes,” says Sue Gunn, Marketing Manager, Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology.

Highlighting that the students involved get to rub shoulders with the project’s trade partners and potential employers throughout the build, Mrs Gunn states that some of the cohort have even been offered apprenticeships prior to their graduation as a result of the experience.

““This is a fantastic result. This year’s Charity House is our fourth and the market knows that our students and tutors are building high-quality transportable houses that come with a lot of extras supplied by our generous partners. I have no doubt this year’s auction will reflect that growing reputation.”

Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology’s Charity House will be auctioned on the institute’s Mokoia Campus by at Professionals McDowell Real Estate Ltd at 2pm Sunday, 4th December 2016.