Knowledge Hub

Knowledge Hub

The Knowledge Hub is a free resource for homeowners, with expert advice on Cedar protection, maintenance and restoration.

Cedar is a miracle timber if ever there was one – stunning to look at, extremely durable and a superior insulator – and if looked after properly, it will last the lifetime of your home.

Every month we will be sharing articles with tips, knowledge and advice on how to care for your Cedar and keep it looking beautiful for years to come. To stay informed, sign up for our quarterly newsletter.

No spam, no sales pitches, just top-quality advice and a lot of love for this amazing timber!

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4 Jul 2025
Yes, Auckland is a rainy place! But we've been looking after Cedar for 12 months of the year, for over 30 years, and rain isn't as big of a problem as you might think. This comes down to the unique properties of Cedar and how we care for it. But unlike paint, oil and stain do not need to cure and dry. Literally minutes after you put the coating on, it's already protecting the boards against moisture. If the boards are dry, we can coat them. Once we get to the point where the boards are wet and will not dry, we stop. Simple as that.

One of the most common questions we get asked is “Can I get my Cedar maintained in the winter?”

Absolutely! With winter, comes rain…but not as much as you might think.

At the height of the wet season, there are 19.1 rain days in June and 20 in August. In summer, there are there are 14.1 rain days in December and 9.8 days in February.

That’s only 6-10 days difference.

Yes, Auckland is a rainy place! But we’ve been looking after Cedar for 12 months of the year, for over 30 years, and rain isn’t as big of a problem as you might think.

This comes down to the unique properties of Cedar and how we care for it.

Oil and Stain Are Not Paint

The statement above may seem obvious, but the idea of paint drying is so fixed in our collective minds that people often make the comparison.

Aside from both being applied to walls, they couldn’t be more different products.

Paint is applied by building a film on the surface of another film, which then must dry and cure.

Stain and oil penetrate into the pores of the Cedar and start providing protection against moisture almost immediately.

You could even spray the boards lightly with a hose 20-30 minutes after application and it would make no difference to the finish.

How Wet is Wet?

Similarly, in most people’s minds, when a board gets wet, it is wet the whole way through. This is only what our eyes are telling us.

In truth, it’s only the surface that gets wet (usually the top 1mm), the rest of the board stays perfectly dry.

To apply a Cedar coating, we only need the surface of the board to dry out. Depending on exposure to the sun, wind and air temperature, this can happen anywhere between 5 – 30 minutes.

You can feel whether Cedar it is dry or not by touching the boards. If the surface is too wet, we simply do not apply the coating.

Mark likes to use the analogy of hanging out washing. If you are happy to put out your washing to dry, you can coat Cedar.

And if a spattering of rain does get onto the surface, the oil or stain is already working to create a barrier against moisture.

What Happens if it Does Rain?

Every morning, the Senior Technicians assigned to the job will look at the weather and work with the Production Manager to make the call. In most cases, the decision has been made the previous day.

Our scheduling team also looks at the weather in advance and plans accordingly. If rainy weather is on the way, they will book in other work such as washing or adapt the scheduled work to the conditions.

If the weather is inclement, the technicians can focus on areas of the house away from the wind and rain.

If the weather is coming from the north, we can coat the areas on the south, or undercover areas.

If rain is truly setting in, we can wash the Cedar in preparation for coating. During periods of persistent rain, there can be a gap of 1-2 weeks between washing and coating, but this could be left up to 6 weeks without any issues.

So, When is the Best Time to Coat?

The answer is always now. If you ask us in 6 weeks or 6 months, the answer will be the same.

We are battling the sun here, and the sun always wins. New Zealand’s harsh UV rays are constantly sucking the natural tannins from the boards and they need to be coated to protect against the wet-dry-wet effect.

If left longer than the recommended 2-3 summers, the surface can begin to roughen and create a toe-hold for mould and lichen, resulting in an unkempt look.

This isn’t scaremongering. If you leave them for another 6 months, the difference is almost indiscernible. But that doesn’t change the fact that there is no “best time” for Cedar maintenance.

The best time is always now. You just need to pick your days.

Final Thoughts

We have been doing this for over 30 years and know our way around a bit of rain.

If the boards are dry, we can coat them. Once we get to the point where the boards are wet and will not dry, we stop. Simple as that.

Don’t let the idea of rain put you off getting your Cedar maintained and protected. Winter is just as good as summer, and autumn is just as good as spring. The sun never stops and neither do we!

13 Mar 2025
Looking after Cedar is often a lot more cost-effective than people assume, and that cost just goes down with regular maintenance.

Time to answer the million-dollar question: how much does it cost to maintain or restore a Cedar home?

Thankfully, the answer is nowhere close to a million dollars! Looking after Cedar is often a lot more cost-effective than people assume, and that cost just goes down with regular maintenance.

Naturally, all homes are different, and no single price will fit the huge variety of Cedar homes across the country. The prices given here are a range, based on Mark’s experience looking after Cedar homes for 30+ years.

To cover the widest range of homes, we have categorised the pricing under 3 different eras, with some variables at the end.

Late 80s to late 90s

Cedar homes from this era are stained in a distinctive shade of reddish brown. There were only two types of stains available, and they were both brown.

To change the colour of the boards will be very costly, as you would need to strip off the stain before applying a new stain or oil. Most people go for a light rinse and a recoat using one of the new waterborne stains.

The boards themselves are often still in great condition. The Cedar from this era was milled from slow growing trees, making the boards denser and more stable.

cedar-restoration-before cedar-restoration-after

Cedar homeowners were also more likely to maintain the Cedar themselves, so the Cedar often has multiple coats of stain that further protect the boards from harmful UV rays.

Standard maintenance, or a combination of maintenance and restoration, will cost between $5.5k – $8.5k for a single-story home, and $8.5k – $10k for a double-story home.

Early 2000s to 2010

Cedar homes from the early 2000s often used Cedar as a feature, installed up high, to enhance the look of weatherboard and solid plaster houses. There are very few houses from this era that are clad entirely from Cedar.

20 years on, most of these houses have had nothing done to them. The culture of maintaining your own Cedar has diminished due to busier lifestyles and more focus on health and safety, resulting in Cedar on sun exposed faces looking shabby and tired.

This scenario usually requires restoration over maintenance. Restoration involves washing the house, removing any organic matter, stripping back any old stain, and then applying a new coat of oil.

The cost of restoration will depend on volume and aspect: how much Cedar was used as a feature and which direction it faces. If it’s northerly facing, you will need to do considerable restoration work. If you have a feature on the south face, it might still be in good condition and only require recoating every 10 years.

If the Cedar can be accessed by ladder or mobile scaffolding, the standard cost of a restoration is between $3.5 – $5.5k. Fixed scaffolding will add considerably more to the cost.

2010 – Present

Since 2010 onwards, Cedar has only grown in popularity. Homes are trending away from brick and tile, towards new townhouse developments, or architecturally designed properties.

Cedar is still a premium building material, but the price has come down in recent years due to faster growing methods and better exchange rates. As a result, we are back to building whole homes in Cedar.

The downside is that the faster growing timber isn’t as dense as the old boards. It’s still an incredibly robust cladding but requires regular maintenance to keep stable. If neglected, the boards will start to cup, and at some point, begin to pull the fixings through the timber.

Single-story Cedar homes cost $6.5k on average for a wash and recoat. Double-story Cedar homes are upwards of $8k – $10k. Large architectural homes are $15k – $20k.

Pricing Variables

  • Fixed scaffolding

Where possible we work from our own mobile scaffold towers and extension ladders, which are safe and fast, and keep costs down. Fixed scaffolding is often required when you go from 2 to 3 stories.

Scaffolding a large house will cost an additional $7.5 to $10k home. Scaffolding a smaller home, but still 2 story with high areas, will be $4k-$5k.

  • Access issues

These are houses that are built on steep hillsides or have very high walls. There will always be additional costs when our team must access hard to reach areas, but it’s not often a huge expense. The areas that need rope and harness are usually limited, and it’s all part and parcel of what we do.

  • Size of the house

The bigger the house, the more time, stain and oil it requires.

Additional stories on top of that will always be more expensive, and when you go from 2 to 3 stories scaffolding is required. If you have 2 stories, but there is very little up top, the extra cost will be minimal.

  • Time passed

If you haven’t maintained your Cedar in the last 3-5 years, it’s going to be very dry and require a lot of product.

  • Restoration vs Maintenance.

If the Cedar has never been touched, the boards will require a deep clean and oil. If they have stain, we need to strip back the broken-down stain. These are two very different treatments, with different costs associated.

Final Thoughts

No two houses are the same. There is a good reason why our team travel out to every house before we send a quote. There are a lot of variables in pricing a quote (and many of them can work in your favour!), so it’s always best to call our team for an onsite assessment.

We never push Cedar maintenance if it’s not needed and prefer to look after the best interests of our customers over the lifecycle of their homes.

15 Dec 2024
Applying the right amount of oil is essential in protecting your Cedar from the harsh New Zealand sun. For stress free Cedar maintenance, simply follow the manufacturer's guidelines and your boards will last forever (well, almost).

Applying the right amount of oil is essential in protecting your Cedar from the harsh New Zealand sun.

The purpose of applying oil is to seal the boards from moisture. And the only way you can seal the boards is to put enough oil into the deep pockets of the timber that the water will stop getting in.

If the pores of the timber are not filled with oil, they will accept whatever other liquid there is available, such as the rain or moisture in the air. This causes the boards to swell and contract, absorbing and releasing moisture.

The summer heat will then dry the surface of the timber and as the surface tension gets tighter, the boards will begin to cup.

Follow the Manufacturers Guidelines

For the purposes of this article, we will look at the manufacturer’s guidelines for Wood-X.

Coverage of Wood-X penetrating wood oils is dependent on surface condition, timber type, air temperature and other factors. The following is an approximate, typical guide.

Wood X Guidelines

The range of sq meters per litre (such as 9-14 sq meters for the first coat of dressed timber) is a guideline for different situations. There will be areas where the boards will allow you to put the maximum recommendations on, and areas where you will only get the minimum.

The end grain of the Cedar is nice and open and will suck up the oil, whereas the heart of the tree is a lot harder and does not absorb the oil as easily.

Other factors include the porosity of the board, how warm it is (in warm temperatures the boards will expand and oil will penetrate more easily), and the type of timber also makes a difference.

A dressed faced board has a smooth finish, like trying to get oil to penetrate glass, so it takes a long time for the oil to soak in. With a band sawn finish or weathered finish, the pores are open and will accept oil more readily and get deeper into the timber.

Is More Oil Always Better?

More is best. You can’t put too much Wood-X on. The intention is to saturate the surface and put as much oil into the timber as you can.

The timber will tell you when it’s full. It says that by perspiring. It leaves a shiny film on the surface and at that point, you know that no more oil is going in.

Sometimes people try and apply stains or oils sparingly and get them to look pretty with the first application. That’s not the design of a penetrating oil such as Wood-X. Wood-X needs to be applied so the boards get saturated and no longer absorb oil. At that point, you stop.

3-5 sq meters per litre is not a lot of timber to cover with quite a lot of oil, but that is what’s required if you want the boards to be protected.

Does Recoated Cedar Have Different Requirements?

No, the same principles apply. Saturate the surface and put as much oil into the timber as you can.

For new Cedar, the first recoat timing starts when the boards are installed and exposed to the air trafficking around the outside of the board. On a dressed face, the small pockets have already been filled with oil, so you are going to get 12-15 sq meters per litre.

That first coat can feel like it’s a waste of time. It’s not, it’s just very labour intensive for not a lot of gain, but it will set you up for the future of your timber.

Application Tips

  • Be careful to protect the areas you don’t want oil on. It migrates very quickly and will get onto decking and painted weatherboards. Once soaked in, oil is difficult to get out.
  • Using a spray gun is fast and effective, but we recommend using a brush or speed brush to take off any excess oil before it drips.
  • Spend the time to get the colour right. Choose a colour you like and stay lighter, that way the 2nd coat can go darker. It’s hard to go the other way around.
  • How long until the oil is dry to touch? If it’s a warm and windy day, around 48 hours after coating. With harder woods, or in cold conditions, you may need to extend that to 72 – 96 hours. As long as it takes to soak in.
  • When you start to see the colour fade, that’s an indicator that your Cedar needs attention. Or when the rain comes and the boards go very dark because they have soaked up the water. Both are tell-tale signs that there is no oil in the pores of the timber.

Final Thoughts

Wood-X is tried and tested in New Zealand conditions. For stress free Cedar maintenance, simply follow the manufacturer’s guidelines and your boards will last forever (well, almost).

If you need further advice, do not hesitate to get in touch with our team. We are always happy to help!

15 Oct 2024
Even amongst building professionals, there is a lot of confusion around different Cedar treatments, and which is best for the long-term protection of Cedar in different situations. This article aim to set the record straight.

Tinted oils and stains are two very different products – each with unique compositions, application requirements, and long-term maintenance needs – but the names are often used interchangeably.

Even amongst building professionals, there is a lot of confusion around different Cedar treatments, and which is best for the long-term protection of Cedar in different situations.

In fairness, the difference is not always obvious, and much of the confusion comes from the terminology used by manufacturers in the past.

This article aims to set the record straight, and show why it’s beneficial – both for your Cedar and for your wallet – to know the difference between Cedar treatments.

Let’s start by defining what exactly is an oil and a stain.

What is a Penetrating Oil?

Penetrating oil is designed to migrate into the timber and waterproof it from the inside, protecting against movement from the wetting and drying process, but it offers no UV protection.

We do not recommend using clear oil on Cedar cladding as there is no UV protection.

When a tint is added to a clear oil base, it becomes a tinted oil.

The tinted oil has all the waterproofing benefits of clear oil, but the tint now protects the timber against UV, like a sunblock, and it can be applied with a range of different colours.

What is a Stain?

Traditional stains use a solvent to emulsify the oil and are typically a brown-red colour, prevalent on homes built before the 2000s.

Solvent based stains are still available, but they are being phased out in favour of water-borne stains, which are more environmentally friendly, and come in a range of colours.

Water-borne stains emulsify the oil in water. When applied to the surface, the water evaporates leaving behind the oil to migrate, to a degree, into the surface of the timber.

Stains do not penetrate deeply into the timber, unlike oil, and are designed to erode from the surface over time. Once the stain has been broken down by the UV, any remaining stain will need to be washed or sanded away before applying new stain.

Where Does the Confusion Lie?

Stains and tinted oils are the most common source of confusion when talking with Cedar homeowners.

People think of a stain as something they brush on and the stain then soaks into the timber. This is true, but a stain will only soak into the timber marginally compared to a penetrating oil.

If you pour tinted oil onto a white sheet, it’s going to change the colour of the sheet without changing the texture, essentially staining the fabric.

If you do the same with a traditional stain, which is actually like a very thin paint, it’s going to leave a coating on the sheet. It will change the colour, but only because there is a coating on the surface. It’s not actually staining the fabric.

By this rationale, a stain is not actually a stain, but it’s been called a stain for so many years that the name has stuck.

This may seem like splitting hairs, but knowing which product is right for your Cedar has a significant impact on how your Cedar needs to be maintained.

Why Does This Matter

If you know what treatment is on your Cedar, you can formulate the right maintenance strategy for your home – and potentially save yourself money, and heartache.

Here are a few practical examples:

  • Existing Cedar Homes

If you already have a Cedar home, this means you can use the same treatment as before for the best colour matching and application; while avoiding generic products that do not perform as well, or incompatible treatments, such as applying a water-borne stain over an oil.

  • New Cedar Homes

If you are building or buying a new Cedar home, a stain is often applied as it requires little upkeep for the first 5-10 years, but eventually the sun will dry out the timber and you might have to use a Cedar professional for maintenance or remedial work.

  • Cost and Upkeep

Different treatments have different costs. Oil migrates deep into the timber, but doesn’t last on the surface as long as a stain and needs more regular upkeep. Stain lasts longer, but once it erodes, it needs to be removed evenly before recoating, or you end up with an uneven finish.

  • Cedar Orientation

Areas in the shade require less maintenance than sun-exposed areas, making stain more suitable in some circumstances. And if you have an area of Cedar up high, the cost of scaffolding might be prohibitive for regular application of oil and a stain might make more sense.

All these potential complications can be eased by knowing what treatment has been used on your Cedar, and what treatment is best for different situations.

Final Thoughts

We are not saying that one product is better than the other, but by understanding what treatment is on your Cedar, you can make better decisions about how it needs to be protected.

If you are unsure, get in touch with our team and a Cedar expert will come out to your house to assess your cladding.

15 Jul 2024
Mark has been in the business for over 30 years and has seen a lot of Cedar products come and go. The products recommended here are based on his personal experience maintaining thousands of Cedar homes across the country.

Mark has been in the business for over 30 years and has seen a lot of Cedar products come and go. The products recommended here are based on his personal experience maintaining thousands of Cedar homes across the country.

These are the products we actively use today, or have used in the past, and all have been tried and tested across a range of locations and conditions.

If the product you are considering isn’t mentioned below, that doesn’t mean it’s unsuitable, only that we don’t have enough experience with the product to recommend it either way.

Always follow the manufacturers guidelines and choose the best Cedar product for your specific circumstances.

Lastly, if your Cedar has already been treated with a specific product and is still in good condition, it’s a good rule of thumb to use the same product for the best colour matching and application. If the product is starting to fail, look at the best solution for the timber regardless of what was used previously.

Best Cedar Cleaning Products

Preparing Cedar before applying an oil or stain is the key to achieving a smooth and consistent finish.

Over time, organic matter such as dust, moss and lichen will build up on the Cedar. As oils and stains are semi-transparent/translucent, any product or organic matter left on the surface will show up and look unsightly.

Which cleaning product you use depends on the current state of your Cedar.

  • Hit The Deck

Cedar that has no oil or stain on the surface will only require a gentle wash using an oxy cleaner or percarbonate solution to kill off any built-up organic matter. Hit The Deck by Wet & Forget works very well and doesn’t contain any bleaches or chlorine.

  • Dryden LiquidTimberClean

If your Cedar has been affected by the sun and started to age, you may need to brighten it back up. Dryden LiquidTimberClean is an oxalic acid-based cleaner that is effective at lightening stains and brightening timber. Be careful using this product around windows and joinery as it can tarnish the surface if not rinsed properly.

  • Resene Timber and Deck Wash

For general cleaning, Resene Timber and Deck Wash is very effective for cleaning hardwood and softwood timber surfaces. This wash only has a small amount of bleach and is effective at killing off anything organic. An excellent product, we use it all the time.

  • And avoid…

We do not recommend any products that contain a heavy solution of sodium hypochlorite, commonly known as bleach. This often comes with the benefits of “spray and walk away” or “done in 30 seconds”. It will certainly clean the Cedar and kill off anything that’s on the surface, but it can damage the cellular structure of the timber.

Quick Note About Stains

Stains are like white paint. You can buy white paint from 20 different paint manufacturers and each one will tell you why theirs is the best.

Which stain you use is much less important than when and where you use it.

Stains perform best out of the harsh UV, on areas sheltered by trees and other buildings, south-facing, or under soffits.

If used on areas exposed to the sun, they will eventually break down. If a stain cracks, water will get in behind and delaminate the stain, lifting it from the surface.

When stains fail, it takes a lot of work to make the stained surface look good, even more than with oil. Just remember, when choosing your coating, the sun will ALWAYS win. Make sure the stain is out of the sun, and you should be fine.

Best Cedar Stains

  • Resene Woodsman Waterborne Oil Stain

Resene Woodsman Waterborne Oil Stain is our stain of choice. This stain is a penetrating water-borne wood oil stain that is designed to erode, rather than form a film on the surface, which is what you want. As the stain is very thin, it gives a chance for the oil to get into the timber. This stain has been around for 15+ years and we have a lot of confidence in the product.

  • Cabbots stain

Cabbots stain, by Dulux, is another product we regularly use. Cabbots is an excellent stain, with the slight reservation that this is a film-forming product, and it can get brittle if over applied.

  • Coating Remover Sea to Sky by Resene

If you need to remove a previous stain before application, use a coating remover that uses organic or citrus based compounds. Avoid methylene chloride products, which are very aggressive.

Coating Remover Sea to Sky by Resene is an organic stripping compound that contains no harsh chemicals, and is very effective at removing paints, coatings and residues.

  • Be careful, it’s a messy job…

Mask or cover the areas adjacent to the areas you are working on and make sure you get all the product out of the timber. Use a water blaster at the correct pressure to remove any latent product sitting on the timber’s surface.

Quick Note About Oils

Unlike stains, not all oils are made equally. As oil is the base ingredient in these products, the quality of the oil can affect the speed of penetration and dry to touch time, and the final look and feel.

Choose an oil from a reputable manufacturer that has been formulated for the specific conditions in New Zealand.

Other factors to consider include the biocide package (to keep away nasties), available colour range and the degree of transparency. depending on how much you want the Cedar to come through.

All that said, it’s always better to apply oil to your Cedar than not. You are looking to protect the surface of the timber from the harsh sun, and anything is better than nothing.

Best Cedar Oils

There are 3 different products we can recommend. Before getting to our top pick, we need to cover a little history to better understand the evolution of Cedar oil products.

  • CD50

CD50 (now known as CUTEK Extreme CD50) is the original Cedar oil and has been around for 40 or 50 years. The product has since been bought by an Australian company and reformulated for the Australian market. We don’t use this product much as the alternatives listed below are better suited for New Zealand conditions. Regardless, this is a quality penetrating oil with a long and storied history.

  • Dryden WoodOil

Dryden WoodOil is owned by Dulux and specially designed for our conditions. 20 years ago, CD50 was sold off and the manufacturers reformulated Dryden WoodOil from the old CD50 chemical makeup. Dryden WoodOil is water-repellent, non-filming, and a true migrating oil that gets deep into the timber. We regularly use this product and can recommend it without hesitation.

  • Wood-X

Wood-X is our top pick and the oil we recommend for most of our customers. Wood-X is made by Resene and specifically formulated for New Zealand conditions. Wood-X is a non-film forming, viscous mineral oil that is designed to penetrate exterior hardwood timbers and improve dimensional stability. 

Wood-X also has an excellent biocide package, high quality and proven tints (colour tones), and uses high grade oil content that speeds its penetration and ‘dry to touch’ time.

Full disclosure: TimberTech helped to develop Wood-X and Mark has a small shareholding in the business. We are proud of our association with Wood-X and wouldn’t recommend it if it wasn’t the absolute best product for our customers.

Need Help or Advice?

If you have any questions about the products we covered, please get in touch with our team. We are more than happy to give advice and point you in the right direction.

15 Apr 2024
In this article, we are looking at how to protect the value of your Cedar home - often your biggest asset - especially when the market is so volatile and uncertain.

The benefits of Cedar maintenance fall into two main categories: beautification and protection.

Beautification means making your Cedar look beautiful all year round. If sun exposed areas are left without replenishing the oils, the Cedar can start to look worn and tired. By adding oil back into Cedar, you are protecting it from the harsh New Zealand sun and restoring the natural vibrance of the timber. 

Protection means maintaining the integrity of the timber, so you don’t have to replace the Cedar in the future. Protection can also mean protecting your investment, both to maintain the value of what you just bought, or to improve the asking price if you are about to sell. 

In this article, we are looking at how to protect the value of your Cedar home – often your biggest asset – especially when the market is so volatile and uncertain. 

For some additional insight into the housing market, we are joined by Rachel Readhead from Barfoot & Thompson. 

Why Protect Your Cedar

People often think that if their Cedar looks tired, it needs to be maintained or restored, but that is not necessarily true. Cedar is a very resilient timber.

If not maintained in the short term, sun exposed areas will get damaged by the harsh UV rays and end up looking rather shabby. Not ideal, but not the end of the world either. 

If not maintained in the long term – we are talking 20+ years here – the Cedar may cup or warp, no longer protecting the outside of the house. The ultimate cost will be to replace the Cedar cladding on sun exposed faces, which is considerably more expensive than regular maintenance. 

“If the Cedar has started to warp or crack, it will raise red flags when the property report gets done. When doing a CMA [comparative market analysis] on the property, everything is taken into account,” said Rachel.

Return on Investment

When considering the cost of Cedar maintenance or restoration, there are two questions you need to consider.

  1. What do I have to spend so that I never have to replace my Cedar?
  2. Do I also want the Cedar to look beautiful all year round?

The average restoration price for a 3-bedroom home is $6.5k. After the initial restoration, sun exposed areas need recoating every 2-3 summers. The cost of regular maintenance comes down to around $2.5-5k, depending on the house size and build. 

If your Cedar is already in good condition and you want to maintain the value over the long term, you will need to recoat sun exposed areas every 2-3 summers. 

If your Cedar hasn’t been maintained in some time and you want to restore the timber before you sell the house, you will be looking at anywhere between $6.5-15k.

On houses we have worked on in the past, the valuations were around 6 times higher after we did the work. So, for an investment of $4.5k (the average price of a restoration in the past) the valuation was $24k higher.

Thinking of Selling?

If you are planning on selling your home soon, you can potentially increase the selling price by sprucing up the cladding.

At a minimum, you can stay firm on your asking price and stop people knocking you down on price due to additional work. 

“First impressions count, and the condition of the cladding is usually the first thing people see when looking at a property. A lot of buyers will ask for a price reduction if there is work to be done on the exterior of a house,” said Rachel. 

If you have been maintaining the Cedar regularly, you may not need to do any maintenance at all, or just some light maintenance to tidy up the sun exposed faces.

Stand Out in a Crowded Market

When the housing market slows down, buyers have more houses to choose from and have more room for negotiation.

Rachel says, “Houses are not moving as fast as in previous years, especially in the townhouse and apartment market. A good house in a good location always sells, but by keeping your house maintained you can stand out from other properties and get a better sale price – especially if it sells in auction.” 

Having a record of maintenance also gives prospective buyers confidence that the timber has been looked after and won’t require work anytime soon.  

Rachel added, “Many people still do not understand how affordable it is to look after a Cedar home and mistake it for painting, which can often be more expensive. Having documentation of previous work shows prospective buyers the cost of maintenance over the long term and helps to ease any concerns.” 

Protect Your Biggest Asset

By investing in the maintenance of your Cedar, you are investing in the long-term value of your home.

And by regularly maintaining your home, you are spreading this cost out over many years, instead of getting lumped with a large bill when it comes time to sell. Regular maintenance also has the benefit of being able to enjoy the natural beauty of the Cedar while you are still living there! 

Protecting your investment starts with a conversation. Our team can help to identify what your goals are, then put together a plan to protect your Cedar over the long term. 

Rachel Readhead helps homeowners buy and sell homes throughout North Shore and Rodney. You can reach her on 027 333 4484. 

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