Teenager’s dream lands him historic Lower Hutt home that is now in Featherston

By RNZ

For a growing number of young people, home ownership seems like an out-of-reach dream.

But at just 19 years old, Taylor Henderson bucked the trend by buying his own house – and he renovated it himself as well.

The once-rundown character cottage that used to sit in Lower Hutt is now in Featherston.

The now 22-year-old told Checkpoint the do-up had been a labour of love and he used his years of savings to buy the cottage mortgage-free.

Taylor Henderson moved a cottage from Lower Hutt to Featherston. Photo / Taylor Henderson via RNZ

“It’s a bit of a funny one, just driving past on my way to work on the way home and there’s some furniture on the side of the road. I ended up picking it up and I noticed the garage was open.

“I decided to have a look and see who’s here and ended up chatting to the owner and they wanted to get rid of the house.”

He said he originally wanted to buy and move only the garage, as it would have been an easier project, but he became interested in buying the cottage instead.

Moving the cottage involved more than he thought initially, he said.

There has been speculation that the house is the oldest one in Lower Hutt. Photo / Taylor Henderson via RNZ

“It was a complete rebuild pretty much, 30 years of neglect and no one living in it for a long period of time, it had rot.”

He said due to him relocating the house out of the district, he had to build the house as a new build.

“In the end it turned out well, so another 200 years.”

He said he did not need to take out a mortgage on the house as he had saved enough to buy it outright.

“I’ve been working for as long as I can remember, just doing little things for pocket money and I’ve had good strong parents who’ve helped me save my pocket money.

“It’s been a long time in the pipeline just saving money, I was three years in my building apprenticeship when I bought the house, I had money from working as well.”

He found the cottage in Lower Hutt and decided to relocate the cottage due to his choice of lifestyle, Henderson said.

“It was in my best interest really to move it out of the district just due to the nature of Lower Hutt, there’s no culture or character in the houses, so I moved it into a quieter sort of country town.

“It’s sort of back in its era, back in its place, in my opinion, back in the lifestyle block. I’ve got sheep and chickens roaming around.”

He said he chose to relocate the cottage to Featherston due to being close to Lower Hutt.

“It just seemed right to be a little bit closer to the city where you know there’s a lot of my work.”

Henderson said his parents have been very supportive.

“They said it was a great idea, they gave me a lot of advice and guidance and physical help on the house, it was an A-Team effort.

“It’s been three years of my free time and my weekends, rebuilding this cottage and so that was alongside my full-time job.

“Somehow you manage, if you’re driven enough. Obviously I care so much about this house and the history of it.”

Taylor Henderson spent months working on the house. Photo / Taylor Henderson via RNZ

He said there has been speculation that the house is the oldest house in Lower Hutt, and was built by one of the first settlers in Lower Hutt.

“New Zealand really isn’t that old. It only has 200 years of history. So it’s quite hard because they didn’t really document a lot of history.”

He said although he could not find much history on the cottage, he has had help.

“I have been in touch with a historian who’s guided me along the way, dating the house. I’ve tried my best to keep it as historically accurate as I can.”

He said his parents have inherited some heirloom pieces of furniture to go inside the cottage.

“I’ve also just come across pieces online on Facebook and Trade Me and I just pick and choose what looks right and what fits.”

His friends like the house, but it is different to what they are used to, he said.

“I think they love it. It’s definitely not the norm, so it’s probably a bit different to them.

“It’s an old off-the-grid sort of lifestyle, so it’s not by any means easy, but that’s sort of what makes it interesting.”

- RNZ