Every year the same thing happens: everyone arrives on Boxing Day, the hot water cylinder has packed up, there are rats in the ceiling and the deck's turned green. And every tradie on the peninsula is booked solid until February.
October and November are when to sort it. Here's the list, roughly in the order the tradies get booked out.
Book now: the ones that fill up first
- Pest control — rodents move in over winter. A baiting and proofing visit before the first guests is $200–$400.
- Hot water cylinder check — if it's over 12 years old, get a plumber to look before it fails on Christmas Eve.
- Deck and house wash — soft wash for moss and mould, water blast the deck. $300–$700 for a typical bach.
- Lawns and section — a one-off clean-up then regular mowing through to Easter.
- Pool — opening, balancing and a pump check. Book the service before Labour Weekend.
Safety and compliance
These are the ones you don't want to find out about the hard way:
- Gas — if the bach has LPG for cooking or hot water, a gasfitter check every couple of years is cheap insurance.
- Smoke alarms — if you rent it out, they're required in every bedroom and hallway. Ten-year sealed alarms are the easy answer.
- Pool fence — if there's a pool or spa, the fence and gate latch have to comply. Councils do check.
- Balustrades — a loose deck rail with a crowd on it is how summer ends in A&E. Get it tightened or replaced.
Nice to have before the crowd arrives
- Outdoor shower or tap repair
- Heat pump clean and service (the filters will be filthy)
- Window and skylight clean
- Garage door service — salt air seizes the springs
- A bigger deck, honestly — see our guide on what one costs
How to book it all without twenty phone calls
Post each job once on Connect. We scope it, send it to vetted local tradies, and you get quotes within 72 hours. If you're not at the bach, we sort access and you get photos when it's done. Free to post, nothing to pay unless you accept a quote.
Want real numbers for your job?
Post it once, free. Vetted local tradies quote it within 72 hours and there's no obligation.
Post a job — freeQuestions
I'm in Auckland — can I organise all this remotely?
Yes, that's most of our customers. Post the jobs, pick the quotes, and we coordinate the key or lockbox with the tradie.
Which jobs can I do myself?
Smoke alarms, replacing tap washers and a basic deck wash are easy. Gas, electrical and anything involving the pool fence need a registered tradie.
When is too late to book?
By mid-December most Coromandel tradies are booked to February. Post in October or November and you'll get a start before Christmas.
Prices in this guide are ballparks from quotes we've seen, excluding GST unless stated, and will vary by site and season. They aren't a quote.