Spring is when the phone starts ringing about upgrades. The hot water cylinder that's been limping along all winter. The bathroom that's well past its best. The section that floods every time Wellington gets a decent southerly.
What a lot of homeowners don't realise is that some of that work can be funded at interest rates you won't see anywhere else. Several of the major banks currently offer low-interest lending for home upgrades, and depending on the lender and the work, rates start as low as 0%.
We're plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers, not finance people. But we work alongside Bridie McKendry, a mortgage adviser who can look across all the major lenders and tell you what's actually available to you. If the numbers work, we'll do the job. Here's what's worth knowing.
What this lending can cover
The low-rate offers are aimed at making homes warmer, drier and more efficient, and at climate resilience. Quite a bit of it lines up with work we do every day.
Hot water heat pumps. This is the big one. A hot water heat pump uses a fraction of the electricity of a standard electric cylinder, and it qualifies for the energy-efficiency lending across the board. If your cylinder is on its last legs, this is the moment to look at whether an upgrade makes more sense than a straight replacement, because the upgrade is the option the low-rate lending is designed for.
We install all well known brands of hot water heat pump systems, from all in one hot water heat pumps to split systems, and we can talk you through which suits your home, your household size and your space. Have a look at our hot water heat pump page for the detail.
Solar hot water and wetbacks. Also on the eligible list with some lenders, if that's the direction you want to go.
Swapping out gas appliances. Some of the lending covers replacing household gas appliances and removing a gas connection. If you're weighing that up, we're certified gasfitters as well as plumbers, so we can give you a straight answer about what's involved rather than a sales pitch in one direction.
Drainage and stormwater work. This one surprises people. One of the major lenders' climate-resilience lending covers site drainage and stormwater diversion, including drains and channels to redirect rainwater away from the house, soak pits, sumps and soakage trenches, along with underfloor ground moisture barriers and damp-proofing foundation walls. If you've got water pooling where it shouldn't, that's drainlaying work we do constantly around the Hutt Valley and Wellington, and it may be fundable.
Bathroom and kitchen renovations. Separate from the energy-efficiency offers, there's dedicated renovation lending on the market at 2.5% fixed for three years, up to $50,000. It covers the things a reno actually involves: new tapware, fixtures and lighting, replacing vanities, showers and baths, and moving plumbing. That's exactly the scope of our bathroom, laundry and kitchen renovation work.
One thing to be clear about
Not every plumbing job qualifies. A like-for-like hot water cylinder replacement isn't on the eligible list for the energy-efficiency lending. It's the step up to a hot water heat pump that is. Same with general repairs and maintenance: those aren't upgrades in the eyes of the lenders.
Eligibility and terms differ from lender to lender, and the offers are described as available for a limited time. That's why the first conversation is worth having with Bridie rather than guessing.
How it works in practice
There's a sequence to this, and getting it the right way round matters.
1. Get a quote from us first. Every lender wants a written quote from a qualified installer before releasing any money, and none of them will fund work you've already paid for. So the quote comes before the finance, not after.
2. Take the quote to Bridie. She'll look at your situation across the lenders and tell you what's available, what it would cost you, and whether it stacks up. That's advice we're not licensed to give, which is exactly why we work with her.
3. Book the job in. Once you know where you stand, we'll get you on the schedule.
Talk to Bridie
Bridie McKendry is a mortgage adviser with LifeDirect and a trusted contact of ours. She can compare what's available across the major lenders, which is the part you can't do on your own, since each bank will only tell you about its own offer.
Bridie McKendry
Mortgage Adviser, LifeDirect
027 304 4410
Bridie@lifedirect.co.nz
Scan the code below or give her a call to find out what your options look like.
Need a quote first? Get in touch with our team and we'll get you sorted. We've been looking after Wellington and Hutt Valley homes for 21 years, and we're New Zealand Master Plumber of the Year 2025.
Information current as at September 2026 and subject to change. Jason Brown Plumbing & Gas provides plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying advice only. We are not financial advisers and nothing here is financial advice. Lending offers, interest rates, eligibility criteria and terms vary between lenders and are subject to each lender's approval. These loans are generally secured against your home. Please speak with Bridie McKendry or your own qualified adviser before making any borrowing decisions.
