Services
Why Choose us?
Services
Architects typically focus on a narrow bandwidth of residential work, often accounting for less than 5% of newly built houses. I aimed for our practice to cater to all project budgets, establishing a residential design and build business that meets a diverse range of customer needs. From simply changing a door handle to completely designi
Architects typically focus on a narrow bandwidth of residential work, often accounting for less than 5% of newly built houses. I aimed for our practice to cater to all project budgets, establishing a residential design and build business that meets a diverse range of customer needs. From simply changing a door handle to completely designing and constructing the largest multi-million dollar residential and renovation projects, we offer comprehensive solutions. Our collaboration with Refresh Renovations began early in their journey in 2014, making us one of their first build architects franchises globally, starting from Wellington, NZ. We continue to provide full design and build services for renovations and complex new builds in Wellington. As of 2025, through partnerships with other Refresh Renovations operators across NZ and PlanFirst, we extend our reach nationally across New Zealand. Our expertise as renovation architects is unparalleled, a commitment we've upheld since 2014. We invite you to explore our case studies to witness the dedication and results we have achieved for our customers. In our first year of expanding our services across NZ, we garnered interest from Auckland, Waikato, and notably, smaller areas that are often underserved, such as Eastern Southland, the Far North, and the East Cape. We are excited about this next phase in our development as we strive to meet the needs of all customers across NZ.
Welcome
Why Choose us?
Services
In 1979, McDonald's released the Happy Meal and Sony released the Walkman. More importantly (to me at least), I decided that same year at eight years old to become an architect. Fourteen years later, in 1993, I handed in my final project at Architecture School in Wellington, New Zealand, and five days later, I was in New York City ready t
In 1979, McDonald's released the Happy Meal and Sony released the Walkman. More importantly (to me at least), I decided that same year at eight years old to become an architect. Fourteen years later, in 1993, I handed in my final project at Architecture School in Wellington, New Zealand, and five days later, I was in New York City ready to start my career. I rejected a first job offer during a recession and chose what I call my first best horse at Perkins Eastman Architects, a firm that has become one of the true global leaders in architecture: www.perkinseastman.com. Their slogan "Human by Design" reflects the values in our own practice, and I am very proud to have worked there. Had I stayed in NYC, I would have had one job for life. Three months before the World Trade Centre bombing, I returned to NZ to support my family due to an unwell family member. Continuing my career in Wellington, NZ, I chose my second best horse: Craig Craig and Moller Architects, an inspirational firm that had just completed Sky Tower Auckland and Wellington Airport, and was embarking on the new Regional Wellington Hospital. Eventually, this led to my own commercial practice, FIT Architects. In 2007, during the Global Financial Crisis, we were designing a new Embassy for the Royal Thai Government. I made it. Doesn't that sound arrogant? Keep reading... Unfortunately, one problem arose. At the end of this project, we spent a year writing thirty proposals, mainly for government commercial work, and we were shortlisted for none. The practice was a one-hit wonder at an Oscar-winning level! With a young family in place, I considered how to use the skills I had worked so hard on since age eight. Looking out over Wellington Harbour, a colleague said, "Wellington seems like a city of existing homes, and I don't see many new houses being built..." This observation led me to form Leko Architects, a firm specializing in residential renovations. My critics thought, "How cute." From NYC to home renovations. I did it purposefully. Coincidentally, at the same time, Traffic NZ, an Auckland-based building industry marketing firm, considered the same idea and started Refresh Renovations, a nationwide (and now in Australia, the UK, and the USA) design and build brand for renovations. We became one of their very first franchises, allowing us to build customer projects as well. This complete design and build process to renovate your home has a genuine global reach. This was the third best horse I picked. An interesting statistic: the commercial, new build, and renovation markets are all the same size. Yet the renovation market is poorly serviced. Typically, this domain is occupied by small, trade-focused designers and builders who offer poor customer service and low expertise due to limited collaboration. We solved this by joining Refresh Renovations and have offered a full Design and Build service since 2014. All residential design projects featured on this website are built through our other business, Refresh Renovations. In 2025, Leko Architects became the first Registered Architect practice to join PlanFirst, a new brand from Traffic NZ aligned with the locations of other Refresh Renovations builders. This new venture allows us to expand our unprecedented knowledge as residential renovation architects across New Zealand, Australia, the UK, and the USA.
Why Choose us?
Why Choose us?
Why Choose us?
On average, renovations go 30% over budget, a quantified independent statistic. Custom new builds often face similar challenges. If you've watched Grand Designs on TV, you might wonder how those customers finance or even accept the cost overruns. This should not be a standard expectation for customers. Whether your project budget is $30,0
On average, renovations go 30% over budget, a quantified independent statistic. Custom new builds often face similar challenges. If you've watched Grand Designs on TV, you might wonder how those customers finance or even accept the cost overruns. This should not be a standard expectation for customers. Whether your project budget is $30,000.00 or $3,000,000.00, a well-planned project—be it a residential renovation or new build—should not exceed 30% over budget. Our team of experienced renovation architects and build architects is dedicated to ensuring your project stays on track. With our careful planning and proven process, we guarantee to avoid these overruns. Call me to find out how we can assist you with your residential design needs. I will respond to your inquiry personally.
Testimonials
We have used Nick, a talented renovation architect, to complete two substantial renovations and one potential project that was set to proceed until we needed to move areas unexpectedly.
Our experience with Nick and his team has always been positive; we have been more than pleased with the results.
Our first residential design renovation came in on budget and transformed our home into a beautiful space we loved. Nick impressed us with his willingness to listen and implement our vision.
Renovation is never easy, but Nick guided us through various challenges, making it only natural to rely on him to expand our house by adding another floor. This renovation was also completed within budget. Nick effectively managed our expectations and provided practical solutions that worked.
With a particular gift for understanding spaces and their significance in the overall project, Nick showcases wonderful architect skills.
We have absolutely no hesitation in recommending him to others and will definitely be using him for our next project.
We approached Nick and his team at Leko Architects and Refresh Renovations to undertake our own home renovation. We were pleased with the service, support, and professional advice provided by these skilled renovation architects and their build team. Initially, we approached our home renovation process with a high sense of apprehension; however, Nick and his team were proactive in every aspect of the design process, making it an enjoyable experience for us without any worries. Our renovation project was quite complex, but thanks to the expertise of Nick and his team, they were able to deliver on our vision and turn our concept design into a reality. Since completing the renovation a few years ago, we have encountered no issues with the outcome we achieved. We would wholeheartedly recommend the talented team at Leko Architects and Refresh Renovations for any residential design or renovation project.
I've known Nick Leko for almost 15 years and can confidently say he is conscientious, dedicated, and deeply committed to his craft and clients. As a skilled professional among build architects and renovation architects, Nick goes above and beyond to ensure his clients are not just satisfied, but overjoyed with their build or renovation. He is honest, reliable, and genuinely cares about delivering the best possible experience and result in residential design. My husband is also in the building trade, and with our background in both commercial and residential construction, we’ve had many conversations about building—and Nick truly knows his stuff. You can trust him to deliver top-quality work with integrity. Highly recommend.