A sprawling Canterbury mansion boasting 14 bedrooms is struggling to sell on the market despite its $1 asking price.
But the once grand 120-year-old property has seen better days. Its large rooms and high ceilings need to be replastered and given a fresh lick of paint, among other things.
The dilapidated home must also be "completely deconstructed", Hamilton Jet's Nick Steel said.
"It will fit on about eight truckloads and then it's transporting it to a new facility and a new site, and then piled and levelled from there — so it's several hundred thousand dollars to move it."
Steel said the buyer will need deep pockets for its restoration.
"To refurbish it you would spend $3-4 million on it but it would be a stunning home," he said.
The mansion has been owned by the founding family of Hamilton Jet for the past 75 years.
Business is booming for the world's largest waterjet manufacturer.
"This does have the potential at really high employment levels to be needed either for the carpark, or for the expansion of our retail marine outlet where we sell river boats," Hamilton Jet manufacturing engineering manager Steve Lockhart said.
It served as office space until the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes, and has been used as storage ever since.
Two potential buyers in Canterbury have come forward in the past week. However, no deal has been made and the house remains on the market.
Hamilton Jet says it has several more years to find a buyer.
"The worst thing that could happen is it gets torn down and disposed of and the pieces come apart," Lockhart said.
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