Police allege the driver had a breath-alcohol reading of 950mcg.
They say he failed to make a left turn into Orwell St from Humber St and his vehicle smashed through a bedroom and came to rest in the lounge about 8.30pm on Saturday.
Highway patrol Sergeant Peter Muldrew, who attended the crash, said police often caught drink-drivers along Humber St, who appeared to view it as a ''back road'' home.
Sgt Muldrew said in his 17 years with the Oamaru police, he had attended four crashes at 2 Orwell St, but he hesitated to describe the T-intersection as a problem area.
''Chances of it happening aren't that high. It's just the end of the street,'' he said.
''I suppose at the top of the T, Murphy's law would say something is going to go wrong.
''I wouldn't buy a house there.''
Paul and Louise Daley are not sure whether they will be able to live in their Orwell St home of three years again.
They will have to await the results of structural assessments, but it appears significant repairs would be required.
The car ploughed at least 5m into the house, knocking out a structural wall, shifting the fireplace and exposing wiring.
At present, it is not safe to live in.
The driver had initially been charged with drink-driving, but because of Mrs Daley's injuries, which included broken ribs, a burn on her hand and scrapes and bruising on her left side, the charges were upgraded to excess breath-alcohol causing injury and reckless driving causing injury.
The driver, who escaped injury but was yesterday ''feeling a bit sore'', is due to appear in the Oamaru District Court on August 13.
