Passion is the key to your forever home.

Meet Kamahl and Maria

Kamahl and Maria were living in a two-bedroom townhouse for many years, and while they were content there, they were also dreaming of a larger home as the next step in their lives.

They kept an eye on the market but nothing really jumped out until they saw a property listed in O’Connor. It was perfectly located and the block was the right size but, unfortunately, the house occupying the land was not a match to their needs – both functionally and aesthetically.

Before giving up on it though, the couple crunched the numbers and realised that it was more economical to knockdown and rebuild rather than seek a home within their expectations. The added advantage of a knockdown rebuild was having control over every aspect of the building which will be the perfect forever home.  With that logic in mind, Kamahl and Maria purchased the property in 2020, sold their townhouse, and moved in with their parents while they planned out the knockdown and rebuild process.

Finding the Right Builder – Local and Bespoke

The first step was to find a builder. Kamahl and Maria investigated a lot of display homes and talked to a lot of builders but found that ‘big’ national builders were leading them to predetermined designs. It became very clear to the couple that they wanted someone local and bespoke, that could give personal attention to their project. A family recommendation pointed them towards Homes by Howe so they checked out the website and, based on the quality of the featured builds, initially thought this builder would be out of their price range. Thankfully, they decided to meet with Brendan in person and quickly learned not only of the cost-effectiveness of good design and modern build processes but also that they really clicked with him on a personal level.

As Kamahl said, ‘I remember when Brendan showed us around a new home in Griffith which he had just completed. Not only was the quality of the build perfect but the passion with which he talked about every aspect of the house really resonated with us. He was so excited and proud of his work – he fed off our excitement and we felt he really valued us as customers, not because of money but because of the shared passion for building homes.’

Expert Guidance from Homes by Howe

With a builder sorted, step two was about transforming a grand but undetailed vision into a plan. Kamahl and Maria knew the feel and function they were after but really needed expert guidance so they trusted the process and the architect’s recommendations. As Maria explained, ‘We had one meeting with the architect during which he took very little in notes but he deeply listened and asked all the right questions. Then a short time later we came in to view the first plans and they were 100% perfect. We could not believe that someone could put together our mosaic of ideas and get it so perfectly right on the first go.’

The third step was kicking off the build process, which took place in April of 2021. Kamahl and Maria took care to ensure that the home will last by updating the block’s 60-year-old infrastructure and fixing the footings despite the higher cost associated with it. The couple is, to this day, convinced that if they went with another builder then many of those structural long-term considerations would have been overlooked. They really thank Brendan for explaining the value of a long-term investment for the long-term gain.

The Grand Reveal

Kamahl and Maria were very closely involved during the entire build stage but despite having this really intricate knowledge of the progress they said they would never forget the moment they saw the complete home at the final reveal a year after the build began. Kamahl said that it was like what they envisaged … but more so, and likened the difference of someone explaining the texture of velvet to you versus you actually feeling it for yourself.  ‘On that day we moved from room to room, pointing and smiling as we just could not get over how special the home felt. It was exactly then we realised why Brendan was so excited showing us that home in Griffith, the passion is infectious and it’s so amazing when you know you’ve created a forever home.

What to Consider for Your Build

When it comes to quick take away points for advice to those considering a knockdown and rebuild, Kamahl and Maria singled these out:

• Be hands-on and get involved with everything if you have an interest – the more you put in the more you will know and enjoy about your home, plus it helps you make good decisions along the way.
• Building a home should be a partnership between you and the builder – we went in with the mindset that we are responsible for the quality of the outcome of the home and Brendan loved our involvement.
• Educate yourself or learn from your builder about the different stages of a build. There are the right times to make decisions and a good builder will guide you through this. Being informed means you have a common language and that your expectations are realistic.
• Do regular inspections of what is on site and what is in the paperwork – not because you shouldn’t trust your builder but because its great at allowing you to pick up details that will matter later on.
• Love the journey – it’s exciting, amazing and you’ll be filled with passion.