Blog

We caught up with Golden Homes client, Christine Allen to hear about her experience building and living in her new Golden home.

We had looked long and hard for our next home.  

Initially, we were not looking to build. From the stories we had heard, it all sounded far too difficult and stressful, with lots of costly, unforeseen surprises. So, we set off to look for an already built property but each time we came close to finding what we were looking for, there were always compromises;  

The lounge was too small, the layout was too cramped, or there was not enough room for a big shed, and this last one was non-negotiable. We just couldn’t find what we wanted.  

Then hesitantly, we began to explore new build options. Fortuitously for us, two other colleagues had recently built with Golden Homes, and they assured us that everything was upfront. Golden Homes’ fixed build price ensured that we would know how much it was going to cost us before we started. We compared pricing and quality with other, similar companies and we found that Golden Homes were very price competitive without sacrificing quality. 

During our search for the land, the GH representative came and did some site visits with us to see if the design we had selected would be suitable and gave great advice about whether there may be added site works for the foundations, as this was a significant cost. 

So, once we had the land and house design, the real process began. I loved being able to take a standard plan and add all my own personal tweaks;  

Changing the shower to a walk in with no glass to clean, adding doors in the main living area to enable areas to be closed off if needed, substituting some windows with full terrace doors, enlarging the pantry, repositioning some of the bedroom windows, and negotiating a way to meet the covenant requirement to have a shed that matched the exterior design of the house. This all made the standard house plan into our home. Then, we could add upgrades to the basic fixtures! Things such as a better carpet underlay, an improved style of bathroom fittings, light switches with LED rings. It all made it more personal and ensured we were creating our unique home. 

After the costs and the contract were signed off, the building began. We received regular updates about the progress and even with the lockdown and Covid supply constraints, the delays were measured in weeks as opposed to months. 

At particular stages, we had more input into the interior design of the building. The choosing of the kitchen cabinets and accessories was a truly memorable and enjoyable experience. Like the delightful addition of the pull-out cabinets that I didn't even know I needed, but when I saw them, I added them straight to the list, and I’m glad I did! They are so handy for easy access to stored dinnerware and canned goods. And, I now have my non-negotiable must have; A double kitchen sink with a dish drawer on either side so there is no bending down to stack or empty the dishes! 

We have been in the house for nearly a year now and there is nothing that I would change. It has met all of my high expectations and, in some areas, exceeded them. The area off of the kitchen that I have affectionately named ‘the sunny nook’ because of where it was positioned, is one of my favorite places in the house. With the addition of an L-shaped couch, it is the perfect place to start the day with a wake-me-up coffee while basking in the warm winter sun. In the summer, with the doors wide open, this same place is a cool retreat to stretch out and read a book. With the addition of the swimming pool and the spa with gazebo, we are enjoying our ‘staycations’, as where could we find somewhere better? 

We are living our best lives, in our beautiful home that was built just for us. We are content!