View more images
MEET GAV & SUZY
"The overall experience with Classic Builders was great. Building shouldn’t have to be stressful and with Classic it isn’t. They have everything under control."
Gav and Suzy are originally from the UK but met in Queenstown 13 years ago and they now call it home alongside their two children. They made the move out to Hanleys Farm for the lifestyle for their family and haven't looked back.
Now living in their second home built by Classic they are "absolutely loving it".
"We chose Classic Builders for this build because we had such a good experience with them the first time. Dwayne was very quick to respond to our initial emails and we trusted the process. Classics was the only company offering a true fixed price for the build. Plus we were very impressed with the build timelines, quality and finishing of our first home."
The Process
Gav and Suzy were ready for a family home that would suit them for years to come. A home that was built to suit their plot of land, accentuating the views and providing ample space for their family of four.
By building new, as opposed to buying existing, Gav and Suzy worked with the team at Classic to design a home that suited their needs and met their budget expectations.
"There is obviously a delay when building new, as opposed to buying existing, but you definitely get more for your money. The process with Classic is very organised and well laid out. From the initial design meeting through to the build itself, Classics were always responsive and kept us informed and updated. They were also more than happy to work with a design that we presented to them."
The Plan and 'must-haves'
"We love everything about the layout. There isn’t one thing that we would change."
Working alongside our team Gav and Suzy received valuable input which moulded the house into the layout it is today. Several different plans were explored early on and different ideas considered, until the house developed into something that Gav and Suzy are super happy with.
Their list of 'must-haves' was quite extensive. Having already built a family home they knew what worked and what didn't for their lifestyle and family. This list included; 4 or 5 bedrooms, master bedroom with ensuite and walk-in wardrobe, two-storey, one ensuite bedroom downstairs capable of being a short-term holiday let, two lounges, a large pantry and silent extraction range hood, separate laundry, double garage big enough to park two cars with storage, underfloor heating and most of all the living area downstairs and all the bedrooms upstairs needed to take advantage of the amazing views.
Our team loves nothing more than being able to build a home that ticks all these boxes and exceeds expectations.
Materials and design features
"The whole house is a personal touch, really. We pored over every single detail to achieve something we absolutely love. From the gunmetal fittings to the shower tiles and the silent extraction in the kitchen to the window in the pantry that allows us to access to the bins without going outside."
Talk about street appeal, this home 'wow's' from the get go! The large asymmetrical gable with angled windows, ebony cladding and bagged schist with contrasted white mortar make a real impact and look sharp against the stunning backdrop of The Remarkables.
Gav and Suzy were originally looking at cedar cladding but wanted a black finish, so it seemed like a bit of a waste to cover it up and with the cost of cedar increasing dramatically they sought alternative solutions. Building Consultant Dwayne recommended Weathertex, a cladding with a wood grain finish that can be painted black with far less maintenance than cedar, and at a fraction of the cost. They had also seen examples of bagged schist with white mortar in conjunction with sharp black materials and loved the contrast. Bagged schist is definitely a luxury item but well worth it for the overall look of the home.
Overall experience and advice for others
"Our advice would be to stand on the plot, take in the views, be aware of where the sun will be at certain times of the day, put the bedrooms on the southern side of the house, don't be afraid to scribble a plan yourself and have a list of needs and wants. Classic are extremely adaptable and no question is a silly one."
So, the age old question. Would you do it again?
"We would definitely build with Classics again, but not for us to live in as we’re going to be in this house for a long time yet."
We loved bringing your dream to life Gav and Suzy, thank you for allowing us to build your forever home.