Joan and Gerry Wright’s build journey is probably a little different to most. The couple had a vision for their central Avenues home and began the design process with an architect. “After a year of struggling to get the design project activated we made the decision to change tack and work with a group builder” says Joan. “We were on our second set of plans with the group builder and just deciding on the next step, but the group builder was struggling behind the scenes and so we were left without a builder”.
“We’d had two bad experiences and we were determined to get back on the horse so to speak before we lost our confidence” says Joan.
“We spoke to a couple we knew in our street that had been building with Calley Homes, so we met with Johnny on site” says Gerry. “He told us he could do something great on the site for us, and he did”.
“Johnny did what he said, and this was good because he saw us through the design phase and built the home in the timeframe he said he would”. says Gerry “He restored my faith in builders, because I had lost it”.
The site is very special to the family in that Joan is a born and bred Tauranga gal’ who grew up right next door. The couple subdivided the original family property and built on the front of the site. Their new home is a classic weatherboard befitting of the area and is situated for all day sun and to maximise the views out over the harbour and estuary.
“Johnny sat alongside us at every meeting with the Architectural Designer” says Joan.
“This was helpful giving input on the practical build aspects. He also would contribute ideas or guide us on the impact a design decision would make to the build budget” says Gerry.
Onsite the project went smoothly. “Johnny’s team were all great guys. Ryan was just brilliant, we couldn’t fault him. “that was probably my highlight” says Gerry. “I enjoyed meeting onsite with Ryan every fortnight to go over the progress of the build and seeing the development of the project”.
The home is two storeys. Downstairs you are greeted by a spacious and welcoming entry. There’s two bedrooms, a generous family bathroom, a kitchenette/utility room as well as a family room which opens to the back garden.
The couple talk of the upstairs of their home being like an apartment.“Upstairs is where we live” says Joan. The space is open, airy and light with every room facing out to the harbour views.
The interaction between indoor and outdoors is through sliding stacker doors opening off both the kitchen/ dining and living spaces onto a sheltered decking space. The master bedroom and ensuite are tucked off to the right of the stairwell and take advantage of the wider harbour views. The kitchen also has a scullery hidden towards the back of the stairwell. There’s also an electric lift to the second floor.
Joan’s highlight of the build is her stunning steel “loft” style window which sits central to the core of the home flooding the stairwell in light and giving the kitchen and dining areas a dynamic sense of space. “It was completely customised with parts imported from Italy to complete the profiles. The team at Boshier Engineering alongside Ryan from Calley Homes made it happen” says Joan “I Love it”.
"We wouldn't hesitate to recommend Johnny and his team at Calley Homes"
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