When Scott and Cathie Brocas found their perfect section with extensive rural views and high-speed fibre internet connections in Tirau last year, they were on the hunt for a builder to bring their retirement dream home to fruition.
Scott and Cathie designed their own place when they couldn’t find a plan which suited their lifestyle and taste. As a studio artist, Scott had the skills to draw it.
Choosing the right builder was a question of price, but also personal compatibility, and the couple did a lot of research and interviewed different companies.
Generation Homes’ competitive and fixed price and the guaranteed completion date were attractive to the couple.
Then when they met Waikato Sales Consultant Julie Miles, they say they “absolutely clicked” and that made the difference for them.
SCOTT
Our property in Cambridge got too big for us and we basically wanted to retire early. We were just wanting a pre-existing home at that point. To be fair, nothing met the requirements we set – we needed a rural outlook and high-speed fibre internet because of the family’s data usage. We also needed room for all the toys – our boat, motor home, three cars and a trailer. So, we ran around in circles looking. We were getting close to our deadline of thinking we actually needed somewhere to live when a timely happening occurred. The real estate agent who was working hard to find us a property phoned and said there’s a bare section in Tirau. It was a section we had liked in a new subdivision but thought all the sections had been sold.
SCOTT
We saw the views and said ‘Okay, that’ll do it.’ We bought it basically as soon as the sale and purchase agreement was prepared.
SCOTT
When we bought the section, I started the process online looking at plans at all the different building companies. We couldn’t find a design that accommodated either the views or our lifestyle. We ended up designing our own floor plan. I’m a studio artist and drew the floor plan while standing on the section. This way we could make the most of the views with window placements while still ensuring enough wall space for furniture and my paintings. I then went around all the building companies with my floor plan drawing, looking for someone who could build the house. I fairly quickly realised that anyone could build the house. I mean, there’s not a lot of rocket science to the product and most of them come with a 10-year Master Build guarantee. They all needed the same materials and fittings. That wasn’t going to be a problem. The important thing was going to be the relationship we would have with the company, and it turned out Julie from Generation Homes ticked all the boxes.
CATHIE
Price matters – we crossed some builders off our list because they were overpriced. Generation Homes covered everything with a fixed price, except the fencing which we had not decided on at time of contract signing and we still ended up using their fencing contractor.
SCOTT
I went to each company and basically interviewed the people and got it down to a shortlist of two companies. Cathie came with me to meet with them, but it was the rapport made with Julie at Generation Homes that made the difference. That rapport carried on right up until we moved in.
CATHIE
We hit it off straight away. I liked the answers she gave to my questions and when she didn’t have the answers, she got them for me in good time.
SCOTT
As much as Generation Homes built the home, with Julie it was always about our home, whereas with the other companies we found it was more about their branding.
SCOTT
Their architect converted our design into working drawings and kept to our original layout, so it really feels like our home.
CATHIE
Julie’s communication was absolutely phenomenal. We trusted that she would have our back in any communication for us with Generation Homes.
SCOTT
She went to bat for us when needed.
CATHIE
There were things we had to work out along the way which worked out really well with communication and give on both sides. Julie walked us through the process of picking all the things that would make up our home, and the list was extensive, from exterior and interior wall materials, roof, concrete, paint colours, tapware, handles etc.
SCOTT
Everyone on the Generation Homes Waikato team was fantastic. Excellent.
CATHIE
Having a schedule was brilliant.
SCOTT
We are both time orientated people and the schedule was great. We knew what should be happening when. As it turned out, we were only one week over our original move in date.
CATHIE
That’s through Covid-19, the gib shortage (which didn’t affect us) and everything else. Generation Homes were very organised. It was also great we had the option to make variations even further down the road of development – it was at our cost but the degree of flexibility was great.
CATHIE
Open and honest communication.
SCOTT
Flexible. Just a good experience. It felt good. I think the relationship with who you’re working with mattered, ours was great.
SCOTT
Adam Roberts was outstanding. He was the project manager. He really made it happen.
CATHIE
There were times when he just worked around problems and reorganised contractors, which I thought was quite phenomenal. The contractors they used did a great job of keeping the build close and on time.
SCOTT
To be fair it all just fell into place beautifully at the end and I put this down to Adam’s management of the contractors and the build overall. Some builds in the area have struggled to get to completion so that is a testament to Generation Homes.
CATHIE
I love sitting on our deck enjoying the views. I love the coving – it looks gorgeous. The standard of the paint finish – it looks really smooth, nice and inviting, and makes a great backdrop for Scott’s artwork. I love the quietness that is afforded by having double glazing as the sound proofing is amazing. The flooring looks amazing and I’m in love with the kitchen. It is so easy to keep clean and tidy.
SCOTT
When we come home, or wake up in the morning, it feels like home. I like that we coloured the concrete drive and backyard a slate colour, it just looks so good with the house. The flooring tiles we put in look great and are scratch resistant, so we don’t have to worry about the dogs’ nails scratching it when they get the zoomies.
SCOTT
We are thinking of putting inserts into the balustrade on the deck to give us some privacy from the people below us, which will in turn afford them some privacy as well. From the actual house point of view, nothing at all.
What tips do you have for those building for the first time?
SCOTT
Do your research, take the time to look around, and plan. Before you start, know what you’re getting involved with, the materials and all of that sort of thing. When you are at the colour consult stage, just pick some colours and then go over it again and again, using different combinations until you’re really happy with it in your own mind. I think that’s a big, big thing. If you don’t like it? Don’t do it.
CATHIE
It was quite scary when you’re making the selection of colours and materials that you want your home to be made up of. The sample boards that show you what your kitchen is going to look like don’t really do it in your head. We did a lot of driving around looking at house colours then one day I drove past one that I really liked. We took Julie to see it and she knew exactly which colours they had in their range that would give the same look. She got it so right.
SCOTT
The other thing is keep a good attitude with your building company. Keep the doors open in your communication and it will make a big difference if there are any issues that need to be sorted.
