A sea change to suit the budget
Earl and Indi Shaw considered building with Paal long before they swapped their Blue Mountains home for a block of land in Dolphin Point on NSW’s south coast. “Being from the mountains, ever since I was very young my parents always wanted to build a Paal home,” says Indi.
The couple had looked at other project home companies but found them too expensive. “Prices were through the roof,” says Earl. “More than we wanted to spend.” Paal, however, suited their budget, and allowed them flexibility to custom their design. “When we tried to do that with project home companies, they said no,” says Earl. “I’m a sparkie by trade and wanted to do the electrical myself, but they wouldn’t let me.”
Initially, the couple loved the layout of the Camden, but it didn’t suit their narrow block. They also preferred the facades of the Kiama and Fitzroy for their beachside setting. So, Michael Christie helped blend all three, switching the floor plan to run lengthways instead of sideways. “The Camden was our pick, but the block just couldn’t accommodate it,” says Earl. “So, Michael helped us get the feel of the Camden, but for our block.”
The result was a generous family home, with four bedrooms up the front and an expansive living area with pitched ceiling at the back. “Michael was amazing, he helped us so much with the design,” says Indi. “Everything we wanted he made work.”
The couple went owner builder, doing most of the work themselves, and organising trades for certain jobs like pouring the slab, plumbing, and cladding. Everything went smoothly and the build was completed in under a year.
Overall, they could not have been happier with Paal’s service. “We found that Paal was honest with us all the way,” says Indi. “Every time we went to a project home company, they were such salesmen.”
Earl and Indi also felt they got more for their money building through Paal, and that the quality of the materials was far superior to the competition. “Half the project homes around here that are only 10 years old seem really dated,” says Indi. “But Paal homes don’t do that because they’re such great quality and a timeless design.”
However, the best bit was moving in. “It’s such a relief to have our own home where the kids have all the space they want,” says Indi.
“It’s beautiful,” says Earl. “We’re really impressed.”