Seizing the day in retirement
Many years ago, while living in Brisbane, John and Tracey Read purchased 10 acres in Tenterfield. ‘We really like Tenterfield as a town and bought the block with the intention of building a house for retirement.”
That day finally came, and the couple researched over 50 companies before deciding to build with Paal. “We kept coming back to the fact that Paal gave us the best bang for our buck,” says John. “So, we went to the Caboolture office and talked to Jamie Thomson.”
The couple loved the size and layout of the Barrington design, so much so, they made only a few minor modifications such as removing the fireplace and choosing their own tapware.
As a retired police officer, John had no building experience, but went owner builder and completed the work himself. “The book was an excellent reference, and any time I got stuck, I’d ring Liz at the Emu Plains office, she was just fantastic,” he says. “And I was fortunate to have had a couple of good tradesmen who helped with the things I couldn’t do myself.”
“Like the roof,” says Tracey. “I wouldn’t let him on the roof!”
Overall, the build went smoothly, but it was not without its challenges, such as the onset of Covid, followed by one of the wettest years in the area. Paal however was nothing but supportive. “They were so accommodating,” says John. “Nothing was too hard for them.”
The couple was impressed by the quality of Paal’s materials, and also the budget, particularly when Covid sent prices skyrocketing. “Paal stood by their contract price and that was brilliant,” says John. “At any stage we knew what we were spending.
The build was finished in 15 months and the couple was thrilled. “It worked out really well,” says John. “You look at the Barrington on paper and think it’s going to be nice, but you don’t really know until you get the walls up – and it’s a really nice home.”
Other people are amazed by the result, but no more than Tracey. “I’m impressed by the fact that someone who basically had a desk job and never built anything, could build a home,” she says.
“It’s remarkable what you can achieve,” agrees John. “I always wanted to build a house myself – it just took me 60 years to do it.”
“People ask us if we would do it again,” says Tracey. “We say, ‘Yes, with Paal we would’.”
