70-year-old builds unique holiday rental
Approaching retirement, Brian and Sylvia Scattergood planned to leave their Campbeltown home of 35 years and build a short-term holiday rental in Mudgee. “We’ve come up here often over the last 12 years and saw it as a good source of income,” says Brian.
The couple purchased a three-acre block near Mudgee’s centre and turned to Paal to help realise their dream. “I thought, if I’m going to build a short-term rental, I’m going to build a good one,” says Brian.
Brian had architectural plans drawn up but didn’t want to organise a conventional build. ‘I’d already built a steel-framed home 35 years ago, so I thought I’d do that,” says Brian. “I googled, and Paal’s name came up first.”
The couple sat down with Michael Christie in the Canberra office, who accommodated their plans by modifying the Berrima to create an expansive pavilion-style home with six bedrooms and seven bathrooms. And despite approaching his 70th birthday, Brian went owner-builder. “I’m a hands-on person,” he says. “If you can read and understand common sense then you can build a Paal house.”
The couple spoke with a property manager from Bliss Stays, who was after a guesthouse with rooms available for lease either as a whole or individually. “So with ours, each room has its own kitchenette, ensuite, television, air conditioning unit and a sliding door opening to a verandah with a key lock box.”
The build took 2.5 years with Brian carrying out all the work, apart from things like gyprocking, electrical and painting. It was a challenge, however building with Paal made it financially viable, and Brian was happy with the after-sale service: “Michael was very accommodating and always took a phone call, Liz Pratt was exceptional, and Narelle Jarman who helped with the colours was excellent.”
Brian was also impressed by Craig Dayball who created the kitchen: “I got a quote from a local kitchen company, but Paal was so much cheaper.”
Now Mudgee House is complete, the bookings are flooding in, and Brian is thrilled. “I always knew when I started this was going to be a big house,” he says. “I knew it was going to be good, but the finish-off has exceeded my expectations.”
Originally, Brian got a DA to build their “forever home” on the same block. It will definitely be a Paal home, but he won’t be building it himself. “This time I’ll contract out all the work as and just project manage the build” he says.
