Paal home design customised for easy access

Being able to modify the floor plan of their Paal home to be wheelchair friendly was important for Godfrey and Jane Borg of Regency Downs in Queensland, helping them to decide to build with Paal.

After living and working in Fiji for 23 years, the couple wanted to return to Australia.

Jane has been wheelchair bound since 2004 and moving around their two-storey Suva home had become difficult. They searched the internet for a style of house that would be both affordable and could accommodate her needs.

“We liked Paal’s house styles and kept returning to their website, especially to the Robertson design,” said Jane.

Godfrey had helped to build their house in Suva and was eager to tackle a kit home. “Price also was a significant factor,” he said. “With the low Fijian dollar, we lost almost half the value from the sale proceeds of our house.”

They wanted to live near Lake Dyer in Queensland’s Lockyer Valley and eventually found the perfect block at nearby Regency Downs, overlooking a dam with mountains as a backdrop.

Paal’s Caboolture housing consultant Phillip Longhurst modified the standard Robertson design, with input from the couple’s draftsperson friend, to incorporate a large space for Jane.

“My huge bedroom and ensuite look out towards the verandah to my garden and mountain view. With my art studio and office located next to me, I have everything I need!”

The modifications included lowering the bedroom/study window so that Jane has a view from her wheelchair, widening the bedroom door access to the verandah, and no step down onto the verandah.

Godfrey and his brother Albert, an electrician, built the home over 12 months.