“Do it yourself” aspect of home appealed
Terry Lemcke of Bundanoon chose to build a Paal kit home because it allowed him to do nearly all the construction work himself. “I didn’t want to sit around in retirement, reading books and drinking coffee.”
Terry also liked Paal’s designs, and because he’s a design engineer by profession he could see that the home kits were very well made.
He and his wife Jenny chose Paal’s Elizabeth, extending it, adding a double garage with internal access, and totally reworking the interior layout.
They needed a house that was all on one level. “We had a fantastic home in Bundanoon, but it was on three levels, with vaulted ceilings up to eight metres high. It was becoming too much, as we’re both getting older,” he said.
The Lemcke’s new home is situated on a sloping block with panoramic views over the beautiful Moreton National Park in the New South Wales Southern Highlands.
It’s finished with fawn-cream bagged bricks, Dune-coloured fascias, cedar-stained windows, and roof and gutters of Ironstone Colorbond.
“I was able to assemble and fit all the wall frames and roof trusses myself, with the help of a local chippie. A welded steel frame or pre-assembled trusses would have required a group of men with a crane to lift them into position.
“It was fantastic the way the house all came together. The chippie who helped me with some of the work was most impressed by the quality and how the pieces fitted.”
Terry has renovated and lived in many houses, although actually building one was the biggest project he’s tackled. “I would do it again, although don’t tell my wife that! It’s what I enjoy.”
The intention was also to save money by contributing their own labour and project management skills. “I reckon we saved at least $80,000 by building ourselves.”
With understatement, Terry says they’re “pretty happy” with the way the new home has turned out. He and Jenny are rightly proud of their accomplishment.