A city build without the city cost
It’s not every day that a Paal home is built on a city block. However, Paul Bezkorovainy has achieved exactly that in Beecroft on Sydney’s upper north shore.
Paul was looking to create a home on a half-acre subdivided family block. His parents suggested building with Paal, and after researching online, Paul was immediately drawn to the Elizabeth design. “When I walked into the Sydney display room, I knew the Elizabeth was the one”, he says. “I really liked the style, and I knew it would blend well with the older homes in Beecroft”.
Michael Christie helped Paul adapt the plans to fit the city block as well as make modifications to suit his family and lifestyle. This included removing the media room and nursery and adding another room to create an L-shaped design rather than the standard rectangular one. Not only did this provide a spare bedroom, but also a potential self-contained residence with kitchenette and private entry. “I forward-thought it for my elderly parents or kids later on”, says Paul. “That’s the benefit of building with Paal”.
As a structural engineer, Paul was able to complete approximately 80 per cent of the build with the help of his brother, parents, and other family members. “I got trades in for plumbing, electrical and bricking”, he said. “But everything else I did myself”.Overall, this worked out well financially, plus it saved the stress and expense of sourcing building materials. “I saved hundreds of thousands of dollars”, he says. “The advantage of Paal’s system is that there’s a lot you can do yourself, so the potential of saving is huge”.
Paal’s process also made life easy during the build. “The fact that Paal does five deliveries rather than one is sensational, particularly for me on a battle-axe block”, says Paul. “Paal also delayed things if needed; they were very accommodating”.
Above all, Paul found the staff exceptional to work with. “Whenever I called the office, it didn’t matter who it was, they knew me by name”, he says. “In fact, I still stay in touch with Michael and always pop in when I go to Canberra”.
Now after a very busy 14 months, Paul has completed his new home. He didn’t get much sleep but moving in felt “fantastic”.
“It’s a beautiful house”, he says. “I couldn’t be happier”.
