Two Homes, One Happy Family

HOW SENTINEL HOMES WAIKATO HELPED THREE GENERATIONS BUILD THEIR FOREVER HOME

Nicole and Kurt’s journey to building their “forever home” was a bit unusual. They weren’t thinking of moving, let alone building, until Nicole’s parents came to stay while they hunted for their next property.

 The arrangement worked perfectly. Having Grandma and Grandpa downstairs made family life so much easier for Nicole and Kurt, who both work full-time and have two busy kids aged five and two. Nicole’s parents also enjoyed having more incidental contact with their grandkids. The two households hatched a plan to pool their resources and find a home that would suit them long-term.

 

TIME TO BUILD, NOT BUY

Waikato’s exploding property market had other ideas. As Nicole says, there didn’t seem to be anything they liked within their budget.

 “We were looking at paying 900K for something we’d still need to do work on,”she says.

 Building seemed like a smart idea – for not too much extra, the family would get exactly what they wanted.

 

SENTINEL HOMES A NO-BRAINER

Nicole says they did their research, but working with Sentinel Homes was a no-brainer.

 “They just stuck out as being better quality,” she explains. “We also loved the look of Sentinel Homes’ pre-designed plans and found one that was perfect for us. They all had the modern look we liked and with their reputation, Sentinel looked really appealing.”

 That first impression was confirmed when they got in touch with Nate Alley, Managing Director of Sentinel Homes Waikato.

 “He’s a friend of a friend, and my friend spoke highly of Nate. He’s a really good guy and you can tell he wants what’s best for you even if that makes things harder for him.”

 

TRANSPARENCY AND FIXED PRICES GAVE REASSURANCE

Nate’s enthusiasm and Sentinel Homes’ systems and processes helped make the planning and building phases far simpler than Nicole expected.

 “It was very daunting at first, but having those fixed prices with everything all written out was very reassuring,”she explains.

 Nate guided the couple through every stage, from preliminary pricing to arranging geo-tech and stormwater reports for their new Ohaupo Road property. His no-surprises policy meant that the family ended up coming in under budget by $6000 in the usually tricky groundworks phase.

 “He was upfront about everything. He put in a good PC sum, so we didn’t get 50K worth of surprises coming up. He wanted to make sure we’d allowed for everything.”

 

FLEXIBILITY AND CUSTOMISATION

The home seemed ready-made for the two households, with two entirely separate dwellings. Sentinel Homes’flexibility meant both households could decorate and spec their spaces as they wished.

 “We have very different styles,” laughs Nicole. “We left each other to it – the interior design is very different in both homes and Sentinel were accommodating to anything we wanted.”

 The two dwellings, one with four bedrooms and the other with two, are separated by a firewall, so one can be rented as a self-contained flat in the future.

 In the larger home, Nicole and Kurt added raked ceilings, upgraded fixtures and a media room, but the base design was already close to perfect.

 “There’s a seven-metre sliding door, which was part of their design. It goes out to the view – we can just step out into the countryside. We’re very stoked with that. Their normal specs are already so good – the upgrades were more to suit our style.”

 

A SNAG-FREE BUILD

When COVID-19 meant that a shipment of flooring was unexpectedly delayed, Nate fell back on Sentinel’s strong supplier relationships to find replacements – and covered the difference in cost. It meant the family can move in before Christmas – two months earlier than expected. When asked, they can’t even remember any snags in the building process.

 “If there were little things, it was never an issue. They would always ring to let us know and then they’d get it done,” says Nicole.

 She puts that excellent track record down to good communication and updates throughout, with a foundation of personal attention.

 “When we first started building, we were introduced to the whole team – they’re not too big that you’re just an address. Everyone knew us and we feel like we’ve built friendships,” she says.

 

BUILD WITH SENTINEL

While Nicole started the process with trepidation, she’s now enthusiastic about building – especially if it’s with Sentinel.

 “It’s a good way to go. In this market, houses are going for crazy prices, but you can build what you actually what for not too much extra, and to do it with Sentinel is great. They actually care. They want you to have a good experience.”

If you’re considering buying the home to suit you, get in touch with Sentinel Homes on 0800 456 321 for a free, no-pressure meeting.

9-Gong Glory In The House Of The Year Awards 2020

 What a year 2020 has been, with huge ups and downs across the board. For Sentinel Homes, it has been a productive year with our franchisees busier than ever. Some of those homes have been recognised at the Registered Master Builder House of the Year 2020 awards – showing it’s not just quantity, but quality.

Sentinel Homes Waikato and the Auckland North/West have raked in Regional Category Winners and Gold Awards in their respective regions. What an achievement in a year of lockdowns where work had to cease – a true testament to the effort and commitment from these teams.

THE AUCKLANDERS HAD A CRACKER OF A YEAR

Maree van de Water heads up the Auckland North/West team, and what a year they have had, with noteworthy achievements adding strength and value to their brand. Their awards from House of the Year include two regional category wins, two golds, a silver, and a bronze.

Maree says that their successes in 2020 have come from many things across the business. These include building partnerships and trustworthy relationships between clients, designers and the builder.

 “We partner with our clients for a long time. We’re on a journey together, and working as a team is what produces those exceptional outcomes,” she says.

For the first time, the homes were pitted against the big budgets in the New Home category. Even so, they still managed to take out the top positions of regional category winner and gold awards.

Maree says that as volume builders, they work under a lot more restrictions and these awards prove that volume builders can create homes with beautiful, bespoke designs.

 "These homes have some seriously cool, bespoke design features. It’s about understanding how to work with materials to make it look ‘wow’ without blowing the budget,” she says.

One of the team's stand-out home design features from the award-winning homes is a two-way fireplace that separates the dining from the living room. Magnificent skylights brighten up a hallway that would otherwise be a second-thought –details that caught the judges’ eyes.

Maree is set on making 2021 an even bigger year for her team and can’t wait to partner with more clients in the new year.

 THE MIGHTY WAIKATO TACKLES DESIGN CHALLENGES LIKE A CHAMP

Managing Director of Sentinel Homes Waikato Nate Alley and his team have taken out two gold awards and regional category winner.

 A Matamata home won a gold and the regional category gong. Made from Rockcote and cedar in a generous 287sqm, the home includes a cedar fireplace, tall vertical windows, entertainer’s kitchen with scullery and a bonus workshop in the garage. A large outdoor area adds more value to the entertaining space, a real score for a New Zealand summer.

 The second gold was awarded to a four-bedroom, two-bathroom home. With a valet-style driveway, Linea weatherboards and black brick, the home stands out for all the right reasons. A large open-plan living space with an indoor fireplace is expanded by a Kwila deck, delivering ample entertaining space year-round. A butler’s pantry with sink and an ensuite bathroom with a free-standing tub add those extra layers of luxury.

 

A YEAR FOR REFLECTION AND THANKS

The awards collected by these two Sentinel Homes teams make this year something to look back on. Despite being dominated by a global pandemic, and economic uncertainty, they still delivered exceptional homes and have left their clients with smiles for years to come.