An everlasting vista

Located along the northern beaches in Iluka, Jayne and Matt’s Aquila Homes build was designed to accommodate them now and into retirement, with a modern style front of mind.

Just 13 months from laying the first slab, the build was completed to formal handover in early December last year.

What was your favourite part of the design and build process?

The favourite part of the design and build process was working with the builder, who took our design and brought it to life fitting in everything we needed and desired.

What is your favourite part of your home?

We have two favourite areas – one is the master suite and retreat upstairs, which fully appreciates the ocean views. The other is the kitchen and scullery zone, which allows food prep to be contained out of view when entertaining.

What style did you want your home to express?

We wanted neat, simple and uncluttered lines, especially to minimise maintenance in this harsh coastal climate, as well as a modern feel to the home.

Why did you decide to build?

We wanted a home which would accommodate us as we age into retirement and beyond. Building meant we were able to incorporate a lift for the future to access the second-storey sleeping areas and our wonderful view.

Did the location of the home influence the design? If so, how?

Yes, we purchased a block with ocean views and designed the home to bring as much of the vista into the house as possible.

We also built a large balcony on the back of the house so we can relax and watch the sunset every night if we choose to.

Were there any challenges and if there were, how did you overcome them?

Early and effective communication between the builder and ourselves mitigated a garage setback issue with the City of Joondalup, who decided halfway into the build that the garage wasn’t set back far enough.

We were able to bring the opposite front bedroom forward which gave us a bigger room area and resolved the issue without delaying building time.

What advice you would give to someone looking to build?

In our experience, the best houses are built with a very good building supervisor.

Choosing a master builder over a project builder ensured the owner of the business was also the site supervisor who was on site frequently.