- Testimonial
Initially looking to buy an established home when relocating from Victoria to Queensland during the global pandemic, Brian and Tamara decided to build a brand new home instead. We sat down with them to hear first-hand their experience building with DC Living.
Tell us a little bit about yourself – is this the first home you have built? What led to your decision to build a house?
This is the third house that we have built and the experience building this home was a great one. We were relocating from Victoria and we were trying to get an established house but on recommendation from our daughters, they said it was best to go for a brand new house, so we did.
What were you looking for when you initially started your home building journey?
We were looking for at least three bedrooms, a low-set home, and also a home that had a large master bedroom, good ensuite, and a walk-in robe. We wanted to focus on entertaining as we were returning to Queensland after four years so we were going to be reconnecting with friends and the extended family, so a good entertainment area was important for us.
How did you hear about DC Living? And why did you choose to build with DC Living?
Our daughter initially saw the house and land package for the home. There were a couple of things that we really wanted in our home, like raked ceilings, and the flexibility was great with DC Living because they were willing to listen to us. That satisfied us from those initial signals that we were starting a great conversation here and we had confidence that it will go on throughout the process and we'll be able to get what we wanted.
Did you have any concerns going into the process?
Well, as usual, I think we did have our concerns but there was never an issue whatsoever, from the initial conversation to the colour selections, to the time of signing of the contract. The personnel we dealt with were very accommodating, very courteous, and very professional. And then it moved on from the administrators in the office to the Supervisor out on site and he was great. Even though it was 6:00 am in the morning, he would alert me the previous day and say "At 6:00 am, something is happening, would you like to be there?" And even though I had a 40-minute drive, we made it a point to be there. He really took us on the journey and we saw the home go from a vision to materialise into an actual substance, right before our eyes.
You chose our Midtown façade. What did you like about this façade?
It was the street appeal. We had this vision that the street appeal was going to be great with selecting the Midtown. And it was different from the majority of houses that we had been looking at and we thought this will make a statement. Another reason we selected the Midtown facade is that we thought the sloping roofs would have been ideal for us to accommodate the raked ceilings that we wanted to include in the home. That sort of got us hooked on to the Midtown facade.
You went with our Stanthorpe 265 design and made some changes as part of our DC By Design custom studio. What did you like about this design?
The Stanthorpe 265 appealed as it included a lot of aspects that we were initially looking for. We wanted to put our little spin on it like with the raked ceilings, from the hallway into the living and dining area and out to the alfresco area which we also extended. We changed the media room because we didn't feel a need for it and made it into an exclusive dining area instead as entertaining is a big thing for us. We also added the optional butler’s pantry to the kitchen and extended the master ensuite to get a fairly large walk-in robe that has a dedicated his and hers.
One of the standard inclusions that we picked up at the initial stages was the recessed tracks into the outdoor area, which we haven't seen in any of the project homes that other builders would do. I think the standard inclusions at DC Living are also very appealing such as the freestanding baths and the tile selections.
A modern style was incorporated throughout the home. What inspired you to choose this style? Is this something you had done in the previous homes that you had built?
Our daughter Davina is really good with interiors and she said that you will either disown me or you'll love me after this because I asked her to choose the colours. Our previous homes were not this modern but we were just thrilled with the kitchen, with everything, all of the colours that she chose. The great flexibility with the inclusions meant that we could upgrade to black finishes with the door handles, tapware and showerheads. Looking at our modern Midtown façade and the colours that we went with, these finishes complimented it really well.
Was there anything that surprised you in the process?
I think what surprised us in the process was the wow factor and the ease with which everything just flowed through and came together in the end. This was the best part of it, to see our home take shape. You know, at the end of the day, I think the way we were treated, we could easily say that it felt like DC Living was only a building for us.
What is your favourite part or feature of the house?
Brian: The best part of the house for me is the outdoor area and the flow moving from the lounge to the outdoor area, I just love that.
Tamara: Where do I start? The kitchen is my pride and joy, and the butler’s pantry. Just the whole house, I should say, because we just love coming home. It is so peaceful and really nice. I can't wait to get home whenever we go anywhere. We have lots of compliments when people walk through the house, and we're very proud of it and really proud of everything.
Do you have any tips for people looking to build?
Look at investing in areas that you are going to be living in a lot and everyone knows the kitchen, dining, and outdoor areas are the most important besides the bedroom, of course. For us, it was getting the larger dining area and the outdoor area for when we entertain, because we do a lot of it. And don’t hesitate to ask if you have some ideas or changes that you want to do. DC Living will accommodate it if they can so that at the end of the day, you might get a house that was sort of custom-built for you, as we did.
This home was awarded Project Home of the Year at the 2021 HIA QLD Awards. DC Living also won the 2021 HIA QLD Award for Affordable Housing.
