Posted August 30 in Knockdown Rebuild

Customer home: Gavin and Lynda’s forever Marseille

Semi-retired couple, Gavin and Lynda, were determined to create a forever home fit to entertain their six beautiful grandkids and ever-growing family. And that’s exactly what they managed to find in the Marseille 32 with the Southampton façade.

‘We were lucky enough to secure an expansive property in Bayswater five years ago. While we loved the peaceful location, with its treelined streets and close proximity to the Eastlink, we were determined to start afresh and build our dream home,’ explains Gavin.

Gavin is a qualified plumber turned semi-retired sales professional and, together with Lynda, has previously built four family homes. No stranger to the build process and the pitfalls of clever marketing, the married couple visited hundreds of display homes before deciding to knockdown and rebuild their home in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne.

‘We weren’t looking for a plain build – we were looking for quality homes with a unique aspect. As soon as I walked into the Boutique Homes display, I said to Lynda ‘this is our home,” recalls Gavin.

‘You just know. Every room ticked boxes.’

‘We’ve got plenty of room to grow within the home. The grandchildren have picked their own rooms and it’s really made us closer as a family. The home has brought them to us,’ says Gavin.

Finding our bespoke design style

Along with plenty of bedrooms, the pair were set on finding a home with separate living zones that the whole family could enjoy.

‘It was really important to Lynda that our dining area had its own room, separate from the living spaces, without the rooms seeming out of place or negatively impacting the home’s flow. This was one of the main features that drew us to the Marseille floorplan, which has the dining space just off the kitchen and separate from the lounge,’ explains Gavin.

‘We love entertaining in our new home because everyone has their own area. The kids can go into a playroom, while the adults enjoy the living spaces or watch the footy with a glass of wine on the deck.’

Gavin and Lynda’s interior palette is timeless, featuring a contemporary luxe style, with splashes of ocean blues and white. The view from the street has also been a crowd favourite, complete with expansive eves that Gavin calls ‘the eyelids of the home.’

‘We loved the soft grey and white colour scheme of the Southampton façade, and the beautiful wraparound veranda,’ says Lynda.

‘It’s such a unique feature and really sets the tone of the entire home. A week doesn’t go by without a neighbour or passer-by saying: ‘wow, I just love the feel of your home.’

What to expect from the build process

With significant build experience under their belt, Gavin knows better than most how a build should run. Despite admitting that the couple had never had a bad experience with a builder in the past, the Boutique Homes team managed to stand out.

‘This would have to be the most relaxed experience we’ve ever had. It was entirely eventless, and all of the Boutique Homes staff were friendly, helpful and communicated so well,’ says Gavin.

‘There was also never more than a two-day period where a tradie wasn’t on site. I still can’t get over how well it was all coordinated.’

As a result, Gavin and Lynda’s home went up incredibly quick, with the build portion of the knockdown rebuild process taking just six months, despite the property’s considerable size. ‘Our neighbour made the comment that when she left for work one morning, there was a slab, and when she came home, there was a house next door,’ says Gavin.

Gavin and Lynda’s top tips for new home builders

  • Don’t skimp: ‘If you’re going to live in the home for a significant amount of time, you need to be happy with it because you’re going to look at it every day! A forever home is not the time to skimp on upgrades,’ says Gavin.
  • Take your time: Don’t rush when it comes to your colour selections. It’s life-changing and permanent decisions you’re making, so it pays to do your research and to know exactly what you want. ‘We had a considerable amount of consultancy time scheduled, but we still needed an extra session,’ says Gavin. ‘When you are spending big dollars on a property, care needs to be taken.’
  • Opt for a builder with excellent customer service: While Gavin acknowledges that every volume builder needs their rulebook, he says finding a builder that is as flexible as possible is key. ‘Select a company that will work with you, consult with you and communicate with you. They need to be open to suggestions and ideas, and they need to be willing to work with those ideas,’ says Gavin.

Have you found ‘The One’?

Share your home journey and connect with the Boutique Instagram community by using #ourboutiquehome

Are you considering a Knockdown Rebuild like Gavin & Lynda? Contact one of our friendly Knockdown Rebuild Specialists today for an obligation-free chat.

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