After 35 years of marriage and raising four children, it was time for Gary and Rosalind to say goodbye to their family home of 16 years and downsize. Unfortunately, a bout of bad luck saw two of their first-choice home builders in Melbourne go bankrupt – taking the couple’s time and money with them.
Finding Boutique and the floorplan of their dreams in 2018 was the turning point they had been waiting for.
‘We first heard about Boutique about five years ago, when we had just started looking for a builder. We went up to the Jubilee Estate display home when it had first opened,’ explains Gary.
‘About three years later, we met our New Homes Consultant Morgan. We had sold our own house and had settled on our new block of land, and then had two builders go broke on us, so we were in dire straits in terms of time and spend.’
‘We had half decided not to build and just rent instead, but then we met Morgan and she was exceptional. We looked at a few different builders, but we kept coming back to Boutique for their quality, home designs and inclusions.’
Given the couple’s recent outlay of cash, Boutique’s fixed pricing and value for money were significant drawcards. In the three years since they first laid eyes on the Jubilee Estate, Boutique had begun offering its market-leading inclusions in its base price.
‘When we first started to look for new home builders five years ago, we actually looked at the same house by Boutique and it was slightly out of budget. When we went back, all of the premium inclusions we were after were standard – so it met our budget perfectly,’ explains Gary.
Finding the perfect floorplan
In what the couple inevitably described as fate, Gary and Rosalind found ‘The One’ in the Marseille 28 floorplan with Metro façade. ‘The floorplan had less bedrooms – which was perfect for us to manage – but still had plenty of space, which we need for when our kids and grandkids stay,’ explains Rosalind.
Click here to be inspired by the journey of other Boutique customers who have found ‘The One.’
The Marseille’s large alfresco and dining spaces also provided the perfect backdrop for entertaining and hosting family Christmas.
The pair moved into their brand-new home, situated in Victoria’s Wyndham Vale, in August 2019. Boutique, they both say, delivered perfectly.
‘We were in our original home for over 16 years and raised our family there, so it was a big deal for us to build,’ says Rosalind.
‘But I feel like we were able to move home, and still feel at home. Even when our son came to visit, by the time he left, he said he felt like he had been there forever.’
What to expect from the build journey
After over a year of builders avoiding their calls and being unable to give them answers, what Gary and Rosalind were looking for above all else was reliability and good communication.
‘The build journey was good and efficient – from the moment Boutique poured the slab, everything they said they were going to do by a certain time, they did. And if it didn’t happen, they rang and called us to explain why,’ recalls Rosalind.
‘We had spent a year being avoided by builders who had our money, so we had lost all faith. For us, having direct contact with our Site Manager was really important.’
Since the completion of their home, Rosalind and Gary have referred two of their colleagues to build with Boutique Homes.
Gary & Rosalind’s top tips for new home builders
- Do your research three times over: After our first experience with a builder, we now see the importance of completing comprehensive research before you sign on the dotted line. Understand who you are trusting with your new home – their reputation and their financial position – and look for warning signs such as trades not being paid.
- Take reviews seriously: Word of mouth and formal written reviews will always give you a good idea of what you can expect from a builder. Make sure the builder is established, and if people are writing negative reviews, believe them. Even more importantly, look for positive reviews – they always take more effort to write.
Boutique Homes, a trusted home builder
Gary and Rosalind encountered significant challenges when their initial builders faced liquidation and bankruptcy, resulting in the loss of valuable time and financial resources. However, these obstacles ultimately led them to Boutique, where they discovered a team that not only understood their vision but also offered exceptional solutions.
Ready to start your journey to find ‘The One?’ See more of the Marseille home design or talk to one of our friendly New Homes Consultants.
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