A dream home worth the wait (and stress!)
Although the process of building a home that met their expectations was long and arduous, these homeowners will also tell you it was absolutely worth it!
When Arno and Geraldene du Plessis bought an empty plot in Sunridge Park, Port Elizabeth – less than 1km from the property they’d been happily living on for 36 years – the plan was to move into their “dream home” within a year. “Our previous house was quite large with a big garden and expansive lawns – and all the bells and whistles associated with homes from the ’80s!” says Geraldene. “But as time passed, we started to consider the merits of a home that would require less upkeep; one that we could enjoy and appreciate before moving on to the retirement home down the road.”
On one of their morning walks in April 2012, they came across an overgrown and unkempt plot that was in the process of being sub-divided. “We hastily established who the owner was and within weeks we had concluded the purchase,” Geraldene explains.
However, the couple soon learnt that patience would be of the essence if they wanted to survive the building process! Not only that, but the transfer couldn’t take place until services had been installed and this took almost 12 months.
During this time, Arno and Geraldene met architect Quinsley Sale of Kiu Architecture, a regular at a coffee shop the couple also frequent. “We briefed him on our expectations and budget and then commissioned him to commence with the design,” Arno explains. “He presented us with his first concept which was an absolute hit, so we instructed him to continue with the detail work and find an appropriate builder.”