[ IN THE END...]

In December 2013, five months after the construction process began, Arno and Geraldene’s relationship with their builder had deteriorated beyond repair. And after a newly appointed quantity surveyor told them they were on their way to exceeding their budget by millions, Arno managed to cancel the contract and take full possession of the site.

At this point, the roof was about to be installed and Arno decided to continue on his own with the help of a labourer. While progress was slow and often constricted by their budget, the couple were happy to ‘take charge’ of the project. Their dream home was finally taking shape! As it turned out, they required additional cash to complete the build and made the decision to sell their holiday home in St Francis Bay to raise the funds.

“The building process was an absolute nightmare,” admits Geraldene. But was it worth it? Absolutely! >>

Local Port Elizabeth artist Joff painted the beautiful owl mural that can be seen through the large glass panels enclosing the braai area.