Eden Brae Powering through the Build, Frames are Up

It was by chance our neighbour texted a photo of the build process earlier in the week. The last we saw was a slab with piping completed and our timber frames delivered. Phenomenal speed, great warm weather. Very surprised (and impressed) construction of the main framework is up within two-weeks.

The door frames are in, windows look set and the remaining roof trusses and garage hopefully completed next week.

It’s finally hitting home. Feels like our Eden Brae Cremorne 30 is really coming alive. Not only the last six-months of reviewing paperwork for the design phase of this house, it’s been a large-scale project for nearly two-years since we bought the land in 2014. For us, this is not a home to build and sell straight away, it’s one designed by us to live in for the years ahead as our family home. Thinking about this journey amazes me because I never thought in my lifetime I’d actually build a house. However, the craziness of Sydney’s property market prices over the last few years is what brought us to no longer live in the areas we grew up in but move north-west. Today, our apartment on the inner ring of Sydney is worth more than the actual cost to build (house and land) this large family home. When does that ever happen? It gives us peace of mind that we will (hopefully) have a comfortable mortgage and manageable lifestyle ahead, which is what brought us to doing what we’re doing today – no regrets.

We do get asked if it’s hard to do (build a new home that is) and if you’re happy to take a house and land package with minimal modifications, it’s manageable. If you’re also happy to reconsider your current lifestyle (the location/suburb being different from where you live today – if it is different that is), possibly the other major consideration. We purchased land and house separate, had a mountain of decision-making to be made (including the choice of builder) and house modifications to nearly every room (tweaked from the included floor plan) so yes, it was stressful at times. I would say the level of detail is worse than planning your own wedding – I DIY’d a great deal of my wedding vs this and the wedding was a walk in the park in comparison. When you’re both working full-time with busy schedules, I especially raise my hat to families that go through this process with young children to look after. We have a few neighbours that have moved into where we are building and wow, good on you for persevering and getting through the build.

I look forward to sharing our house reveal in the coming months.

PS. I was so anxious this morning, I woke up earlier than the alarm could beep. I was buzzing with excitement to see the progress of the house. Can’t wait for next weekend (hoping for the bricks).

2