Posted December 5, 2023
Location: 37 Central Park Ave, Lake Hayes, Queenstown
Builder: Muirhead Building Ltd
Client: Jef Desbecker & Robina Bodle (Skyview Trust)
The owners of this Queenstown property, Jef and Robina, contacted Muirhead Building to build their latest home, which is a stone’s throw away from the water’s edge of Lake Hayes. Their brief was ultimately to build an aesthetically beautiful home that was sustainable, energy efficient, and had a high standard of quality workmanship throughout. As locals for 35-years, the couple knew they needed the home to be sturdy, warm in winter and cool in summer, and they wanted a build with a low carbon footprint, to use non-toxic materials where possible, and they also wanted to support local which meant using New Zealand sourced materials.
This build highlighted the importance of everyone being on the same page and coordinating with everybody during the design and build phases. It’s important that there’s clear communication between all parties such as your plumber, builders, and roofers – especially if there are any changes along the way. The MAXRaft® team working on this project were based in Dunedin which meant the install took longer than Jef and Robina anticipated. Whilst it’s preferable to work with a local team, especially if you’re facing any kind of time restraints, this project was still a real success.
Jef and Robina’s beautiful property was completed in 2019. Out of the countless possibilities to choose from, the couple opted for a single-story home with a lower-level garage and storeroom, spread out over 4 separate MAXRaft® concrete platforms clocking in at a total of 457m2. With Jef acting as Project Manager, he was able to make quick-fire decisions and keep the ball rolling as desired. The couple decided on sustainably sourced New Zealand timbers, double glazed windows/doors, and underfloor heating combined with insulation from the MAXRaft® concrete foundations. Focusing on doing it once and doing it right enabled this couple to build a home that met all their requirements. Both Jef and Robina are very happy with their home which they described as “it must be seen to be fully appreciated”, and look forward to enjoying many years of comfort in their forever home.
