Designing, Building & Developing a Luxury home in Lindfield

Thank you

I really like the look of your landscaping esp the $8k tree because its more mature. Did you ever consider FB marketplace for mature plants and trees? Are there any risks to replanting from someone elses backyard?

Hey mate,

New time poster here and saw that you were answering a couple of build related questions.

I was thinking of doing a KDRB and wanted an underground garage / basement area but read online that they can cost around 250k+. What would you say the average cost of a mid range build with underground garage Would run me in terms in cost?

I'm throwing around going for the underground vs using the money for a more high end build but I think I would prefer the garaging so I just wanted a rough estimate.

Thanks mate

Thanks for you awesome question.

We actually bought all our mature lilly pillies from Facebook but it was from a nursery that was closing down. Other than the 3 mature trees from excotic nurseries, we purchase the other 300 plants from flower power and with the trade discount we get they were quite affordable.

My only hesitations with buying mature plants from a random FB person would be the worry that are they going to survive the excavation and transportation if we had to dig them out ourselves, where as buying from a nursery they have been grown in pots and they prep them for transport and replanting.

But if that is something you are comfortable doing and you have a green thumb, go for it!

All the best

Simeon

When You Think You’re Done, the Build Gods Have Other Plans

Just when you think you’ve crossed the finish line, Sydney throws you a 37-degree day and you lose 49 plants. Yep, forty nine!

Photos are booked for Monday, which means we need replacement plants today, planted and settled by 10am Monday morning. That gives us exactly three days. No pressure at all.

Thankfully, I have the most incredible landscaper. Massive shout-out to Pro Landscapes, who is literally dropping everything this weekend to help me fix this. Apologies in advance to any other customers who might be affected, but I promise this is a genuine emergency.

We’ve poured so much water, love, care and time into these gardens and lawns. Up until yesterday morning, everything was looking absolutely incredible.

This business really is amazing, but it can also be brutal. Just when you start feeling comfortable, the construction and development gods, or possibly Satan himself, decide it’s time for a lesson. A sharp smack to the back of the head to keep you humble.

I actually love watching Grand Designs for this exact reason. They do such a good job of showing owner builders at their absolute breaking point. It’s a bit of a guilty pleasure watching other people’s pain, but also kind of comforting, because you realise you’re definitely not alone.

So… What Happened?

I may have mentioned this in an earlier post, but the very last thing left on this build was a seven coat spray system for the driveway and paths.

We had to wait until every single trade was finished and we had a three day window with no rain, which as anyone living in Sydney knows, is a very small window.

Yesterday was the day.

Because it’s a spray system, kind of like spray paint with an epoxy type substance, everything needed to be wrapped in plastic. The house, the fences and of course all the plants near any concrete surface.

And naturally, it was one of the hottest days of the year.

It wasn’t until around 4.30pm, when the team started pulling the plastic off, that we saw the damage. The gardenias and red rubies had literally baked. Some of them looked like they’d been put in an air fryer for hours.

The worst part was that we couldn’t even water them. Any water hitting the newly coated $9,000 driveway would have completely ruined it.

So there was no saving them. Replacement is the only option.

By the time you add it all up, plants plus labour, it’s probably a $1,500 mistake. One of those painful but unavoidable lessons you don’t forget in a hurry.

Silver Linings:

The driveway looks absolutely stunning. Photos don’t quite do it justice. In real life there’s a subtle sparkle that just lifts the whole house and street appeal.

I’ve also added a few sneak peeks of the kitchen counter and the wine rack. The glass still needs a clean this weekend, but it’s working beautifully. There’s a dedicated cooling system we designed and with the back lit LEDs and bottles of Penfolds, it looks seriously good.

So yes, a stressful few days ahead, but we will get there.

I hope you all have a great Friday and an amazing weekend.

Monday is photo and video day and I am not missing that deadline.

Cheers

Simeon


 Kitchen Island looking towards the butlers pantryLike  ⋅  Add a comment  ⋅  Pin to Ideaboard  ⋅  Share

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 You can see some of the dead plants in the foregroundLike  ⋅  Add a comment  ⋅  Pin to Ideaboard  ⋅  Share

Hi Everyone

The countdown to our first open house is officially on.

This Saturday the 14th is the big day, and it honestly feels a bit like studying hard all year and then waiting for the exam results to come out. You have done everything you possibly can, and now it is out of your hands. I am a little nervous, but also quietly hopeful. We have put in the work, and now we just hope someone walks through the door, falls in love with the house, and gives it a very high mark.

This past week has been all about getting the marketing ready. Photos, videos, and all those last minute touch ups that suddenly feel very important. Replacing dead plants, fixing a few sections of grass that Jemena had to dig up, watering everything constantly to keep it looking its best, and doing a final deep clean after the stylists had been through. It has been busy, but we genuinely think the house is looking amazing.

A lot of people are saying that we are launching at the right time, and I really hope they are right. Chinese New Year is next week, and traditionally there are a lot of families who come out to support their children and do some serious house hunting. That said, I have also heard from agents that some properties are getting big numbers through their Saturday inspections, but only a handful of genuinely serious buyers. I guess that is all you really need though. Two serious buyers at an auction can be enough. I would be ly!ng if I said I was not a little nervous about the recent interest rate rise. It certainly does not help, but hopefully it does not hurt us too much either.

The plan is to officially launch on Thursday, with the ads going live then. As soon as they are up, I will post a link so anyone who is curious can take a look.

Now, onto the styling. As you know, this stylist was not my first choice, or second, or even third. She was simply the only person available. She is an absolutely lovely person, and she did warn me upfront that her style was a bit quirky. She was not wrong. Some people who have seen the styling have loved it, others not so much. At the end of the day, I do not think it matters too much. The house should sell itself, and the furniture really just helps show what is possible with the spaces.

One thing she did recommend, which I am very glad we listened to, was hiring a large number of plants from a company called Porch Envy. These plants have lifted the house to a whole other level. They soften everything and make the home feel much more alive. They are not cheap. We paid around $3,100, which includes delivery and a weekly watering service, but in my opinion they have been worth every cent. I would absolutely recommend Porch Envy if you ever need plants for styling.

Back to the interest rate rise for a moment. Interestingly, my phone has not stopped ringing with people wanting to start new builds. So at this stage, it seems like people are still powering along and just getting on with it. I really hope that same attitude applies to buyers in this price range.

Another new build that launched about a week ago in a similar price bracket but a slightly worse suburb 10 mins away is 37 Congham Road in West Pymble. (I tried to insert the link but it wouldn't work so I suggest googling it).

The home is stunning and the build quality is superb. The only real issue, in my opinion, is the floor plan. For such a massive home, the bedrooms are very small, even the master. There is also a lot of wasted space in corridors and circular entry areas. It is an impressive house, but I think the small bedrooms could be a problem for families.

Our location is also superior. This house will go to auction on the 28th February so it will be a good indication of where the market is at.

We work with a lot of clients who have children, and what we are seeing more and more is families talking about their children staying at home longer. Through university and even into early marriage, while they save for their own place. Because of that, bedroom size really matters. You need room for study desks, storage, and potentially even a future partner. Small bedrooms can really limit the market. On the advice of our agents, we put a big emphasis on generous bedroom sizes, so hopefully buyers notice and appreciate that.

And finally, we are still very hopeful that our street address, with the very lucky number 8, brings us plenty of wealth and prosperity.

So the first open house will be this Saturday. I am not 100 percent sure of the exact time yet, but they were targeting around 11am. If anyone is interested in having a look, I will post the link to the ad as soon as it is live.

Fingers crossed for a good start.

Cheers

Simeon

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Thank you so much and at this point we all need to cross our fingers!

Phenomenal !!

Just saw the ad went live at real estate as well! Looking out of the world! All the best with your project. We will try to visit this Saturday!

Hey quick favour, can everyone watch the video....I want to see if we can get the view numbers really high and blast it??

Thank you all:-D

These costs are higher. Does that mean your quote is typically more expensive than those from smaller builders?

I Do hope to see your house again. Wish you all the best with sales.