Dream retirement home built quickly with no weather worries!
I love watching home building shows on TV and was initially intrigued by ‘kit homes’, but I wasn’t so keen after more detailed research. Then I found out about ‘modular homes’, which have a lot more design flexibility and inclusions than kit homes. After showing my husband my research, we agreed that a modular home was the way to go. We searched online, found Manor Homes, and we were immediately captivated by one of their designs.
We were keen to downsize in an intelligent way, retaining large living areas but reducing the areas we no longer need. The perfect retirement home for us is a quiet, peaceful place that fits in with its natural environment. We chose the Mitchell 3 home design and tailored it to suit our needs.
This was our fourth home build. We had one nightmare build and also experienced the dreaded ‘variation cost’, when a driveway price came in at double the original quote. We’re wise to the traps now so we were actually quite fearless! Even better, with Manor Homes, we had the extra assurance of a fixed price and their proven and dependable modular home building process.
“In particular, it was lovely not to worry about the weather causing any delays as the main construction took place in a factory and then the finishing touches were added on our site. During the fast 5-week factory build, our Production Manager updated us with photos every week so we had peace of mind that everything was on track.”
Manor Homes looked after the council approvals, which was a big help. Initially, our Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) rating came in at 12.5, but Manor Homes worked with council to achieve a BAL-LOW rating. This meant there were no specific construction requirements and was a significant cost saving for us.
The build was an impressive process. It was fast and stress free. We enjoyed watching the house being built and it was amazing to see the home delivered and installed and completed on site so efficiently.
The design is a country style that fits in beautifully with the landscape, high above the Williams River in the Hunter Valley. The orientation is perfect for summer and winter, giving us multiple verandah spots depending on the position of the sun.
The gable roof is stunning and the high ceilings are absolutely beautiful with a feature cornice. The ironstone metal cladding fits in well with the country surrounds.
From a day-to-day perspective, everything is perfect and low maintenance. The tiles in our living areas are very practical for our two affectionate English and American Labradors. Colorbond® cladding is, of course, famed for its low maintenance. We will definitely have more time to spend outside!
This home has given us the lifestyle we want, and we couldn’t be enjoying it more. We feel like we are ‘retired but not retired’! We keep busy outdoors, and my husband has a permaculture (PDC) certificate so he aims to improve the produce we get off the land. We also have total privacy. Our house fits us and our lifestyle like a glove.
Manor Homes has been brilliant, and we’ve really appreciated their excellent after-sales service as well.
