When building a home exceeds all expectations
Alison and David Lilly have always lived in Sydney’s north west, however with two young children they wanted more space so bought 6.9 acres in beautiful Glenorie. “Our children would go to my parents’ home on acreage, and they loved it,” says Alison. “We wanted to give our children that same lifestyle.”
The couple had built many project homes before but found the companies difficult to work with. “They’re inflexible and restrictive with the products they use,” says Alison. “It’s difficult to make changes and I could never get the exact style of home or inclusions I wanted.”
This time their parents suggested they try Paal. “After looking at their website, we went and spoke to Michael Christie,” says David. “He was so thorough in explaining everything, it gave us the confidence to go ahead.”
Initially, the couple liked the U-shape of the Castlereagh, however they had specific requirements such as a drive through portico, attached garage and no verandahs. “Michael modified the Elizabeth to give us everything we’d asked for and we were thrilled with the design,” says Alison.
This gave the couple the open layout they were hoping for, with multiple living areas and a modern contemporary feel. The back of the house features glass right around to take in the beautiful surrounds and when you walk in the front entry you can see straight through to the back garden.
“Paal was so flexible, nothing was too much trouble,” says the couple. “We made numerous changes throughout the build and the entire PAAL team was so patient and accommodating of our requests.”
Although Alison and David went owner-builder, they both work full-time, so engaged a local builder to assist, and the build was completed in eight months. “We were extremely pleased with how quickly and smoothly the build went,” says David.
Working with Paal also gave the couple much-needed guidance and support. “The customer service didn’t waver from start to finish” says Alison. “If any questions arose, they answered your calls and got back to you with the information promptly.”
Now the home is finished the couple is absolutely delighted. With so many modifications, they were unsure how it would turn out, but the result exceeded all their expectations. “We love it, we really love it,” says the couple. “It’s the perfect home for our family.”
