Retired couple Ann and Blake Bibbie have the experience of building various houses throughout their 52-year marriage and they are very happy with their beautiful Generation home in semi-rural Coatesville, West Auckland.
They moved in in March 2023 and have enjoyed landscaping the one-hectare property, establishing lawns and fruit trees.
The couple have built numerous homes, “but this was the first one that I have not driven a nail on!” Blake says.
He worked in the building sector for all his professional life, so the choice to build with Generation Homes combined the couple’s own experiences and Blake’s industry knowledge.
The couple chose their hectare in Coatesville after being crowded out of Whenuapai by the urban sprawl.
“We wanted to find somewhere with no close neighbours,” Ann says. Their section is one of 13 in their small development.
ANN
We looked at a lot of existing properties, but finding the right size and rural aspect was difficult. Plus, we were interested in designs with open flow and that was hard to find. A lot of places were either in the right area, but had the wrong house, or were the right house, but the wrong area. We decided that to get exactly what we wanted we’d have to build.
BLAKE
We were hunting around for the land for a while, but it sort of went contemporaneously because we found the land and we went straight into the Generation Homes show home at Riverhead virtually the next day. We liked that show home design and that’s what prompted us to explore the build with Generation.
BLAKE
I’ve been in the building industry all my life. I had known Generation and worked with them for the last 15 years in my previous role as Placemakers’ General Manager National Sales and Manufacturing. I knew the company founders in Tauranga and Pete Suckling, the joint venture partner here. I had close contacts with Generation as a business partner. Over those 15 years, I found them trustworthy people and ethical and nice to deal with. So, that was one of the major reasons why we went with Generation.
Also, we liked the show home, but we wanted to make a lot of changes. That was another reason why we continued with Generation – they were prepared to redesign the house to take all our wants and needs into consideration. We had three or four goes at the design and it got better and better, until we finally got it all right.
ANN
We liked their package too – the set price and delivery date and Master Builders’ guarantee. All those things stacked up to make Generation who we really wanted to risk our build with.
BLAKE
The fixed price and guaranteed delivery date were bonuses for me. The main thing was that we were dealing with an ethical company. We knew they weren’t going to fold up in the next five minutes and run away with our money and that they were people of their word. Other companies may have some things like a fixed price, but that trust made the difference.
ANN
It was also the high quality of the build, which we could see in the show home.
ANN
The structured process was laid out at the beginning and that programme was true to form. We liked that.
BLAKE
We had a D-day to get out of where we were because we’d sold it, so the guaranteed delivery day worked perfectly. We moved out the day after they finished and moved in here. We had a bar graph, a progress report, a production report. We had a calendar with what was happening every day. When the team fell behind, which happened a couple of times, it was soon caught up and everything went well to the day at the end.
ANN
It was often weather that affected the timetable, as this was during Cyclone Gabrielle.
BLAKE
We had good communication whenever something was going on. We were only 15 minutes up the road and we kept an eye on it!
ANN
The subbies were all good, all engaging with us.
BLAKE
We absolutely trusted them and they delivered it.
ANN
From building ourselves many times, we knew that hiccups are to be expected. So challenges didn’t really bother us. We knew they could be sorted. We love our home.
ANN
There are lots of houses, especially where we are here, that are lovely, but a few of them have had hiccups with completion dates. What happened around us told us that we picked the right company. Our experience was very good and the subbies reliably turned up every day.
BLAKE
Generation were finished on the day they said they would be. We know we’re not a one-off. Our niece had a happy experience with Peter Suckling and Generation, too, and a few other people. It’s happening smoothly all the time with Generation Homes.
ANN
Our home suits us. We wanted to accommodate our grandchildren to stay and have plenty of outside space. A lot of friends and visitors stay. Every one of them has said how much they like the house design and layout. We wanted easy care and security so we can lock and leave when we go to the beach or away on holiday. We wanted to come home to a nice home – easy living with a nice flow.
BLAKE
Basically, we blew up the (Coatesville design) show home. We added extra space right down the middle of the two wings. We put extra room in from end to end to enlarge the bedrooms and lounge. We created a study instead of a study nook, which is a fourth bedroom, if need be. We changed the flow to what we wanted and upgraded the spec a little in the kitchen, bathrooms and scullery.
ANN
I love being outside and sitting around the pool and still being so close to the house. As our property is flat, we were able to build the pool closer. I like sitting in the lounge reading – it’s so comfortable. Every room has a nice aspect to it and that’s why we like this shape of house, because it was separated but still connected. Even the bedroom has a nice outlook onto banks of trees and the Riverhead Forest. We love the entertaining kitchen – even when lots of people are here it is spacious.
BLAKE
I like being outside. We’ve got a big pool and decks and I like sitting on my lawnmower. The shed was built by Generation Homes too. It is separate to the house, but only 10 steps away. I have got a workshop in there for all my building equipment and things. I’ve got boat storage, a gym, all my toys and wine-making gear there. There’s a nice lean-to off to the side and I sit there and have a cup of tea. There’s a sink and a toilet in the shed, so I could move out there! The grandkids like playing chess outside. That’s fantastic.
ANN
The family is close to this area, too. We’ve got four children and nine grandkids and they’re all around about 20 minutes to half an hour away.
BLAKE
All the grandkids play sport in this area, so we wanted to be around to go and support them. We’re getting too old to run a farm like we had in Whenuapai. We decided to find somewhere without close neighbours, with a bit of space around it, which was still semi-rural. We were fortunate to find this place.
BLAKE
I was relieved! We moved in without any hassles and everything worked.
ANN
I was elated when we first moved in. We felt like we were part of the process and seeing it all come together was amazing. When you put all your things in it, you make it your home. It feels really, really good.
ANN
Stick to the budget completely is my advice from my background as a credit controller in the banking industry. If you can pull something out or change something other than the design or the size, like something you can add later, do that. There are always going to be unforeseen things, so you probably need a little bit of wiggle room but really look at your plan.
Know what you really want, and what you need, and work from there. You’ve just got to be prepared to compromise, to get the right house in the right place. The show home has a fantastic kitchen, but that might be out of your budget, so you’ve got to be prepared to get something that looks just as good or works for you and stay within your budget.
BLAKE
From my point of view, do your homework, consider the builder and make sure your paperwork is right – your building contract, your plans, your specifications. Stay calm if there are any issues but just make sure you’ve got a trustworthy, competent building company like Generation. And stay away from home shows! Those gadgets and lighting aren’t necessary.
