A CONVERSATION WITH WINSTON HILLS HOUSE CLIENTS, SHANNON, ABHISHEK AND THEIR FAMILY AMERICAN POCKET BULLY DOG MOLLY.

What obstacles that would have stopped you from electing to go with an architect? If there was any? Did you have any doubts?

Both: None really.

Shannon: The reason we to work with an architect wanted something that was personal to us.

Abhishek: That’s exactly correct.

Shannon: We wanted to work with someone that could help us realise our vision. To help coach us through that really. We didn’t want us out of the box solution. We wanted something individual – something to reflect our personality

Abhishek: And somewhere we can live out the rest of our lives.

How did you know that would come from using an architect?

Shannon: I know a few architects. What I have always observed about them is their passion for design and function and the two meeting. That’s what made me aware that potentially that was the right person to partner with to realise this dream.

I am also a very big believer in using subject matter experts in order to realise an outcome.

For example:

Weight loss or nutrition – dietician

Design a house – architect.

It just made sense.

So there was never any doubt?

Both: No

Abhishek: Because we wanted something that was our own not an out of the box solution that is always where we were heading.  

Shannon: If is funny how we didn’t consciously do it. It felt natural.

Abhishek: We knew what we liked and didn’t like.

If that was maybe more a macro question what about the micro – were there any obstacles leading to full services including working with the builder?

Abhishek: For use because we such intense roles in and high-pressure jobs I knew I wouldn’t have the mental capacity to see this through.

Shannon: I come from a project management background and I know that to realise an outcome you need to have someone who has an understanding of all the balls that will be in the air at one time and know how to best schedule them and get them organised in a way that delivers an outcome. And understand all the interdependencies that was important and that we are so busy we don’t have that capacity to take on the additional role. To me I see value in getting someone to help with that.

What did you find as a result of engaging an architect? Did it meet expectations?

Shannon: It exceeded expectations in the sense that I think from that very first concept design presentation I felt like a not only had we been listened to but we had also been understood.

Abhishek: You understood what was important in our lives in the questions you asked and you delved into that to make that the design and that what was what you were looking at. That was what was a big thing for me.  

Were you expecting that?

Both: No.

That is interesting you were confident that it was going to be an architect but you weren’t necessarily confident it was going to be as specific as it was.

Both: No, that’s right.

What specific parts of the service have you liked the most so far?

Abhishek: I think for me because we knew you there was that personal trust.

Shannon: On top of the personal trust from knowing you the communication has been the right level. I know if you are contacting me about something it is because you either need action or you want to check that you are on the right track.

We quickly established that additional layer of trust because I felt comfortable you were consulting with us when you were just needed to know we were across it – I felt like you weren’t making decisions for us. You were very clear on what things you could proceed with us vs what things you needed to make us aware of or what things you needed us to sign off on.

Interesting – I like to explain everything from the ground up so as to make sure clients know and own everything so that when a friend comes round  you can explain it and sometimes the balance between knowing whether I go too far or not far enough is interesting.

Shannon: Well, you can’t assume things. Yes, sometimes going through the detail can be a lot sometimes but at the same time if you didn’t do that, we wouldn’t be aware of it. We don’t know what we need to be aware of or not.

Abhishek: Sometimes there is a lot to take in but I have that level of trust knowing you will point us in the right direction.

Molly: “WOOF”

We have to factor in that additional comment.  

Shannon: Yes, Molly agrees.

What would 2 or 3 benefits to the service?

Both: The response is specific, communication is clear.

Abhishek: Yes – there is trust.

Shannon: I know things are keeping on track.

Has it been fun?!

Shannon: Yes, we have enjoyed it!

Abhishek: Yes – I think your personality adds an extra touch for us. That quirky touch.

I mean there is rapport from years past but that is something I do try to bring in.

Shannon: But even if we didn’t know you and we were working with you I feel like you are very good at building that rapport and I feel like that really helps when there is difficult discussions or decisions to be made.

Abhishek: You have good nature.

I feel like you have probably already answered this in a way but would you recommend the service to someone else?

Abhishek: I think you already have that answer.

Shannon: 100%

Are there any final points you want to add.

Shannon: For me the whole idea of working with an architect was so that we could have something of ours that reflects our personality and can accommodate the life we have and want for ourselves in the future. But also, I wanted a stranger to be able to drive past this house and just go wow – that is cool. Like when you have got your own personal sense of style of style. We just wanted our personality to be reflected in where we live and spend the majority of our time. Especially now that we work from home – it became even more important to get this environmental right for us.

Abhishek: And for us this will be the “rest of our lives” house and things during the design evolved. Like even we first said something that didn’t say two studies but that became such an important part of our lives.

On that note how long between thinking about it and actioning it? What point did you say we would like to look at this? Was the gap small? Had you been talking about it for years.

Shannon: We hadn’t been talking about it for years.

Abhishek: We had to redo our bathroom and laundry.

Shannon: We had to make an urgent decision around that given that we were about to fall through the shower.

LAUGHS

Shannon: So that kind of got us into action there. And then once we did that it the change it made on how I felt about my daily life was unbelievable. I realised how important it was to keep going and get the rest of the house sorted.  

Abhishek: But then it was after that it was a no brainer; we did those and we liked those so let’s get the rest of the house done.

So, if there wasn’t that physical impracticality that triggered you to do something about it this could have been a long time coming?

Shannon: We could have drawn it out for years. Or we may have ended up…..

Abhishek: Doing a knock down rebuild.

Shannon: I don’t know. I have a friend that recently did a knock down rebuild and built a house more from a boutique (project) home place. I asked her how did she make that decision. I asked if they considered an architect.

Abhishek: She did see an architect first.

Shannon: Yeah, she did but what was important to us possibly wasn’t important to them. It is a practical space and definitely they are happy but I go there and feel like I could be anywhere.

I love to hear you say that because I was engaged by someone who had gone down a project home design route. When they engaged me the biggest point of difference is that they noticed how I was hell bent on making the design specific to that place.

Shannon: My other big thing is that natural light is extremely important to me. Natural lighting and your residence, it is important for that to be specific to exactly where you are. I felt like an architect could best bring that to the project as well.

Not to throw shade on project home designs (bad pun) but that is not their focus. They are more looking at size and space and number of rooms.

Shannon: Yes, and I also wanted that flexibility of choice – to not have stock standard things. To have flexibility as to with what goes into the house as well as the design of the house.

Abhishek: Like the materials.

One of the things that makes project homes cost effective is the buying power they have from suppliers which presumes you select from this group of materials or fittings fixtures and materials and if you are not into that it’s not an option.

Shannon: For me I understand that for some people cost is a big factor but I have always recognised the value of quality over….

Abhishek: Quantity

Shannon: Yes, and over cost

Abhishek: To a point

Shannon: Yes, to a point and having that flexibility helps me choose the things that I want to spend the money on.