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REVIEW: There is a beautiful story at the beginning of this. Grand Designs NZ episode – Joseph and Sooz Hardie used to jump over the fence with a bottle of bubbles to sit outside an old cliff top bach in Piha.
They would enjoy the view and pretend it was theirs. And then lo and behold, the bach hit the market and became their home. (Look, dreams can come true).
Six years later it was demolished to build a better one on the “dangerously steep site”. This time, the living areas will be on the lower level, so there will be a flow into the landscape, because Sooz says the old house felt more like an apartment, with no connection to the “whenua.”
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Joseph and Sooz Hardie demolished an old bach that was their first home to build a stunning contemporary home high on Piha Beach. They are pictured with Grand Designs NZ host Chris Moller (right).
They will also use natural raw materials that capture the “aesthetic of the wild west coast.” And they plan an incredible outdoor entertaining area, with an Argentine barbecue for Joseph (who loves to hunt), an outdoor kitchen, and an infinity pool. So far, great.
READ MORE:
* Grand Designs NZ – Massive construction inserts $ 6 million penthouse into former Farmers tearooms
* Grand Designs UK – Ambitious lighthouse construction is a massive failure that ruins a marriage
* Grand Designs NZ host Chris Moller says we need to take our homes more seriously
And the budget? $ 1.3 million – They have a successful business and careers behind them that give them confidence, but we’ve seen enough Great designs shows to know that this doesn’t seem close enough.
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The house cantilevers out into view, below road level.
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The entire project froze for many months after costs skyrocketed, with final spending approaching $ 2 million.
A local Maori elder performs a karakia to honor the importance of the moment the project begins, helping Sooz of Ngāti Porou descent to feel better about it. Because she’s already finding it a bit overwhelming. (But wait, there’s more of that to come.)
Architect Hamish Gunns admits there is concern that what they are planning is “on the edge.” That’s real, this is swing at its best. It is more “off limits”. But that’s what we love about this show. Go ahead.
We see a lot of problems with concrete spills Great designsEven once, a homeowner almost lost his sight, and there are also problems with this downhill spill, when a pipe becomes blocked. Fortunately, no one is seriously injured.
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The couple refused to compromise their outdoor entertainment area with infinity pools and a spa.
But these constructions have to do with both people and houses. This couple and their two children have many interests. Sooz loves to ride horses and the family is involved with the community (volunteer firefighter and children’s surf coach). Also, they are all musicians. Sooz sings with a new punk band. Joseph is a guitarist and songwriter, and the kids play instruments too, so they are building a dedicated music room in the house.
Builder Al acknowledges that Sooz is a force of nature, “representing more or less the west coast, quite wild.”
And during this construction, the wild west coast generates the worst storm in 40 years or more; It’s so bad that Al is hanging there on his crane in the middle of the night. The light has failed for days.
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There is an outdoor kitchen with Argentine barbecue and draft beer.
The frame goes up and, boy, this is not a small house. We can see where $ 1.3 million is going. Oh, and there’s a $ 70,000 kitchen to come. And the couple is commissioning a custom lighted leather handrail.
‘FUCKING’
Expenses accumulate. “We have these moments,” says Joseph. “One of us will go crazy and another will not go crazy. Luckily, we didn’t both get scared on the same day. One thing I’m learning about Sooz is that it can spend money very quickly. “
This is the downside of great design, for sure.
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The ceiling and one wall in the open-plan living room are wrapped in rugged macrocarpa.
Sooz starts to change things, which always costs money. So what can they withdraw? Spending is targeting $ 1.5 million and there are nights of sleep. But to hell with the savings. They shout over the roof: the biggest the builders have ever seen and the biggest Piha has ever seen. OK.
They decide to suspend the pool and the outdoor seating area, because something has to give. And that was the part of the house they most expected.
‘NOBODY IS GOING TO GIVE US THIS HOUSE’
The proposed completion date passes, but the house is not finished.
“I think we underestimate how expensive it is to build a house,” says Joseph. “I told Sooz, no one is going to give us this house. We are going to have to fight for it ”.
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And this is the $ 70,000 kitchen, which features black stone reminiscent of the iron sand of the west coast.
Then comes the crisis: all construction is put on hold. Builder Al is not happy. Everything is a bit emotional.
“You are not a failure,” Joseph tells Sooz in a bittersweet moment, as we watch the family frolicking under a (idyllic) waterfall.
AND WHAT ABOUT THOSE ‘EXTRAS’?
Eighteen months later, host Chris Moller is back for the big reveal. They have finally finished. And the house is as impressive as the phenomenal view.
There are many elements of texture: a serrated macrocarp roof wrapping around one wall, an organic paint finish, and a black stone countertop and backsplash reminiscent of the black sand of the West Coast.
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The house is positioned to maximize both the view and the sun.
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And this is the view with which the family wakes up.
And then there’s the outdoor living room, complete with Joseph’s Argentine BBQ and home-brewed beer on tap. The spa and infinity pool are in place. And it is magical. What is there not to love about this house?
The couple can lie in bed in the morning and look directly at Lion Rock and North Piha. Even the children’s rooms have great views: Will can check the waves before he even gets out of bed, and Madeline-Jane’s room is every girl’s dream.
They did, but at what cost in terms of stress? We know they blew the budget, spending around $ 2 million. They are a bit shy about giving a real number, but the cost almost doubled and the stress still shows. We wonder if it wasn’t filmed for Great designsWould they have pushed so hard for all the extras?
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All bedrooms have sea views from the beds.
Let’s hope they stay in their “house forever”; We don’t want to see this on the market anytime soon, because we’ve seen it before.
Of course, if you are going to jump over the fence with a bottle of champagne, what better place to enjoy it? You will probably receive a great welcome.
Grand Designs NZ is on display at Three on Mondays at 7:30 pm
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The bathrooms also feature natural materials.
