Artarmon

Project Overview

This Californian bungalow has been transformed into an urban sanctuary. The pathway leading to the home feels like a leisurely afternoon stroll, and the pace invokes a ‘slowing down’, reminiscent of the kicked back relaxed vibes of a Californian summer. Modern kitchen, dining and bathrooms refresh the palette, and create a canvas for the outdoor entertainment area to shine from.

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Client insight

Paul and Jen had the unique opportunity of watching the unfolding of a full renovation project with Yakka Build, when their next door neighbours decided to renovate. It was a combination of the little things, like the team taking their empty coffee cups with them at the end of the day and keeping the area so clean, and the bigger things, such as their ethics, the way they worked together and the way they ran the site, which all made a lasting impression.

“We didn’t actually go to tender, we were so impressed with the quality of Yakka’s work that we got in touch and said we just wanted them. We’d seen the quality of their work and how they managed a project when they were building for our neighbours. It felt like we almost got to experience the whole renovation process before going through it ourselves. We’d see their team every morning as we were about to take the kids to school, they were always friendly and professional.

We actually bought our place before having kids, and as our family grew we realised we needed to make the house more liveable and make better use of the space. We weren’t 100% sure what we wanted or needed as we hadn’t done it before. A lot of people we’d spoken to who had experienced a renovation, had finished things not on great terms with their builder.

With Yakka we felt an affinity with the team, they’re good humans. We could have really open and honest discussions and it always felt like they were focused on solutions. It felt like we were in a partnership with Yakka Build.

We felt incredibly comfortable with the boys and their costings, it was all very honest and transparent. The end result was actually only 2 or 3% more than what we were quoted, which is unheard of in this industry.

There’s also the translation of ideas from architects, into the actual design that builders put into implementation. Architects can have amazing ideas that, in reality, are expensive and difficult to execute. We wanted something that suited our family and our personalities, and that was within our budget. Working with a builder who understands the aesthetics of a finished design as well as the practicality of usable space is so valuable, and the Yakka team really talked us through the considerations of our design. They understood what we wanted to achieve.

Whenever the guys called with an update or a decision for us to make, we felt like they’d already thought things through on our behalf and arrived at one or more well thought out and considered solutions.

The best advice we could give is to find a builder that has great communication skills. You’ll have to have a lot of conversations with them, so there needs to be trust and you need to feel heard by your building team. Find a builder that has your best interests at heart. We always felt like Yakka Build had our best interest at heart.

We actually still remember calling Yakka Build about 4 years after the renovation, for advice on a small job that wasn’t anything to do with their actual build. We just thought they’d give us advice. They made time to come over just a couple of hours later to check it out. That is definitely not typical in the building industry, that’s extraordinary.

To anyone who has ever asked us, we always say the people you need to speak to are the Yakka Build team”.

– Paul and Jen

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