An hour’sdrive south of Melbourne, the coastal suburbof Mount Martha is known for nature reservesthat are rich with wildlife and a sandy shorelinedotted with colourful beach huts.The area’s attractions led Hannah and TaylorMcGrath to buy a 1940s house near to the beach.‘Mount Martha is less built up than where wewere living and feels much closer to nature,’ says Hannah.
With a clear idea of the family homethey wanted, the couple intended to demolishthe dilapidated property and build a new home.Hannah and Taylor, who are both 30, juggle theirrespective careers as a teacher and the owner ofa concrete construction company with raising their three young children, Zahli, six, Layla,four and Leni, two.Though taking on a self-build project whilemanaging such busy lives was a challenge, thecouple had an advantage. ‘As I run my owncompany, my hours are fairly flexible,’ Taylorexplains. ‘I was able to shuffle my workload forsite meetings and set aside time to run the project.’A building design studio with a goodunderstanding of local planning regulationsprepared the drawings of the house. ‘We didn’twant to propose something that would getstuck in the system for two years,’ says Taylor.Sloping downwards away from the road,the topography of the site had a big influenceon the form of the house.
The front – witha garage, entrance hallway and en-suite guestroom – is single storey. A two-storey centralsection includes Hannah and Taylor’s bedroomon the first floor, behind which is a double-heightkitchen, dining room and living area. ‘This isthe heart of our home. I rarely spend timeanywhere else,’ says Hannah.The couple wanted a pale-coloured steelroof to match the white weather-boarded exterior,but were concerned the planning departmentwould object. To pre-empt rejection, the studiosubmitted drone footage showing several similarrooftops in the neighbourhood. Their initiative paid off, and permission for the project was granted in just two months. From this point onwards, Taylor took charge of the early stages of the build. He re-landscaped the site to create two levels, poured a concrete slab foundation and excavated the ground for a pool. ‘I worked on the house in the evenings and at weekends,’ he explains. ‘My dad came out of retirement to help.’ Once the groundwork was complete, Taylor handed over to specialist trades and took on the role of project manager. Apart from an unforeseen problem with the site’s drainage, requiring extra pipework to be laid to cope with heavy rainfall, the construction went without a hitch.
Taylor puts this down to his measured approach to hiring contractors. ‘I chose people who had a good reputation and an excellent quality of work,’ he says. ‘I didn’t go with the cheapest quotes. We were willing to listen to those who knew more than us.’ Hannah took the lead when it came to the interior schemes. ‘Everything had to be pale, coastal and relaxed. I want us to feel as though we’re on holiday every day.’ The couple look back without regret on the experience of turning a plot with potential into their family home. ‘I’d be lying if I said there weren’t tears and sleepless nights along the way,’ says Hannah. ‘But this house is perfect for us.
IN BRIEF :
- A TYPE OF PROPERTY Two-storey self-build
- BEDROOMS 4 PROJECT
- IZE 391sqm
- LAND COST Around £687,000
- BUILD COST Around £577,000
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