Neale and Margaret

Waikato

It is with much pleasure that we can now supply a summary of our building experience with Joe & Shelley from Fowler Homes, Cambridge.

In Jan 2019 we sold our existing home in Tamahere with the intention of building a new home on the section we had acquired in Roto - o - Rangi on the outskirts of Cambridge. The plan was to build a large shed and incorporate a 2 bedroom unit into it which we would live in whilst our new home was constructed.

Waikato Sheds provided a package which included the design and construction of the shed and unit and we moved in once this was completed.

We were now ready to focus on the house, but the trouble was, we did not know any of the builders around Cambridge. I consulted a work colleague who had recently completed a very upmarket home and had contracted Fowler Homes to build their extraordinary dwelling, to see how the project went.

My colleague had nothing but praise for Joe and Shelley and when asked would they use them again the reply was, "in a heartbeat"

That recommendation was good enough for us and we duly arranged to meet Joe & Shelley, and as a consequence of that meeting, we came on board with Fowler Homes.

It was evident right from the start that Joe and Shelley would be easy to get along with and that they had a passion for not just building, but doing a great job. First, we had to get a design done to suit our section. We met with Joe & Shelley's architect who listened to our ideas that we would like incorporated into the home if possible.

We were amazed at what came back to us for consideration, hardly any changes were required before the design was complete and ready to go.

Something that Joe & Shelley hammered into us right from the start was that they only wanted to use skilled tradespeople who they trusted and were consistent with their skill level. We were further reminded that this could mean having to wait for a certain tradesperson to be available.

While this was a little frustrating at times, we are so pleased that Joe & Shelley stuck to their guns because the end product may not have been quite what it is if we had opted to change Joe's recommendations.

Into this mix we have to throw Covid restrictions and building material supply shortages. All builders of course had this to put up with but Joe & Shelley's team managed to work within these parameters and kept the job going.

I won't name every trade that was involved in our project but of particular note were the site manager, concrete contractors, stonemason, electricians, joinery supply, sound system supply and install, Kerryn with the interior deco (amazing) and a host of others plus  a very special mention to the well above average professional paint job provided by Joe's brother Daniel, who has won many awards for his master painting expertise.

 

Joe & Shelley also went out of their way to assist with many elements of the build which were not part of the contract, freely offering advice and in many cases, doing some research on our behalf.

On Feb 6th 2021 we moved into our new home. This was now the real test to see if we had achieved a satisfactory result and actually liked living in the home!!

Every day now we are aware of the quality that has gone into this build, and the reasons behind why Joe & Shelley were so particular about who did the work.

The functionality of the home is perfect for us and once the landscaping is completed, we feel the total presentation will be a pleasure to be part of and living here will be a bonus!

On behalf of Margaret & myself, we would like to express our thanks for the great job you have done for us and should you wish to show a prospective client an example of your work, we would be happy for them to visit.

 

Regards
Neale & Margaret