A STONE'S THROW

This coastal holiday retreat proves how sometimes a new build can tick more boxes than a renovation

- VICTORIA KINGSBURY

For their ninth dream home, building and design duo, Sarah and Heather of Oak & Orange landed on the NSW Central Coast.

Sarah and her builder husband, also part of the Oak & Orange team, embarked on a knockdown rebuild in beachside suburb Norah Head, to create a stylish coastal family retreat. Here, Sarah shares her building journey, expertise, insights, design inspiration, products and materials.

WHY CHOOSE A NEW BUILD?

The team replaced an outdated threebedroom red brick house with a modern coastal home. Sarah and her husband chose to build new for complete design control, cost predictability, and a full seven-year builder's warranty. The prime location - just 400 metres from the beach, close to cafes, parks, and only a 1.5 hour drive to Sydney was a key attraction. "Building new allowed for custom design flexibility, modern finishes, energy efficiency, greater resale appeal and cost predictability," says Sarah. "Renovations can uncover hidden problems that quickly blow the budget.

A new build provided much more clarity and control over costs from the outset." The couple wanted to design the home for both family enjoyment and also future resale, featuring luxury touches like rearyard access and a wine room.

PLANNING MAKES PERFECT

Work started on 'Mariote 45' long before a shovel hit the ground.

"We kicked things off with a mood board to define the look and feel we wanted - this helped guide our selections and kept the style cohesive throughout," explains Sarah. "We also used our New Home Planner to stay organised and track everything from finishes to supplier contacts." The project navigated a DA process, with Better Built Homes overseeing all the technical requirements.