Stand Out Modern Home

“We were both Uni students down here, so we knew what those old houses felt like in winter. We wanted to live in a new home, that would keep us all warm and dry throughout the year.”

When Mark and Hannah Teviotdale returned to Dunedin from their OE, they had clear ideas about the type of home they wanted to live in to raise their young family. Finding an affordable new home in Dunedin proved a challenge for the enterprising couple, so they embarked on the great Kiwi dream of building their own. They purchased a section in nearby Mosgiel, and set about designing a home that would meet their needs, as well as their budget. That’s when Hardie™ cladding caught their eye.

"We did lots of looking around, and really liked the look of Stria™ Cladding. The bigger, wider sheets have fewer lines. Linea™ Weatherboard complements it nicely; the two work very well together.”

Having found cladding that would look good on their home, the question was how it would look on their bottom line. “James Hardie stacked up surprisingly well alongside other materials - and because it’s low maintenance you also save over time." Employing Mark’s father as a project manager, the house build became a family affair, and one that all went according to plan. “Dad liased with the local James Hardie rep, who kept an eye on progress and offered plenty of guidance. He had lots of offcuts in different colours, which made it easier to settle on a colour scheme that we really liked."

Low maintenance

Mark and Hannah couldn’t be happier with how their new home has turned out. “We love the way our home looks, and how it stands out from other new houses on the street. We each had things we wanted our new home to deliver; a great look, indoor outdoor flow, family friendly, and warm and cozy.”

Not only does the cladding stand up to the critical eye, it’s also standing up to the extremes of the local climate. “We’ve had plenty of snow here in winter, and in summer it’s been up in the high 20’s. The cladding still looks and behaves like new. We have a dry, well-insulated home that doesn’t need any maintenance besides the occasional hosing down. We have enough on our hands with two small kids! We’re really stoked we backed ourselves and built the home we wanted.”