This small two bedroom studio in rural Te Awamutu is positioned perfectly amongst the native shrubs, it almost looks as if the house has been there all along. Of course the owner of this Ridgeline Homes property is an avid gardener, who did all of the plantings herself, and the studio is just the first stage of a larger house project which both Ridgeline Homes and the owner are excited to get underway. Ridgeline Homes is proudly owned by Te Awamutu natives Paul Diack and Matt Fookes, both started with the company as apprentices, and now co-own it and run a team of nine builders.
This longevity with the company and with two families running one business is also about sustainability, with both wives – Deb and Meghan in charge of accounts and social media. Both Paul and Matt bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to every project, and also enjoy one off builds, as well as renovations and extensions.
They take great pride in working for their community, for today and for tomorrow, and play a big part in the local Te Awamutu schools, with Paul being board chairman of a local primary school. They place importance on creating sustainable eco-efficient housing. They aspire to work with each client to help minimize waste in all their projects through careful planning and material choices. Their eco-friendly options provide warmer/drier and more cost effective houses to live in.
The outside of this small studio is made from a mixture of blockwork and Triclad weatherboard, with views over stunning Kakepuku Mountain and rolling farmland. Inside the studio, an extra long kitchen benchtop doubles as a working space, while looking out over the surrounding landscape, and Ikea vintage lights finish the scene in this Customtone Kitchen from Otorohanga.
The second bedroom is also set up as a place to unwind with a day bed included in the space. Ridgeline Homes also specialise in house and land packages, but with a slight difference, in that they are all totally personalised. “We customise them for the customer.” Paul said being more customer focused they have found goes a really long way, “and at the end of the day they enjoy being part of what is quite often their dream home or project,” he said.
The team will carry out much of the building work itself and keep things ‘in house,’ such as the gib fixing – and will prep the floor slab, but get the experts in to pour the concrete and also put the roof on. “This all means that the work we do is kept at a high quality which is to our standards,” Paul said.