Wynter View – Development

2019 was a year we’ll never forget.

It was the year we took on one of our biggest challenges to date: building our first house from the ground up.

At the time, our daughter Wynter was just three months old. Alongside managing a new-build project, we were also planning our wedding, adjusting to life as first-time parents, and Josh was working full-time. To say life was busy would be an understatement.

Despite the chaos, we were excited about the opportunity to create a family home that was truly our own.

Much of Lauren’s maternity leave alongside Josh was spent on-site, coordinating trades, making design decisions, choosing finishes, managing budgets, and solving the many challenges that naturally arise during a construction project. Evenings and weekends quickly became dedicated to the build, with every spare moment focused on keeping the project moving forward.

As with any development, there were obstacles along the way. Timelines shifted, unexpected issues arose, and there were moments when the finish line felt a long way off. However, we remained focused on our goal: to move into our new home before Wynter’s first birthday in December 2019.

That goal became our motivation throughout the project.

After months of planning, decision-making and hard work, we achieved exactly what we had set out to do. We moved into our new home just in time to celebrate Wynter’s first birthday there—a milestone that made all the effort worthwhile.

Little did we know that only a few months later the world would change dramatically with the arrival of COVID-19. Looking back, we’re incredibly grateful that we had completed the build and settled into our new home when we did.

Of course, no project would be complete without a few extra team members. Our miniature dachshund, Darren, took his role very seriously, regularly visiting the site in his hi-vis jacket and carrying out his own quality inspections. Whether the trades appreciated his supervision is another matter!

Building our first home taught us so much more than construction. It gave us first-hand experience of the planning process, project management, budgeting, coordinating multiple trades, and making hundreds of decisions while keeping the bigger picture in mind.

Most importantly, it reinforced something we still believe today: with the right vision, determination and persistence, even the most ambitious projects can become a reality.

Looking back, we’re incredibly proud of what we achieved during that year. It remains one of the most rewarding projects we’ve undertaken and a milestone that holds special memories for our family.