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00:02There's something deeply alluring about the thought of building your own private hideaway
00:07on a beautiful island. Far removed from the pace and pressure of modern life, peace and quiet,
00:18broken only by the occasional bird song and the lulling sound of waves lapping on the shore.
00:27Perhaps it relates to a primal part of us that craves a Robinson Crusoe-esque experience,
00:34living in harmony with nature, cut free from societal demands. But then again,
00:42island life has a habit of testing that romantic vision. Isolation, complex logistics,
00:50exposure to maritime weather, storms. And that could cause even the most ardently held
00:59paradise island dream to be dashed.
01:3150 Ks north of Auckland.
01:33Rising from the sparkling waters of the whole Raki Gulf is Karwo Island.
01:42This 5,000 acre oasis has almost no roads, very little infrastructure and a permanent population of just 80 people.
01:53You can lead the way, Charlie Brown.
01:55So only those with determination and a true passion for this place would entertain the notion of building here.
02:03Wow. Good throw, Charlie.
02:05Auckland couple Rita and Alistair, along with daughter Charlie, are about to do just that.
02:12Can you see any unicorn horns?
02:14Yeah.
02:15Your blood pressure starts dropping before you even get here.
02:18And once you're here, it was literally like 50 years back in time.
02:21It's not for everybody.
02:23Keep it, I've got to crack it open.
02:26Okay.
02:27For Charlie to have the opportunity to connect with nature and all these simple things in life,
02:33it's a great way for her to grow up.
02:38This place will be a tranquil retreat from their busy lives in Auckland.
02:45Rita and Alistair both work in real estate, which is how they first met.
02:50Rita almost drove into me in the car park at work, was the first encounter.
02:57And the second encounter was on the staircase.
03:00And I leaned over to say hello and she completely ignored me and walked past.
03:08Fortunately, that promising start didn't stand in the way of love.
03:13We make a very good team, actually.
03:16I'm very practical.
03:18Very good on the tools, as our Rita.
03:20I'm a bit clumsy.
03:23Their teamwork was put to the test when they renovated the Georgian-style villa they bought 10 years ago.
03:30It was huge, well above our skill set.
03:37They tackled a lot of the work themselves and it took six years to complete.
03:42We're still together.
03:44Yeah.
03:45And we are about to walk into our next adventure.
03:51But initially, another house project was not an adventure Alistair was eager to walk into.
03:58We gave her a bit of a budget, which I thought she'd never achieve for a site.
04:02It was very stingy.
04:03And it had to have the million dollar view and access to water and it had to tick all the
04:09boxes.
04:09And we accidentally sort of came across something wonderful.
04:12And lo and behold, it was well within budget.
04:16So I was in whether I liked it or not.
04:19I was thinking, oh, you're not getting out of this.
04:22Yeah.
04:23I gotcha.
04:39This is an appropriately adventurous driveway, steep and full of switchbacks.
04:44I hope the juice is worth the squeeze.
04:52After what feels like a never-ending climb, I can now see why Rita and Alistair chose this spot.
05:02Ah, look at this.
05:03Yeah, the view opens up quite nicely, doesn't it?
05:05Yes, I love it.
05:07It's right on the ridgeline.
05:09Even these kanuka here, you're going to be above them.
05:11That's right.
05:12Uninterrupted views.
05:12Mm-hmm.
05:13Big part of buying the site was what we're going to catch out there, hopefully.
05:17Yeah, you need a long rod from here, but you can get down to the water, though, can you?
05:20Yeah, it's a five-minute walk that way.
05:22So I imagine a big picture window there looking out and you sitting behind it watching Alistair
05:27probably on the water.
05:28That's right.
05:29That's right.
05:29Did you catch dinner?
05:31I bet have.
05:32With this steep island site, Rita and Alistair have opted for a pragmatic, paired-back design.
05:40Fifty-six piles anchor the house down and prefabricated steel forms the framing because it's lighter
05:47and cheaper to chop it over than timber.
05:49The house is just 100 square meters, but it packs in a lot.
05:56The master bedroom, complete with en suite, Charlie's room next door, and a guest room,
06:02which adjoins the bathroom.
06:03There's even a small but perfectly formed laundry.
06:07The home then opens out to encompass a kitchen and dining area and a cozy living space centered
06:15around a wood-burning stove.
06:17As a counter to the elegantly restrained interior, Rita's designed a bold plywood ceiling.
06:24Outside, a very roomy wraparound deck doubles the size of the house, and thermally modified
06:31pine cladding that will silver off attunes this simple but beautifully crafted retreat
06:37to its unspoiled island setting.
06:42Wow, this is quite a project.
06:44Yeah.
06:44Yes, it will be.
06:45How do you build here?
06:46That's a big question, the how.
06:49Most of the issues are around logistics, getting things here.
06:53So how do you get stuff here?
06:55A combination of barge and helicopter.
06:58Nothing on the island, right?
06:59There's nowhere to buy anything.
07:01No.
07:02So somebody has to be super organized.
07:05They do, and it's Rita.
07:06No pressure.
07:07So you're taking the reins.
07:09You're project managing.
07:10I am.
07:10I am to my best abilities.
07:15What will you spend on this ideally?
07:18We are currently at 495.
07:21So contingency, probably, what, 20%.
07:25We'll see.
07:26Oh, that's including accommodation cost.
07:29Okay.
07:30So your builders will be living on the island?
07:32Monday to Friday.
07:33Monday to Friday.
07:34When do you finish it?
07:36I'd like to think that we will be having a conversation on the deck by late August next year.
07:44Okay.
07:44I'll wish you luck.
07:46Hopefully it goes like that, and we'll be here looking out on a beautiful day on the island.
07:51Watching Alistair catching dinner.
07:54Oh, yeah.
07:54He won't be with us.
07:55No.
08:00Forget for a moment the practicalities of life, and allow your inner child to dream a bit.
08:06Where would you build a house?
08:08Where would you build a house?
08:09Well, it might very well be on a beautiful island.
08:13On the best spot on the top of a hill, surrounded only by nature.
08:17But let's think about those practicalities, shall we?
08:20Because here we've got barges and helicopters, 56 piles, steep hills, weather windows, importing your own builders.
08:28Stacks up, doesn't it?
08:29And you might start to default to something a bit more mundane and suburban.
08:35But Rita and Alistair aren't, are they?
08:38They're going to live that dream, and however it turns out, it's going to be a real adventure.
08:51And on a beautiful spring morning, that adventure begins.
08:57A barge has set off carrying 16 tons worth of building materials for the foundations of Alistair and Rita's house.
09:06It's huge. It's huge. Like, I have a big lump in my stomach, and I'm literally shaking.
09:13Because access to the build site is so steep, the entire load must be lifted from the barge to site
09:20by helicopter.
09:22And Rita has coordinated the entire operation.
09:26It's excitement and a bit of nervousness going into the unknown, that how, how is this going to pan out?
09:37This hall includes those 56 foundation piles, and they're pretty hefty, some as much as seven meters long.
09:57Yay!
10:01There are 36 loads to shift, and the chopper costs $4,000 an hour.
10:07I'm not surprised Rita's feeling a little nervous.
10:11I'm timing him.
10:14These guys have allocated 70 grand for transportation for the entire build.
10:23Barge and chopper hire today alone will cost $11,000.
10:28I hope they haven't underestimated just how much it takes to build on this island.
10:35The good thing is, everything has gone without a hitch.
10:39That was very exciting to watch, honestly.
10:43And I'm so grateful for this beautiful weather.
10:46I couldn't have wished for a better day.
10:51Now materials have arrived, so have the builders, who'll be staying on the island not far from sight.
10:58It'll just be full on every week.
11:01Any hardware we need, we can't just race out and get it.
11:03We've had to pre-think everything before we got here.
11:06But the guys do appreciate the plus sides to this unique project.
11:11The location, you just can't beat it.
11:14Just the scenery is just unreal.
11:16Bird life's amazing.
11:18Absolutely incredible.
11:19You just don't get this in town.
11:21I've already made a friend.
11:23He wandered in to check out our sandwiches.
11:29Getting that first delivery to site was a big achievement.
11:32But as project manager, Rita has many more to coordinate, and a myriad of critical decisions to make.
11:41Like, what's the least risky, most cost-effective way to get concrete poured on an island?
11:48It is terrifying.
11:50I feel the pressure of all this decision-making that, am I gonna do it right or not?
11:57Because it could cost a lot if I don't do it right.
12:11On Karwo Island, Rita, Alistair, and Charlie are making their way to site, where the builders have almost finished bracing
12:19the foundation piles into position.
12:23And any moment now, an important delivery is incoming, a 25,000-litre water tank, which, once the house is
12:33built, will be cleverly hidden under the deck.
12:36But that means it must be positioned very close to several of the large pile poles.
12:50The design of Rita and Alistair's house may be simple, but almost nothing about building it is.
13:02It's very snug.
13:14Another tricky chopper delivery successfully accomplished.
13:21But this Friday, a much more complex mission has been scheduled.
13:26Okay, if we're talking anxiety levels, Friday, yes.
13:3020 cubic meters of concrete is to be helicoptered from the mainland to fill the pile holes.
13:37My understanding is there's a hopper that hangs from below the helicopter, roughly about a tonne worth of concrete.
13:44Are we using wheelbarrows, or are we just gonna be hovering over the hole?
13:47The team's checking in with a chopper pilot to discuss logistics.
13:51I need to move it as quick as I can. Pick up a, uh, funnel to slide it.
13:56We're still ironing our details.
13:58Would like a, uh, a flexy, sturdy, plastic hose would work?
14:04Yeah, just anything that can take the weight.
14:06Okay.
14:07All you need is dumping it into wheelbarrows.
14:09As you can see, Rita, uh, is the master planner.
14:14Going high it should be.
14:15She got us into this, she can get us out of it.
14:19There's no turning back now, so I don't have a choice.
14:25One way Rita and Alistair hope to reduce some of the on-site work and cost of this build is
14:31by choosing prefabricated steel framing,
14:33which I'm really interested to see being manufactured here in this family-run Auckland factory.
14:40It labels every piece, they roll through the machine, and then the machine punches out all of the notch outs,
14:46all of the screw holes, the plumbing holes.
14:50Steel is a third lighter than timber framing, so that's a significant cost advantage when you're having to chopper and
14:57barge it all to site.
15:02That's gonna be your building, that roll of steel.
15:05I know.
15:06It's fascinating, really, that a building comes together from that sheet.
15:11It's incredible.
15:14In a matter of seconds, you've got something that complex.
15:21Look at that, it's locked in.
15:22Mmm.
15:23It's just like origami, isn't it?
15:25Yeah, yeah.
15:27And what I also like about it, there is no wastage on site.
15:32Yeah.
15:32And we don't have to worry about any rubbish removal and all that.
15:38Before production for Rita and Alistair's steel began, they already had a clear picture of how the components would all
15:44come together.
15:47This is a great toilet, so this is the skeleton of your house.
15:51That's right.
15:51I'll take you for a walk.
15:53Yeah.
15:54Rita has been right across every aspect of this project from day one.
15:59I did want to be an architect when I was a child, about eight.
16:03I was always building things in the backyard.
16:06Right.
16:07So this is a long-held part of you.
16:10Yes, I guess.
16:12It started early.
16:13Yeah.
16:14Mum never really had the opportunity to support that part for me.
16:18So that kind of just got pushed aside.
16:22But now, it's back.
16:23Well, it seems like I have an opportunity to give in to that desire and enjoy the entire project.
16:31Yeah, and you are?
16:32I am loving it.
16:33Oh, that's great.
16:41The day of the helicopter concrete bore has arrived, and anticipation is running high.
16:51First time I've ever been involved in concrete from a helicopter.
16:58About five k's away on the mainland, Alistair is manning the concrete loading site.
17:05There's just so many moving parts.
17:07We're all a little bit nervous.
17:12One of those moving parts has arrived.
17:17The chopper's going to transport four truckloads of wet concrete to site, which will require 50 trips.
17:27Thunderbirds are go.
17:31ETA of the first concrete bucket is two minutes.
17:33We're positioning ourselves.
17:36I'll see you on the other side.
17:39Sweet as, see you soon.
17:42That's the easy part.
17:44Now they have to get it into the hole.
17:48Oh, what can go wrong?
17:55OK, brace yourself, my bro.
18:00Bring it back! Bring it back!
18:04Dust caused by weeks of hot weather is not making this mission any easier.
18:11It's a bit dusty, mate!
18:14The improvised chute, built by one of the teams, seems to be doing the trick.
18:19Good skills, bro.
18:21It's a trick!
18:24Well, that was a pretty quick turnaround, really, wasn't it?
18:28Very encouraging start.
18:29Oh, well, next hole.
18:31Shall we go to this one, eh?
18:33Yeah.
18:42The chopper's round trip to reload takes just a few minutes, so the guys have to move very quickly.
18:49Oh, crap!
18:59Some of the pile hulls are more difficult to access than others.
19:09But the guys seem to take the challenges in their stride.
19:13Wow!
19:17That one's so quick!
19:19There we go!
19:21Oh, crap!
19:25These guys have just done a fabulous job.
19:28That's just, it's been a real slick operation.
19:31Not too bad.
19:33And, of course, none of it would have happened without the chief planner.
19:38This was the giant part and the most stressful part.
19:42I say that now.
19:44Ask me in a month's time.
19:55On a pristine Kawau Island morning, in the height of summer, Alistair's immersed in an important mission.
20:03We were here about a week ago with the barge, and during the excitement and all the commotion,
20:09a bag of shackles got kicked off the side here, so they're down there.
20:14The shackles belong to the helicopter pilot, and are a vital part of his kit.
20:20Oh, no bites yet.
20:23Alistair's using a recovery magnet that can retrieve items that have fallen into water.
20:29Oh, dear.
20:30No, I'm not having much luck.
20:33It's not looking good.
20:34For an avid fisherman, that's got to be disappointing.
20:41Fortunately, on the build front, there's good news.
20:47It's going really well.
20:48The main thing is the weather's on our side.
20:51It's just all coming together, so real happy.
20:56The subfloor is almost complete, so soon the newly delivered steel framing can start to go up.
21:03It is exciting to come here and see so much work being done, and it's like Christmas.
21:12Something that's been a mixed blessing over the last few weeks has been the consistently high temperatures.
21:18And today's no exception, which gives Alistair an idea.
21:22They're off the end of the wharf here.
21:24Josh, the youngest member of the team, is keen for a cool off.
21:32Maybe he can succeed where Alistair failed.
21:40The shackles may be well and truly buried now.
21:44Can I get down all right?
21:45Yeah.
21:54Oh, my God! You've got them!
21:56Good man!
21:58Oh, my God, that's fantastic.
22:01I was nowhere near with the magnets.
22:03I was nowhere near them.
22:04Good work.
22:10The victory dive.
22:17By early autumn, as predicted, the prefabricated steel framing is coming together very swiftly and is almost complete.
22:28It's amazing.
22:29From a piece of paper, it's here.
22:34It's here.
22:35While this may be a celebratory moment, the realities of building on this island are beginning to hit home.
22:44It's all logistics, and we knew what the issues were going to be, but we didn't know how deep those
22:50issues were going to dive.
22:54Small alterations to the plans have had a knock-on effect for the budget.
22:58And on top of that, the 70 grand allocated for transport is already close to running out.
23:06No matter how you plan and how you budget, there are always things that are out of your hands.
23:14Money is just like really sinking down the hall very quickly.
23:25Of course, Rita and Alistair aren't the first people to have poured energy and resource into creating a special retreat
23:31on Carwo.
23:33This is Mansion House, once the home of Governor Sir George Grey.
23:37Now, Grey was an interesting character, the epitome of a colonial man.
23:41And although his legacy in office was somewhat problematic, it's his endeavors here on the island that we've come to
23:48see.
23:52In 1862, when Grey purchased his Carwo Escape, there was already a more modest brick house here, built for the
24:00manager of a copper mine that had recently closed down.
24:04Now, that wasn't quite good enough for Grey, and so he turned to his private secretary, Frederick Thatcher, who also
24:10happened to be an architect, to create this much larger, grander vision by adding to the original house.
24:17And creating, well, effectively, an English manor house in the South Pacific.
24:26Transporting anything to an island in the 1800s was no small feat, but Grey went to extreme lengths to achieve
24:34his island dream.
24:35Shipping in masses of materials, books and artwork.
24:42And Grey's dream wasn't just limited to the house, he effectively created a mini kingdom here.
24:52Grey stocked the grounds here with amazing exotic plants from all around the world, and equally exotic animals.
24:59Emus, wild hogs, zebras, wallabies, kangaroos, and these guys, peacocks.
25:07Grey overcame huge challenges to realize his extraordinary vision, and over 160 years later, people still come here to marvel
25:16at what he achieved.
25:18Now, Rita and Alistair's Karwa Island project might be slightly less extravagant and eccentric than Grey's, but they've already experienced
25:29some of the strain of constructing on the island that he had to navigate.
25:34Just hope that they get through the challenges that are coming, and their very own version of an island dream
25:43lives up to their expectations.
25:52Just 14 weeks into Rita and Alistair's build, the roof is already on, and the house is really starting to
26:00emerge.
26:01You know what's cool from your bedroom? You have a view.
26:05Today, a big delivery is due.
26:08$50,000 worth of window joinery, which will be helicoptered in, in a crate made by head builder Howard, with
26:14assistance from his son Josh.
26:16This is probably the biggest risk, with all the glass and, and, and, yeah, the value, so if this is,
26:25this goes wrong, yeah.
26:31The precious cargo has just come into view.
26:37That box is, uh, moving around quite a lot.
26:45Howard is a seasoned builder, but his helicopter crate-making skills are untested.
26:54How are you feeling, Howie?
26:56Um, it's spinning.
26:58It, it is spinning.
26:59More than I'd hope.
27:02It's looking like the powerful centrifugal force of the spin is causing the crate walls to start caving in.
27:12I'm shaking inside.
27:18If the crate breaks, it's not just 50 grand of joinery gone.
27:23Having to reorder and fabricate it would send the schedule into freefall.
27:43Oh, good job, Howie, this is one piece.
27:47You can do it, Howie.
27:50That was a lucky escape.
27:53And a pertinent reminder of the risks and challenges that come with an island build like this.
28:06We are not doing this again.
28:16On Carwo, the house is progressing at pace.
28:20Insulation is in, and some of the timber cladding is up.
28:24We could go wider to frame in.
28:26Rita has proved herself as a master organizer on this project,
28:31but it's this finishing stage where she can really express her long-held passion for design.
28:37Over here.
28:37What about the chimney? Where's that going?
28:39Well, it's going to be boxed in.
28:41With a shrinking budget though, my question is, will she have the time, energy and resources to fully realize her
28:49vision?
28:51But a clever designer doesn't let budget constraints get in the way of a great idea.
28:58To reduce waste and create a design feature, she's hatched a plan to use the cladding offcuts to create the
29:06soffites.
29:07The idea then is for your cladding to be seamless as it flows up into the soffit.
29:13That's definitely the idea, to keep it nice, clean lines, all lining up.
29:19The overall design of this house may be straightforward, but I love that Rita's finding ways to elevate it with
29:26this kind of thoughtful detailing.
29:29So I don't want any beading here, ideally.
29:33That's going to be the challenge, so that edge will have to be precise.
29:37I mean, these things are very architectural.
29:39I guess it is my lost calling.
29:44Bringing Rita's concepts to life will be a good challenge for the builders.
29:49Speaking of whom...
29:51So how come sites are quiet today?
29:53Well, we had a bit of a change around.
29:57We do have an allocated budget for this build and we're getting close to the end of it.
30:02So we had to make a hard call, it wasn't easy.
30:06And we had to reduce the number of people on site to be able to keep going.
30:14Gosh, there is a bit to do still, but you've lost labour here.
30:19Yeah, that's right. So it was a very conscious business decision that had to be made.
30:25It was just becoming a bit expensive.
30:27We have quite a few overheads having a team here.
30:31Well, that is quite the bombshell.
30:34They're going to try and finish the house with just one local car woe builder.
30:40That might be a bit of a worry, because the next stage for this is all about the potential,
30:46that thought and consideration being realised in beautiful finishes.
30:51So, yes, the budget might thank them for reducing the build team, but will the house.
31:04Rita and Alistair hope to be finished by late August, but it's already September.
31:09And with an ever-dwindling budget, they're having to find more ways to cut costs.
31:17This morning, two tonnes of finishing materials have arrived.
31:21But this time, there's no chopper in sight.
31:25At the pointy end of the project where the budget's being a little bit stretched,
31:30another helicopter got chopped.
31:32Putting those things together, what?
31:34Instead, Alistair and two helpers are loading them onto vehicles and transporting them up the steep hill,
31:41in conditions that are far from ideal.
31:44It's all heavy, it's all awkward, and it's raining.
31:54OK, no, that's better.
31:56Can you pull this out, please?
31:59Meanwhile, indoors, Rita and Charlie are occupied with their own industrious teamwork,
32:04building cabinetry.
32:07Good.
32:07We're learning together new skills, right? How to figure things out.
32:14And you can also learn from your mistakes.
32:17That's right.
32:18I mean, she's a good working partner.
32:23Rita's maximising storage space and the budget by using off-the-shelf kitchen cabinetry,
32:29which she'll customise and then clad with the same ply being used for the stylish ceiling she's designed.
32:41It's going to be a big job.
32:44Lucky she has an excellent assistant.
32:47Oh.
32:50One day she can look back and, oh, I remember doing this with mum,
32:54when she will be sitting here with her own family.
32:59Everything we do together, I know I'll remember.
33:02You know that, right?
33:04Well, I do now.
33:09Right now, Rita and Alistair are relying on local help for a lot of the build.
33:14But soon that may change.
33:17And it's very likely that we're not going to be able to pay someone to do certain things that we
33:26can do anyway.
33:27We will have to roll our sleeves up to push this through the finish line.
33:32But Rita's managing to put a positive spin on it.
33:37It provides an opportunity for us to bond with the building.
33:41And...
33:42Not with each other, just the building.
33:46I didn't finish my sentence.
33:56Three weeks later, Rita's bonding with the building theory is being put to the test.
34:02Together they're tackling the tricky job of laying the porcelain floor tiles.
34:08Okay, shall I just quickly grind this off?
34:10Your ears!
34:13They've only ever done outdoor paving before.
34:15So they're learning on the job.
34:19The concept is the same, I suppose.
34:21But it's just a finer detail finish.
34:26I'm just having these horror thoughts that you're just going to step on that tire that you shouldn't.
34:31What? You're calling me clumsy.
34:37From here on, they're going to try and finish the majority of the build themselves.
34:43It's the kitchen and the two bathrooms and the flooring.
34:46A bit of retaining.
34:47And if you say it really quickly, it doesn't sound like much.
34:50But it is quite a lot.
34:54It really is a lot.
34:56Particularly when they're trying to juggle this with taking care of Charlie and their day jobs.
35:02Just as the busiest time of the year for real estate begins.
35:08I don't really have much time left to drag this out.
35:14I am running out of steam.
35:15So sometimes I feel like I do have to dig deep to do it all.
35:24Having dreamed of being an architect as a child, Rita's finally getting to express herself in this house.
35:31It would be a huge blow if fading stamina and funds force her to compromise her vision.
35:38Particularly when she and Alistair have worked so hard to get this far.
35:43In fact...
36:04What a Visit
36:08Fox10an
36:095
36:09Walk
36:09Talk
36:09It is an issue
36:13build over there of course alice and rita are a super capable couple but even with rita's amazing
36:22organizational skills i think they found it more of a stretch than they ever imagined
36:26and so i wonder what will we find what state will the house be in what state will they be
36:32in
36:58first impressions up close and personal with this really finely finished cladding that flows
37:03into rita's reclaimed soffit the offcuts but every board cut perfectly look at the precision
37:11signs are good hey hello good to see you you too anister hey tommy found the place okay i did
37:22it
37:22was a bit of a high cap charlie hey really good to see you and to be here
37:32that's glorious and that's just the view i mean this place is magazine glamour in your holiday batch
37:39it's beautiful this is a custom kitchen it is custom yes built by built by these hands beautiful
37:48lovely choice of materials and curves here you curve the timber yes i thought after a couple of youtube
37:56videos that i'll give it a go using leftover fly from the ceiling there's no throwing away on this island
38:04that's right but you're looking around it doesn't feel like a house that has had seconds and reused stuff
38:11this is sophisticated
38:19the level of resourcefulness and creativity here is so impressive and it elevates what is essentially a
38:28of this build to something far beyond that the lounge it's a room within a room isn't it
38:37big sculptural sofa that we had to buy because charlie wanted the ball-shaped cushions
38:42they wouldn't sell them separately so you had to buy the old sofa you see well they're great fun those
38:47and this is lovely so we've got this gently sloping ceiling which slopes down towards the cozy bit
38:53but then back up and out to the view and that was very important to me that your eye is
38:59being led
39:00towards the view and the openness and the height those black lines guiding you out
39:11knowing just how much rita analysis energy was flagging while trying to complete this place
39:17i was expecting to detect some compromise in the finishing but so far there's absolutely no evidence
39:25of that and that attention to detail continues in the rest of the house including the bathroom which
39:32also serves as an ensuite to the guest bedroom
39:41oh this is where charlie's been hiding it's a lovely room it's very calm actually isn't it yeah
39:47yeah no helicopters no sirens it's very different from the city yeah it's lovely
39:54there definitely is a lightness and sense of tranquility here that infuses the whole house
40:03the main bedroom you're right in your scenery and the actual cabinetry i wasn't 100 able to
40:10visualize what rita was trying to create but now it's here it's beautiful started as kitchen cabinets
40:16of course but uh looks nothing like that now and in fact you've even fitted an ensuite in which
40:21is which is compact but it's there it is compact it's luxury brilliant yeah
40:30and then the most enormous deck such a great sweep of water this is the main event isn't it
40:37yeah this is why we built this place we knew it was going to be good but we just didn't
40:42know how
40:42good but it actually exceeded expectations yeah it's fantastic
41:03get a real sense here that you guys have reached a summit in life with this house right up here
41:09on the
41:09headland but it's been a bit of a climb to get here in many ways right that's right it's been
41:15a
41:15journey and often we looked at each other and ask why are we doing this to ourselves and then you
41:22visit
41:22the island you're here it's like that's why all's forgiven all the headaches and complexities just just
41:36wash away alistair you must have been pretty impressed with what rita's been able to do oh
41:41rita planned everything like a military operation i've kind of jumped in to do the heavy lifting where
41:47i've needed to but generally it has been rita's gig building a house with your partner um my advice
41:54would be only go forward if the relationship is strong that there's a hundred things that will
42:00that will test you yeah so you've been tested and not found wanting well he's still breathing
42:15i think originally you wanted to spend six seven hundred thousand that's right and that was my
42:20written budget and where did you end up nine nine well a million right a little bit more than we
42:27were
42:27hoping and the land cost i think it was 265 we ended up paying for it but overall 1.265
42:34million
42:35then what does that get you it gets you a lot yeah it does isn't it
42:42risa you wanted to be an architect has that been sort of therapy getting that architectural itch out of
42:49your system it it was therapeutic you're right actually it's a very rewarding feeling to look
42:55at something that you created but is this then closure or is this the start of something new i don't
43:02know yet i'd like to enjoy this first and we'll see what the future holds you might have got the
43:08bug
43:15what a great adventure this has been of course the idea of an island bolt hole is an attractive one
43:21but i think on consideration of practicalities for most people
43:26this might have been a hmm maybe not however for rita and alistair through determination
43:32energy focus and a love of the island this has been a great big resounding yes beautifully crafted
43:41optimizing space materials design opportunities it's delight i love it let the new island adventures begin
44:06so
44:10you
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