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Grand Designs NZ (2026) S10E05
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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,
00:16peace and quiet, broken only by the occasional bird song and the lulling sound of waves lapping
00:23on the shore. Perhaps it relates to a primal part of us that craves a Robinson Crusoe-esque
00:33experience, living 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, exposure
00:51to maritime weather, storms. And that could cause even the most ardently held paradise island
01:00dream to be dashed.
01:3150km north of Auckland, rising from the sparkling waters of the whole Racky Gulf, is Karwo Island.
01:42This 5,000-acre oasis has almost no roads, very little infrastructure, and a permanent population
01:51of 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
02:01of building here.
02:03Whoa! 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. And once you're here, it is literally
02:20like 50 years back in time. It's not for everybody.
02:23Keep it, I've got to crack it open.
02:26OK.
02:27For Charlie to have the opportunity to connect with nature and all these simple things in
02:33life, it'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. It was the first encounter. And the
02:58second encounter was on the staircase. And I leaned over to say hello and she completely
03:03ignored 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. I'm very practical.
03:18Very good on the tools, as our Rita. I'm a bit clumsy.
03:23Their teamwork was put to the test when they renovated the Georgian-style villa they bought
03:28ten 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.
03:43We're still together. Yeah.
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 us 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
04:08boxes.
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.
04:22I 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.
05:08Even these kanuka here, you're going to be above them.
05:11That's right.
05:12Uninterrupted views.
05:13Mm-hmm.
05:13A big 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,
05:26watching Alistair probably on the water.
05:28That's right.
05:29Did you catch dinner?
05:31I bet I have.
05:32With this steep island site,
05:35Rita and Alistair have opted for a pragmatic paired-back design.
05:4056 piles anchor the house down and prefabricated steel forms the framing,
05:45because it's lighter and cheaper to chop it over than timber.
05:50The house is just 100 square metres, 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,
06:12and a cosy living space, centred around a wood-burning stove.
06:16As a counter to the elegantly restrained interior,
06:21Rita's designed a bold plywood ceiling.
06:24Outside, a very roomy wrap-around deck doubles the size of the house,
06:29and thermally modified pine cladding that will silver off
06:33attunes this simple but beautifully crafted retreat to its unspoiled island setting.
06:42Oh, this is quite a project.
06:44Yeah.
06:44Yes, it will be.
06:45How do you build here?
06:46And that'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?
06:55Um, a combination of barge and helicopter.
06:58Nothing on the island, right? There's nowhere to buy anything?
07:01No.
07:02So, somebody has to be super organised.
07:05They do, and it's Rita.
07:06No pleasure.
07:07So you're taking the reins, you're project managing.
07:09I am. I am to my best abilities.
07:15What will you spend on this, ideally?
07:18We are currently at $4.95.
07:22So contingency, probably, what, 20%?
07:26We'll see.
07:26That's including accommodation cost.
07:29OK, so 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.
07:44OK, I'll wish you luck.
07:46Hopefully it goes like that.
07:47And we'll be here looking out on a beautiful day on the island.
07:51Watching Alistair catching dinner.
07:54Oh, yeah, he won't be with us, no.
07:55Oh, yeah, he won't be with us, no.
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?
08:08Well, it might very well be on a beautiful island, on the best spot on the top of a hill,
08:15surrounded 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?
08:37They're going to live that dream.
08:40And 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.
09:09Like, 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.
09:25It'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.
09:44And the chopper costs $4,000 an hour.
10:02There 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.
10:34The good thing is, everything has gone without a hitch.
10:39That was very exciting to watch, honestly.
10:42And I'm so grateful for this beautiful weather.
10:45I 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 site.
10:58It'll just be full on every week. Any hardware we need, we can't just race out and get it.
11:03We've had to rethink 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. The scenery is just unreal.
11:17Bird life is amazing. Absolutely incredible.
11:19It's just don't get this in town. I've already made a friend.
11:22He wanted them 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. I feel the pressure of all this decision-making that,
11:54am I gonna do it right or not? Because it could cost a lot if I don't do it right.
12:13On Carwo Island, Rita, Alistair and Charlie are making their way to site,
12:18where the builders have almost finished bracing the foundation piles into position.
12:25And any moment now, an important delivery is incoming. A 25,000-litre water tank.
12:33Which, once the house is built, will be cleverly hidden under the deck.
12:38But that means it must be positioned very close to several of the large pile poles.
12:48That's pretty exciting. It's something you don't see very often.
12:52The design of Rita and Alistair's house may be simple, but almost nothing about building it is.
13:04It's very snug.
13:16Another tricky chopper delivery successfully accomplished.
13:22But this Friday, a much more complex mission has been scheduled.
13:28OK, if we're talking anxiety levels, Friday, yes.
13:3220 cubic metres of concrete is to be helicoptered from the mainland to fill the pile holes.
13:39My understanding is there's a hopper that hangs from below the helicopter.
13:43Roughly about a tonne worth of concrete.
13:46Are we using wheelbarrows or are we just going to be hovering over the holes?
13:49The team's checking in with the chopper pilot to discuss logistics.
13:57We're still ironing our details.
14:00Would like a flexi, sturdy, plastic hose would work?
14:06Yeah, just anything that can take the weight.
14:08OK.
14:09If you need it, dump it into wheelbarrows.
14:11As you can see, Rita is the master planner.
14:15Going high it should be.
14:17She got us into this, she can get us out of it.
14:21There's no turning back now, so I don't have a choice.
14:27One way Rita and Alistair hope to reduce some of the on-site work and cost of this build
14:32is by choosing prefabricated steel framing, which I'm really interested to see being manufactured
14:38here in this family-run Auckland factory.
14:42It labels every piece, they roll through the machine,
14:45and then the machine punches out all of the notch-outs, all of the screw holes, the plumbing holes.
14:51Steel is a third lighter than timber framing,
14:54so that's a significant cost advantage when you're having to chopper and barge it all to site.
15:04That's going to be your building, that roll of steel.
15:06I know.
15:07It's fascinating, really, that a building comes together from that sheet.
15:12It's incredible.
15:16In a matter of seconds, you've got something that complex.
15:22Look at that, it just locks in.
15:24Mmm.
15:25It's just like origami, isn't it?
15:27Yeah, yeah.
15:29And what I also like about it, there is no wastage on site.
15:34Yeah.
15:34And we don't have to worry about any rubbish removal and all that.
15:40Before production for Rita and Alistair's steel began,
15:42they already had a clear picture of how the components would all come together.
15:49This is a great toilet, so this is the skeleton of your house.
15:53That's right, I'll take you for a walk.
15:54Yeah.
15:55Rita has been right across every aspect of this project from day one.
16:01I did want to be an architect when I was a child, about eight.
16:05I was always building things in the backyard.
16:08Right.
16:09So this is a long-held part of you.
16:12Yes, I guess.
16:14It started early.
16:15Yeah.
16:15Mum never really had the opportunity to support that part for me,
16:19so that kind of just got pushed aside.
16:24But now it's back.
16:25Well, it seems like I have an opportunity to give in to that desire
16:31and enjoy the entire project.
16:33Yeah, and you are?
16:34I am loving it.
16:35Oh, that's great.
16:43The day of the helicopter concrete bore has arrived,
16:46and anticipation is running high.
16:53First time I've ever been involved in concrete from a helicopter.
17:00About five k's away on the mainland,
17:02Alistair is manning the concrete loading site.
17:07There's just so many moving parts.
17:09We're all a little bit nervous.
17:13One of those moving parts has arrived.
17:19The chopper's going to transport four truckloads of wet concrete to site,
17:24which will require 50 trips.
17:29Thunderbirds are go.
17:33ETA of the first concrete bucket is two minutes.
17:35We're positioning ourselves.
17:38I'll see you on the other side.
17:41Sweet as, see you soon.
17:44That's the easy part.
17:46Now they have to get it into the hole.
17:49Oh, what can go wrong?
17:57Okay, brace yourself, my bro.
18:02Bring it back. Bring it back.
18:06Dust caused by weeks of hot weather is not making this mission any easier.
18:12It's a bit dusty, mate.
18:16The improvised chute built by one of the teams seems to be doing the trick.
18:21Good skills, bro.
18:24Well, that was a pretty quick turnaround, really, isn't it?
18:29Very encouraging start.
18:31Oh, well, next hole.
18:33Should we go to this one, eh?
18:34Yeah.
18:44The chopper's round trip to reload takes just a few minutes,
18:47so the guys have to move very quickly.
19:01Some of the pile holes are more difficult to access than others.
19:10But the guys seem to take the challenges in their stride.
19:15Wow.
19:19That one's so quick.
19:20There we go.
19:21Yeah.
19:27These guys have just done a fabulous job.
19:30That's just a real slick operation.
19:33Not too bad.
19:35And of course, none of it would have happened without the chief planner.
19:39This was the giant part and the most stressful part.
19:44I say that now.
19:46Ask me in a month's time.
20:01On a pristine Karwa Island morning in the height of summer,
20:06Alistair's immersed in an important mission.
20:10We were here about a week ago with the barge,
20:12and during the excitement and all the commotion,
20:15a bag of shackles got kicked off the side here, so they're down there.
20:20The shackles belong to the helicopter pilot
20:22and are a vital part of his kit.
20:26Oh, no bites yet.
20:29Alistair's using a recovery magnet
20:31that can retrieve items that have fallen into water.
20:35Oh, dear.
20:37No, I'm not having much luck.
20:39It's not looking good.
20:40For an avid fisherman, that's got to be disappointing.
20:47Fortunately, on the build front, there's good news.
20:53It's going really well.
20:54The main thing is the weather's on our side.
20:57It's just all coming together, so real happy.
21:02The subfloor is almost complete, so soon the newly delivered steel framing can start to go up.
21:09It is exciting to come here and see so much work being done, and it's like Christmas.
21:18Something that's been a mixed blessing over the last few weeks
21:21has been the consistently high temperatures, and today's no exception, which gives Alistair an idea.
21:29They're off the end of the wharf here.
21:31Yes.
21:31Josh, the youngest member of the team, is keen for a cool off.
21:38Maybe he can succeed where Alistair failed.
21:46The shackles may be well and truly buried now.
21:50Can I get down all right?
21:51Yeah.
22:00Oh, my God, you've got them.
22:03Good man.
22:04Oh, my God, that's fantastic.
22:07I was nowhere near with the magnets.
22:09I was nowhere near them.
22:11Good work.
22:16The victory dive.
22:23By early autumn, as predicted, the prefabricated steel framing is coming together very swiftly,
22:30and is almost complete.
22:34It's amazing.
22:35It's from a piece of paper, it's here, it's here.
22:42While this may be a celebratory moment,
22:45the realities of building on this island are beginning to hit home.
22:50It's all logistics, and we knew what the issues were going to be,
22:54but we didn't know how deep those issues were going to dive.
23:00Small alterations to the plans have had a knock-on effect for the budget.
23:05And on top of that, the 70 grand allocated for transport is already close to running out.
23:13No matter how you plan and how you budget, there are always things that are out of your hands.
23:20Money is just like really sinking down the hall very quickly.
23:31Of course, Rita and Alistair aren't the first people to have poured energy and resource
23:35into creating a special retreat on Carwo.
23:39This is Mansion House, once the home of Governor Sir George Grey.
23:43Now, Grey was an interesting character, the epitome of a colonial man.
23:47And although his legacy in office was somewhat problematic,
23:52it's his endeavours here on the island that we've come to see.
23:58In 1862, when Grey purchased his Carwo escape,
24:02there was already a more modest brick house here,
24:05built for the manager of a copper mine that had recently closed down.
24:10Now, that wasn't quite good enough for Grey,
24:13and so he turned to his private secretary, Frederick Thatcher,
24:16who also happened to be an architect, to create this much larger grand division
24:21by adding to the original house and creating, well, effectively,
24:26an English manor house in the South Pacific.
24:32Transporting anything to an island in the 1800s was no small feat.
24:36But Grey went to extreme lengths to achieve his island dream,
24:41shipping in masses of materials, books and artwork.
24:48And Grey's dream wasn't just limited to the house,
24:52he effectively created a mini kingdom here.
24:58Grey stocked the grounds here with amazing exotic plants from all around the world,
25:03and equally exotic animals. Emus, wild hogs, zebras, wallabies, kangaroos,
25:10and these guys, peacocks.
25:13Grey overcame huge challenges to realize his extraordinary vision.
25:18And over 160 years later, people still come here to marvel at what he achieved.
25:24Now, Rita and Alistair's Carwo Island project might be slightly less extravagant and eccentric
25:32than Grey's, but they've already experienced some of the strain of constructing on the island
25:38that he had to navigate. Just hope that they get through the challenges that are coming,
25:45and their very own version of an island dream lives up to their expectations.
25:58Just 14 weeks into Rita and Alistair's build, the roof is already on, and the house is really starting to
26:06emerge.
26:07You know what's cool from your bedroom? You have a view.
26:11Today, a big delivery is due, $50,000 worth of window joinery, which will be helicoptered in,
26:18in a crate made by head builder Howard with assistance from his son Josh.
26:23This is probably the biggest risk, with all the glass and the value, so if this goes wrong, yeah.
26:37The precious cargo has just come into view.
26:44That box is moving around quite a lot.
26:51Howard is a seasoned builder, but his helicopter crate-making skills are untested.
27:00How are you feeling, Howie?
27:02Um, it's spinning.
27:04It is spinning more than I'd hoped.
27:08It's looking like the powerful centrifugal force of the spin
27:12is causing the crate walls to start caving in.
27:18I'm shaking inside.
27:24If the crate breaks, it's not just 50 grand of joinery gone,
27:29having to reorder and fabricate it would send the schedule into free-fall.
27:49Oh, good job, Howie, and this is one piece.
27:56That was a lucky escape.
27:59And a pertinent reminder of the risks and challenges
28:02that come with an island build like this.
28:12We are not doing this again.
28:25On Carwo, the house is progressing at pace.
28:29Insulation is in and some of the timber cladding is up.
28:33We could go wider to frame in.
28:36Rita has proved herself as a master organizer on this project,
28:40but it's this finishing stage where she can really express her long-held passion for design.
28:46Over here.
28:46What about the chimney? Where's that going?
28:48Well, it's going to be boxed in.
28:50With a shrinking budget, though, my question is,
28:53will she have the time, energy, and resources to fully realize her vision?
29:00But a clever designer doesn't let budget constraints get in the way of a great idea.
29:07To reduce waste and create a design feature,
29:11she's hatched a plan to use the cladding offcuts to create the soffites.
29:16The idea then is for your cladding to be seamless as it flows up into the soffit.
29:22That's definitely the idea, to keep it nice, clean lines, all lining up.
29:28The overall design of this house may be straightforward,
29:32but I love that Rita's finding ways to elevate it with this kind of thoughtful detailing.
29:38So I don't want any beading here, ideally.
29:42That's going to be the challenge, so that edge will have to be precise.
29:46I mean, these things are very architectural.
29:49I guess it is my lost calling.
29:53Bringing Rita's concepts to life will be a good challenge for the builders.
29:58Speaking of whom...
30:00So how come sites are quiet today?
30:03Well, we had a bit of a change around.
30:06We do have an allocated budget for this build, and we're getting close to the end of it.
30:11So we had to make a hard call. It wasn't easy.
30:15And we had to reduce the number of people on site to be able to keep going.
30:23Gosh, there is a bit to do still, but you've lost labour here.
30:29Yeah, that's right. So it was a very conscious business decision that had to be made.
30:34It was just becoming a bit expensive. We have quite a few overheads having a team here.
30:40Well, that is quite the bombshell.
30:43They're going to try and finish the house with just one local Carwo builder.
30:49That might be a bit of a worry, because the next stage for this is all about the potential,
30:55that thought and consideration being realised in beautiful finishes.
31:00So, yes, the budget might thank them for reducing the build team, but will the house?
31:14Rita and Alistair hope to be finished by late August.
31:17But it's already September, and with an ever-dwindling budget, they're having to find more ways to cut costs.
31:26This morning, two tonnes of finishing materials have arrived.
31:30But this time, there's no chopper in sight.
31:34At the pointy end of the project, where the budget's being a little bit stretched,
31:39you know, the helicopter got chopped.
31:43Instead, Alistair and two helpers are loading them onto vehicles
31:47and transporting them up the steep hill in conditions that are far from ideal.
31:52It's all heavy, it's all awkward, and it's raining.
32:03Okay, no, that's better.
32:06Can you pull this out, please?
32:07Meanwhile, indoors, Rita and Charlie are occupied with their own industrious teamwork,
32:13building cabinetry.
32:16Good.
32:16We're learning together new skills, right?
32:20How to figure things out.
32:23And you can also learn from your mistakes.
32:26That's right.
32:27I mean, she's a good working partner.
32:32Rita's maximising storage space and the budget by using off-the-shelf kitchen cabinetry,
32:38which she'll customise and then clad with the same ply being used for the stylish ceiling she's designed.
32:51It's going to be a big job.
32:53Lucky, she has an excellent assistant.
32:56Oh.
32:59One day, she can look back and, oh, I remember doing this with Mum,
33:03when she will be sitting here with her own family.
33:08Everything we do together, I know I'll remember.
33:11You know that, right?
33:13Well, I do now.
33:18Right now, Rita and Alistair are relying on local help for a lot of the build.
33:23But soon, that may change.
33:27And it's very likely that we're not going to be able to pay someone to do certain things
33:34that we can do anyway.
33:36We will have to roll our sleeves up to push this through the finish line.
33:42But Rita's managing to put a positive spin on it.
33:45It provides an opportunity for us to bond with the building.
33:49And not with each other, it's the building.
33:56I didn't finish my sentence.
34:05Three weeks later, Rita's bonding with the building theory is being put to the test.
34:12Together, they're tackling the tricky job of laying the porcelain floor tiles.
34:17OK, shall I quickly grind this off?
34:19Your ears.
34:22They've only ever done outdoor paving before, so they're learning on the job.
34:28The concept is the same, I suppose, but it's just a finer detail finish.
34:35I'm just having these horror thoughts that you're just going to step on that tire that you shouldn't.
34:41You're calling me clumsy.
34:46From here on, they're going to try and finish the majority of the build themselves.
34:52It's the kitchen and the two bathrooms and the flooring, a bit of retaining.
34:56And if you say it really quickly, it doesn't sound like much, but it is quite a lot.
35:03It really is a lot.
35:06Particularly when they're trying to juggle this with taking care of Charlie
35:09and their day jobs, just as the busiest time of the year for real estate begins.
35:17I don't really have much time left to drag this out.
35:23I am running out of steam, so sometimes I feel like I do have to dig deep to do it
35:31all.
35:34Having dreamed of being an architect as a child, Rita's finally getting to express herself in this house.
35:41It would be a huge blow if fading stamina and funds force her to compromise her vision,
35:47particularly when she and Alistair have worked so hard to get this far.
35:52I am running out of steam.
35:56I am running out of steam.
36:21but also a reminder of how tricky it is to build over there.
36:26Of course, Alistair and Rita are a super capable couple.
36:30But even with Rita's amazing organisational skills,
36:34I think they found it more of a stretch than they ever imagined.
36:37And so I wonder, what will we find?
36:40What state will the house be in?
36:41What state will they be in?
37:08First impressions up close and personal
37:11with this really finely finished cladding
37:13that flows into Rita's reclaimed soffite.
37:17The offcuts, but every board cut perfectly.
37:20Look at the precision.
37:22Signs are good.
37:27Hey.
37:27Hello.
37:28Good to see you.
37:29You too.
37:30Alistair.
37:31Hey, Tom.
37:31Have you found the place okay?
37:32I did.
37:33It was a bit of a high cap.
37:34Charlie.
37:34Hey.
37:35Really good to see you and to be here.
37:43That's glorious.
37:44And that's just the view.
37:45I mean, this place is magazine glamour in your holiday batch.
37:49It's beautiful.
37:51This is a custom kitchen.
37:53It is custom.
37:54Yes.
37:55Built by?
37:56Built by these hens.
37:58Beautiful.
37:59Lovely choice of materials and curves here.
38:02You curve the timber.
38:03Yes.
38:04I thought after a couple of YouTube videos that I'll give it a go.
38:09Using leftover fly from the ceiling.
38:13There's no throwing away on this island.
38:14That's right.
38:15But you're looking around.
38:17It doesn't feel like a house that has had seconds and reused stuff.
38:21This is sophisticated.
38:30The level of resourcefulness and creativity here is so impressive.
38:36And it elevates what is essentially a modest build to something far beyond that.
38:43The lounge.
38:44It's a room within a room, isn't it?
38:47Big sculptural sofa.
38:49That we had to buy because Charlie wanted the ball-shaped cushions.
38:53Ah, right.
38:53And they wouldn't sell them separately.
38:55So you had to buy the old sofa to see.
38:57Well, they're great fun, those.
38:58And this is lovely.
38:59So we've got this gently sloping ceiling, which slopes down towards the cozy bit.
39:04But then back up and out to the view.
39:07And it was very important to me that your eye is being led towards the view and the openness
39:13and the height.
39:14Those black lines guiding you out.
39:22Knowing just how much Rita and Alice's energy was flagging while trying to complete this
39:27place, I was expecting to detect some compromise in the finishing.
39:33But so far, there's absolutely no evidence of that.
39:37And that attention to detail continues in the rest of the house, including the bathroom,
39:43which also serves as an en-suite to the guest bedroom.
39:51Oh, this is where Charlie's been hiding.
39:54That's a lovely room.
39:55It's very calm, actually, isn't it?
39:57Yeah, yeah.
39:58No helicopters, no sirens.
40:00It's very different from the city.
40:02Yeah, it's lovely.
40:05There definitely is a lightness and sense of tranquility here that infuses the whole house.
40:13The main bedroom.
40:15You're right in your scenery.
40:17In the actual cabinetry, I wasn't 100% able to visualise what Rita was trying to create,
40:22but now it's here.
40:23It's beautiful.
40:25Started as kitchen cabinets, of course, but looks nothing like that now.
40:30In fact, you've even fitted an en-suite in, which is compact, but it's there.
40:34It is compact, yeah.
40:35It's luxury.
40:36Brilliant.
40:40And then the most enormous deck.
40:43Such a great sweep of water.
40:47This is the main event, isn't it?
40:48Yeah.
40:48This is why we built this place.
40:50We knew it was going to be good, but we just didn't know how good.
40:53But it actually exceeded expectations.
40:55Yeah, it was fantastic.
41:13Get a real sense here that you guys have reached a summit in life with this house.
41:18Right up here on the headland.
41:20But it's been a bit of a climb to get here in many ways, right?
41:24That's right.
41:25It's been a journey.
41:27And often we looked at each other and asked, why are we doing this to ourselves?
41:32And then you visit the island, you're here.
41:34It's like, that's why.
41:35All's forgiven.
41:36All of the headaches and complexities just wash away.
41:47Alistair, you must have been pretty impressed with what Rita's been able to do.
41:52Oh, Rita planned everything like a military operation.
41:55I've kind of jumped in to do the heavy lifting where I've needed to, but generally it has been Rita's
42:00gig.
42:01I think building a house with your partner, my advice would be only go forward if the relationship is strong.
42:08There's a hundred things that will help you.
42:12Test you.
42:14Yeah.
42:14So you've been tested and not found wanting.
42:18Well, he's still breathing.
42:25I think originally you wanted to spend six, seven hundred thousand.
42:29That's right.
42:30And that was my written budget.
42:31And where did you end up?
42:33Nine.
42:34Nine?
42:35Well, a million.
42:36Right.
42:37A little bit more than we were hoping.
42:38And the land cost?
42:40I think it was $2.65 we ended up paying for it.
42:42But overall, $1.265 million.
42:46What does that get you?
42:47It gets you a lot.
42:48Yeah, it does, isn't it?
42:53Risa, you wanted to be an architect.
42:55Has that been sort of therapy, getting that architectural itch out of your system?
43:00It was therapeutic.
43:01You're right, actually.
43:03It's a very rewarding feeling to look at something that you created.
43:08But is this then closure, or is this the start of something new?
43:12I don't know yet.
43:13I'd like to enjoy this first, and we'll see what the future holds.
43:17You might have got the bug.
43:25What a great adventure this has been.
43:28Of course, the idea of an island bolt hole is an attractive one.
43:32But I think on consideration of practicalities, for most people, this might have been a, hmm, maybe not.
43:39However, for Rita and Alistair, through determination, energy, focus, and a love of the island, this has been a great,
43:49big, resounding yes.
43:51Beautifully crafted, optimizing space, materials, design opportunities.
43:56It's delight.
43:58I love it.
44:00Let the new island adventures begin.
44:15Let the new island adventures begin.
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