The story
How this build came together
Following a few workplace falls, Jeff was ready to retire early. He and Karen initially looked at moving into a relocatable cabin at a local caravan park, but the reality of park living didn't stack up. Between costly weekly site fees, zero land ownership, and a lack of privacy, they knew they needed a smarter alternative. That's when they decided to utilize their land and build a custom secondary dwelling in the backyard.
Instead of a cramped holiday cabin, we built a spacious, light-filled home tailored perfectly to the shape of the yard. We navigated the council approval process to maximize the layout, ensuring they had a proper full-sized lounge and a functional kitchen without compromising the property's open feel or backyard privacy.
The transition created the ultimate win-win for the family. Jeff and Karen downsized comfortably into their private new sanctuary, handing the keys of the primary residence over to their daughter and son-in-law. Beyond saving Jeff from mowing 150 square meters of lawn every week, the multi-generational setup has fostered an incredibly close bond with their young grandson, who treats the backyard home like his own and walks down to say hello first thing most mornings.
In Jeff's words: "It couldn't have come out any better with the help of the KiaDom team."