In the Feb issue of SA Home Owner we featured the incredibly interesting Marvel comic themed home belonging to Sacha and Johan Olivier. We were blown away by the couple’s imaginative personalities and the way they created a completely bespoke home. So much so that we asked them if we could be privy to documenting the process of their next home building venture.
Now the time has come and Sacha will be providing us with regular updates of their progress, illustrating the ups and downs of building your own home as well as offering expert DIY and decorating tips along the way. Sacha owns Once upon a Time, an upcycling company that transforms old furniture into funky, one-of-a-kind pieces. We hope you’ll enjoy following Sacha on her journey – feel free to comment and ask questions in the comments section below.
Part 1
A bit of background…
I swore I would never build again after the first house that Johan and I built together, and I’m reminded of this statement now, as we decided to embark yet again on building another house.
Here we stand on a 1 800sqm stand, hoping we will be able to sub-divide it. Sub dividing a stand is not for sissies – it’s super frustrating and a very long process. You better have a lot of fight in you to get through it.
So before the foundations were even dug, the trials and tribulations of building your own home have begun.
It was a natural choice for us to use Riaan Visser from +27 Architects again. We work well together and he understands us. I decided I wanted to live in a container house, or as my mom put it a “smart squatter”. Unbeknown to us at this time, it turns out Riaan’s final year thesis was on container living – what are the odds?!
A few weeks later…
Fast forward a few weeks, we have our house plans and we’re ready to start. We dug, poured foundations, laid bricks and made arrangements.
The most exciting and scary day on site has to be when the four 6m containers arrived and had to be placed on site. Three of the containers were placed vertically, next to each other like soldiers. It was terrifying but exciting as we watched each of these huge containers being lifted into the air and swung into place. I refer to it as the day the ground shook as they dropped one container by accident onto the concrete foundation with a huge boom and the ground literally shook. The container rocked backwards and forwards – at this stage I was convinced it was going to come crashing down – but it settled and we continued, with a few more grey hairs on my head.
Four months later and the super structure and rib and block roof slab are completed. The fourth and final container has been placed. I won’t lie, it has been a difficult process so far – both frustrating and exciting, with many tears and celebrations along the way.
This is where the fun begins…
Ok, so now it’s time for the interior design and decor – the part I like best. We wanted a swimming pool that is small, but would still make an impact. I’ve always wanted a fully mosaiced pool, and unfortunately never got it in the last house. So I made sure I got it this time. Mosaics are expensive so it was quite a search to find well priced ones that we liked. But we love the Mondrian inspired tiles we got and the way they turned out.
Shopping around definitely pays off. Look everywhere, never assume a place only sells expensive stuff – we have been pleasantly surprised on numerous occasions. However, if you see something for a good price or something you love buy it then and there, don’t wait.
We don’t do fitted or built-in cupboards so the kitchen and the bedroom cupboards will take major planning. I found our beautiful French antique wooden armoires just as we started the building and they have been living on the building site since then. They will need a good cleaning but it will definitely be worth it.
Watch out for Sacha’s next post on 10 February.
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