Building Dreams
From a young age, most Australians have imagined and reimagined their ideal home, daydreaming about all the extravagant extras and grand features that their perfect abode would include. While in theory actualising this dream is simple, in practise building your dream custom home involves a lot of planning, decision-making, compromising and, above all, the help of an expert builder. Here, Melbourne Home Design + Living chats with Catherine and Rami Boktor, the two proud owners of a brand-new, groundbreaking custom home, about how they navigated the construction process and share their advice for readers embarking on their own journey into custom-home ownership.
The Boktor’s magnificent home is truly an architectural marvel, and it was architecturally designed by Sync Design to embody a high-end feel; featuring exquisite stonework from Signorino Tile Gallery, Woodcut flooring and luxury appliances and fixtures from Sussex Taos, Schweigen and PITT. The experts at Kabsav Projects navigated the entire construction and project management process to realise this outstanding build, and worked closely alongside our two homeowners throughout. Come with us, dear reader as we ask the Boktor’s to share their experience and guide us as we delve into the process of crafting your dream home.
KL: What was your vision for you home?
CB+RB: Our vision for the home was a high end, luxury feel. We really wanted to replicate that feeling that you get when you enter an expensive, luxurious hotel or resort. A big focus was finishes and materials, thus the vast amount of stone and American oak that has been used throughout the home.
Were there any ‘must haves’ that you wanted in your new home?
CB: One must have was to use stone from floor to ceilings in the bathrooms. I really think it cheapens the look when tiling it stops three quarters of the way up. Another must have was luxurious carpet, as you can really feel the difference when you step on cheap carpet. Curves, curves, curves! Another must have, which we added in various ways throughout the property.
During the planning process, where did you get your inspiration from for your new home?
CB: My husband and I love property and interiors. We are constantly attending property inspections, screen shotting images from social media and so on. We have two favourite properties in Toorak in particular and our home was basically a blend of the two.
What brief did you give Kabsav Projects?
CB+RB: Our brief was a high-end, luxury build. To not cut any corners or use cheap materials or trade. This home was a very expensive build, one of Sync Design’s best projects, their ‘hero’ project that they use to get new business, so it was very important that it was done well.
Where there any challenges with the construction of your property?
CB+RB: Our build was right in the thick of the COVID lockdowns. There were shortages of materials and restrictions of the number of people on site. Kabsav were great in that they offered alternative materials to us to keep the project moving and also cleverly rotated their staff during the restrictions so that the project timeline was not severely impacted.
How long did the process take from design until move
in? And how did this compare to expectations?
CB+RB: We started our build in February 2021 and moved in April 2022. Original handover date was February 2022, but given all the challenges with COVID and the complexity of the build and project, I think the turnaround was pretty good.
Are you happy with the end result of you home? How does the finished product compare to the property you first envisioned?
CB: It is honestly the most beautiful home I have ever seen. I feel honoured to be in here. I still walk around and can’t believe what I see. The ideas that I had in my mind and how I thought they would turn out are so much better in real life.
What made you choose Kabsav Projects as the builder for you home?
CB+RB: We inspected a property they built that was a very similar look and feel to what we were going to build. The build and finishes were flawless. You could tell they used great trades. After meeting Matt and Vinnie, we felt comfortable with them as people too. They were very easy going and accommodating. It’s such a long and tedious process, so it’s important to engage builders that you get along with.
How did you find working with Kabsav Projects?
CB: Vinnie and Matt are both very easy going and down to earth. I am a very fussy client and very interiors focused. I was constantly coming up with new ideas and requesting changes along the way, both were very accommodating. Nothing was ever a problem and I never felt like I was a burden. I think if it were any other builder they would have lost their patience with me very early on! We were also allowed to visit the site as often as we wanted, which was really important to me. I know a lot of builders are very strict with this and you need to make private appointments to visit.
Would you recommend your Kabsav Projects to readers searching for a builder for their own homes?
CB+RB: Yes absolutely. You can rest assured that they will deliver on time, not cut corners and ensure that you are thrilled with the end result. All of Kabsav’s trades are top notch. They are luxury builders, but their pricing is very competitive compared to other luxury builders in Melbourne. I also really admire that we communicate and work on the project as a team, instead of being spoken down to. We met a few other builders that were a bit arrogant and dominant and this is not something that you want to confront on a daily basis for more than a year.
Photography by Jack Lovel
