Anything you can do with bricks and concrete can be done with
lightweight steel. It isn’t cheaper than conventional construction, but it
is more accurate and definitely faster. – Godfrey
The couple got in touch with Philip Nel of Inizio Homes, the
company responsible for the two other modular houses in Rosendal,
and Godfrey made a sketch-up model of the container concept
they had in mind. “Inizio turned it into the building it is today,
incorporating our vision but also adding their practical ideas,”
explains Boyd. “This included adding a storeroom and utility room,
changing the position of the guest suite (we initially had it facing
our bedroom) and lifting the roof of the living areas to allow for
clerestory windows which create a lighter, more playful look.”
Godfrey and Boyd were on site for a few weeks at the start and in
the middle of the project and Godfrey called the builder, GCT Group
Johannesburg, from the Netherlands every day to discuss details.
They also received countless update photos from the foreman and
were back on site for the last few weeks of the building process.
While Inizio usually uses corrugated iron to clad exteriors, Godfrey
and Boyd opted for sustainably-sourced Rhino Wood because it
blends in with the natural environment and the wood greys with
time so that it becomes almost ‘invisible’.For the roof and windows, they opted for Inizio’s black metal.
“Black frames – from an interior design perspective – contain the
views better than white and with the views being so important here,
this dark colour made sense,” explains Boyd.
The building process took seven months in total, with the biggest
challenge being that there was no electricity on site for the first
three months. The builders had to make do with generators
until then.
“The other challenge was our remote location and getting
materials on site,” says Godfrey. “Our builder is from Jo’burg and he
has a network of suppliers there. In Rosendal, there was no
established network, so orders couldn’t be delivered until there was
a full truckload ready to go; otherwise, the truck only delivered to
our area once every two weeks!”
In the end, everything worked out and Godfrey and Boyd moved
in on 22 December 2016, just in time to get everything ready for
Christmas – and their wedding on 31 December which they held in
their front yard! >>Prefab building
The outdoor shower is one of Godfrey and Boyd’s favourite
spaces. Other ecofriendly elements include a septic tank and
borehole, and the couple is currently looking into installing
solar panels to take the house off the grid.September 2019 home 41