"Don't be afraid to challenge the builder if you don't think something's right. At the end of the day, you're paying for it."

Seven years ago, Steve and wife Tricia were pleased to move into their new home in Merewether after starting the 18-month build in January 2013.

They worked with CKDS Architecture to create a 304 square metre house on a small block.

From a construction view, it was pretty tight. But the Huberts had built a few houses and knew what they were in for. They have plenty of children and grandkids, so they wanted this place to be a modern, comfortable family beach house.

A California bungalow-style house, probably built in the 1930s or 40s, was on the property. The Huberts bought it in 2011 and rented it until they were ready to build. The house had a history. Well-known Merewether swimming teacher Alice Ferguson lived there at one stage.

Their soon-to-be son-in-law asked what they were going to do with the old house when they built the new one. He wanted to buy it. He and their daughter owned land in Telarah, and the Huberts sold them the house. They split it down the middle and relocated it. Now it's a beachside home in Maitland, much to the Merewether residents' delight.

Then the Huberts got busy on their new house.

"We wanted to get something with reasonable living space," Steve says.

"We engaged Stuart Campbell to come up with a design.

"We had to do it quick-smart because we'd heard there was going to be changes in floor space ratio for blocks of land."

They got moving in 2012.

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The Huberts have always built custom-made, meticulous houses, and this one is no exception.

Stuart reflected on the project and key design considerations. CKDS focused on capturing the views of the ocean and hillside, allowing for natural light and ventilation while responding to the harsh coastal environment.

"As a result, pre-finished, low-maintenance materials such as dry-pressed face brick, black VM Anthra-Zinc and anodised aluminium window frames were selected because of their durability while thermally efficient low-e glazing was used extensively to reduce energy demands," Stuart says.

The Huberts' brief was to maximise the opportunity to create at least four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a living area on the top floor. They wanted to take advantage of the view.

"The interior of the house offers a sense of refuge with high-level finishes and detail, conceptually resembling the inside of a precious stone," Stuart says.

"Glimpses to external gardens and distant views are achieved through openings and recesses in built form which shade external glazing in lieu of applied shading devices."

Because the block is wide with 15 metres at the front and nine behind, the house tapers towards the back.

Tricia was specific about kitchen space and wanted room for a big bench and a butler's pantry.

The top floor is all American oak flooring, and the middle floor has polished concrete.

Stuart was surprised that they wanted the main bedroom on the ground floor at the back of the house, but the Huberts didn't want to hear any street noise.

They dug out 300 cubic materials from the ground floor to put in a four-car garage and a workshop. They created a courtyard with sandstone pavers and put in a swim spa. They built-in furniture, including desks and cupboards.

Glen Ackroyd, of Innovative Interiors, did the joinery work and kitchen, making it so much easier for them to move in. All they needed were lounges.

They paid enormous attention to detail and have been very happy with the results. They worked well with Stuart and enjoyed getting to know him and his family.

Now the Huberts have a wonderful, welcoming family home by the beach.

They won't be building again any time soon.

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