After living in an old Queenslander for 26 years, David and Mary-Ellen Hempel couldn't be more excited about moving into their first brand new Ausbuild home in the bayside suburb of Wynnum. When shopping around for a home design, the couple said they wanted a house that would suit a narrow frontage block and make the most of their water views. "We did a lot of research and there weren't too many other builders whose floor plans met all our needs but Ausbuild had a design that suited us perfectly," David said.

"The main priority was finding a two-storey home with the living area, kitchen and  dining room upstairs, so we could enjoy our beautiful views. ''We also needed a design that would suit a narrow lot as our 405sqm block has a 10 metre frontage."

Another great feature of their new home is the generous 7x3m deck which opens out off the upstairs living area, ensuring the bay views can be enjoyed while they’re entertaining. With a daughter and son aged in their early twenties, the couple were also seeking a separation of living areas so the kids could have their own space. "Our master bedroom and ensuite is on the upper level, while the kids have their bedrooms, bathroom and media room downstairs," David said.

David and Mary-Ellen are also enjoying being free of their old Queenslander which they loved, but admit was nothing but constant work. "We were spending $15,000-$20,000 every 10 years to paint the place and although they look nice, those old homes are very impractical in design," he said. "The windows and doors would never open and close properly and we just thought that was normal."

The couple described their Ausbuild design and construction team as ''stand-out people''. "They kept us informed all the way along and promptly dealt with every query we had with authority and without fuss," he said. "The communication was outstanding - it really was a painless process."

The couple also appreciated the expert advice from the Ausbuild interior designer  who put together some great choices for them. "The selection of colours, tiles and fittings was fantastic and very tasteful," David said. "It was great to have that guidance rather than having to run around all over the place trying to source everything yourself, which can be time consuming and confusing."

David said cooling the home was easy due to energy efficient features such as extra insulation on the western side of the home and whirly birds in the ceiling. "We have ducted air conditioning, but the home is so cool, we never have to use it,'' he said. One thing for certain is David and Mary-Ellen aren't missing their old Queenslander. ''We really love the freshness of our new home.''

David and Mary-Ellen