Binet Homes

tiger168 says: Stories like this don’t come along often. When Robert and Gillian Carasso started looking
for a block of land to build a house on, it was the start of a run of exceptional good luck.
Robert had noticed an advertisement for house and land deals on the internet and
his interest was piqued.
He was familiar with the work of the developer, Binet Homes, and wanted to see if they could deliver
the kind of house he was looking for.
“We wanted something that was modern. Previous to this house, we had a nice house in West Pennant Hills in the Federation style that was in vogue 20 years ago. It was huge and had become too much for us,” Robert says.
Instant attraction
Binet was developing the land on the street and was building and selling off homes as it went along. Robert already had his eye on a block at the end of the cul-de-sac when he stepped inside another house open for display. “One of the homes was on display next door so I went in and saw the sales representative,” Robert says. “I said I was not ready to buy and that I wanted to build a home on this block. They showed me the plans [for the block] that had already been approved by council
and we decided to sign a contract there and then.” With the often difficult approval process already
taken care of, work began on the 860sq m block in Castle Hill just before Christmas 2005.
Grand plans
Although the new house was smaller than the one they owned in West Pennant Hills it still allowed for four bedrooms and an office upstairs, with a downstairs study or guest bedroom. The main bedroom suite included wide double doors as well as a walk-in robe and generous ensuite, while an upstairs living area had its own balcony with plenty of natural light. The ground floor has several living areas, including
formal living and dining rooms and an expansive covered alfresco area, accessed via bi-fold doors.
Robert, a former IT professional, ensured the whole house was wired for sound as well as internet access. A lap pool and landscaping were also included in the plans. “You can live a very relaxed lifestyle, which attracted us because our other house was not quite as flexible as this is,” Robert says.
Constructing quality
After watching Binet Homes constructions pop up all over the Hills District for years, Robert was also
sold on the quality of home the company delivers. “I have known Binet Homes for 30 years and the
first thing you notice is the design,” Robert says. “It always seems to be a step ahead of the other
builders. But the biggest thing I wanted was the quality of building which [co-founder] Peter Binet delivers.”
During the eight-month building process, Robert says they were kept up to date on progress and were
consulted even when small changes were made. When larger obstacles loomed, they were dealt
with before Robert had a chance to act. “The original plan had polycarbonate sheeting
right across the alfresco area,” he says. “I wasn’t happy about it and I went into the [Binet
Homes] office to talk to them. I found they had changed most of the roof to a solid fixed roof and
they had not charged me for it.” Because the master plan also includes landscaping,
Robert and Gillian could specify their own garden paths and opt for plants rather than lawn.
“I did not want the lawn at the back, because I did not want the maintenance and we wanted
to screen the neighbours,” he says.“Binet are very conscious about making sure they
design a landscape rather than just a house.” The developed garden, which includes palms, cycads,
magnolias and gardenias, gives the house a sense of permanency that sits well with the rest of the street. With the building process running so smoothly, Robert and Gillian could get on with selling their old home. As it turned out, settlement was so well timed that they could move into their new home the same day the owners of their old house took possession. Robert’s enthusiasm for the builder has rubbed off on his family; his son is now lining up to build his own piece of paradise with the company