Emilia and Shaz’s Story: From Empty Block to Home
This is the third of four episodes following Emilia and Shaz’s building journey with Dale Alcock Homes.
Having found the right builder and designed a home around the way they live, it’s time to see their plans come to life and discover what the building experience was really like.
Building without the nerves
For many people, building a home brings a mix of excitement and uncertainty. We’ve all heard stories about delays or not knowing what’s happening next, and it’s understandable that they shape how we feel about starting our own journey.
Emilia and Shaz had heard plenty of those stories too, so when construction began, they weren’t sure what to expect. Their experience turned out to be very different.
“The building process with Dales exceeded our expectations,” Shaz says. “Something was happening all the time.”
From the first stage through to the final finishing touches, they enjoyed clear communication and steady progress, and with each step the home they’d imagined became a little more real.
The moment it started to feel real
There’s a lot that happens before construction begins. Plans are finalised, selections are made and decisions come together behind the scenes. For Emilia and Shaz, the moment it all started to feel real was when the slab was poured.
Until then, they had been looking at an empty block, imagining what would one day stand there.
“It all started feeling real when the pad went down,” Shaz recalls.
Emilia remembers it just as clearly. “All of a sudden the pad goes down and you just think, wow, it’s happening now.”
“It’s on,” Shaz adds.
After all the planning, there was finally something real to see.
Kept in the loop, every step of the way
Knowing what’s happening and what comes next can make building feel far more reassuring. For Emilia and Shaz, communication was a standout.
“We had excellent communication with everybody throughout the building, so right from sales through to the building,” Emilia explains.
Regular photo updates gave the couple plenty of chances to see the progress, and their Site Manager, Anita, was a big part of that experience. “Anita always kept us in the loop,” Emilia says.
Shaz also remembers the care she brought to the role. “We had the best Site Manager, Anita, and her attention to detail was amazing.”
Because building a home is about more than the finished result. It’s about feeling confident in the journey that gets you there.
A key handover worth remembering
The day Emilia and Shaz had been waiting for finally arrived. “Key handover was an amazing day,” Emilia says.
Because Shaz needed to head to work, the handover was early on a Friday, and Anita made sure it felt special. When they walked into their new home, the lights were on, the fire was lit and a gift was waiting on the kitchen bench.
“She set all that up for us beautifully,” Emilia recalls.
After months of planning and watching their home take shape, they could finally step inside and begin the next chapter. The empty block was now the place they would make their own, ready for everyday routines, family gatherings and all the moments still to come.
For Emilia and Shaz, building their home was about more than reaching handover day. It was the experience of seeing their plans come to life, feeling connected to the people building alongside them and knowing they had support throughout the process.
At Dale Alcock Homes, we believe the building journey matters just as much as the home at the end of it.
Because a home is where life unfolds, memories are made and new chapters begin, for all the days you call it home.
This is the third chapter of Emilia and Shaz’s story.
In Episode 4, we catch up with the couple to discover what life has been like in their home in the year since they received their keys.