JOE and MERIDY COETZER

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BEFORE
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AFTER
Name: Joe and Meridy
Surname: Coetzer
Location: Potchefstroom, North West
Entry Date: July 15, 2024
Category: Innovation
Project: Entire House

About the Project:

We’re grateful for the opportunity to participate in this competition. After losing my job two years ago, a friend offered us his sheep kraal to repurpose as our home. With a payout of R200 000 from a policy, my wife and I seized the opportunity to design a simple, functional open-plan house, despite our limited…

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We’re grateful for the opportunity to participate in this competition. After losing my job two years ago, a friend offered us his sheep kraal to repurpose as our home. With a payout of R200 000 from a policy, my wife and I seized the opportunity to design a simple, functional open-plan house, despite our limited budget. Embracing our resourcefulness, resilience, and creativity, we maximised what we had. We scoured for second-hand treasures, renovating and repurposing materials like an old table turned into a kitchen counter, old doors, and second-hand kitchen units. We carefully placed windows to harness natural sunlight and heat, given the building’s location amongst trees. Through hard work and innovative thinking, we transformed a challenging situation into a cosy and special home we can be proud of.
In March 2023, we began our renovation journey by clearing the sheep kraal of its former occupants and their byproducts. With the area finally clean, we started bringing in and compacting the soil and laying the floors for our new home. The house is divided into three distinct sections. The first section is an open-plan living area, comprising a lounge, dining space, and kitchen. For our guests we have arranged the TV cabinet and other furniture to create a cosy nook with a Murphy bed and, on the other side, a walk-in pantry. The second section features a dressing area, bathroom, and an open area for our bed and office desk, perfect for hobbies like sewing and painting. The third section is a double garage, which I’ve converted into a workshop where I’ve been busy building and renovating kitchen units, other woodwork, and rustic finishes, bringing our dream home to life.
We tackled the crucial task of designing and installing a complete sewer and plumbing system, incorporating two flow-bins. As the terrain is very rocky, we were compelled to use dynamite to achieve the precise levels required for the sewerage pipes and septic tanks. For the ceilings, we chose IsoBoard on the rafters and followed the existing roof slope. Instead of traditional plaster and paint, we opted for a much cheaper brushed finish on the walls, which we did ourselves, combining cement with oxides for a natural, earthy hue that didn’t need paint.
After months of perseverance and creative problem-solving, we finally moved in at the beginning of November 2023. While we continue to refine the garden and interior details, our goal remains to achieve self-sufficiency. We have established a thriving vegetable garden to meet our basic needs, make use of borehole water, and plan to utilise solar pumps and a water tank. This journey has been both challenging and rewarding, bringing us closer together and teaching us invaluable lessons in sustainability and innovation.
We trust that you will consider our efforts favourably and warmly invite you to visit us at your convenience to witness our transformation firsthand. Our home stands as a testament to what can be achieved with determination, creativity, and a vision for a better future.

Budget Breakdown:

Materials:
Bobcat
0
G5 filling material
0
Compactor hire
2430
Bricks
10000
Used bricks
0
Cement
10000
Crusher stone
5280
Sand
6066
Doors, windows, garage door
27150
Used doors (renovated)
0
Rafters and woodwork
10000
Sewerage pipes etc.
0
Sewer fittings etc.
3640
Flow-bins x2
2000
Extra wood
3000
Second-hand kitchen units
18000
Geyser
3500
IsoBoard ceilings
14917
Bag-wash plaster walls
0
Custom doorframe
850
Additional labour
40000
Steel
12355
TLB Hire
9800
Electrical wiring
0
Diesel
15700
Plumbing
5000
Floor tiles and tile cement
5274
Laminated flooring
23500
IsoBoard ceilings
14920
Lights (inside and outside)
3000
Lights (friend)
0
Built-in braai
7000
Gutters
5840
Diesel
15700
Other building items, drill bits, etc.
25000
299922

Contractors:

JC Surface Blasting
5000
Tiler
1500
Petrus Install Flooring
3000
All round Handyman
0
Petrus Ceiling Installation
2500
House Design
0
Dirk Electrics (friend)
12000
Shaun - Gutters (help)
900
Burglar Bars built
1800
Mezzanine built in
0
26700
Grand Total
R326622