Meet Tracy & Clarke Dorne
Tracey and Clarke moved from Taranaki to Taupō for a lifestyle change and to be closer to family. They chose a House + Land package in Nga Roto Estate, Wharewaka, and say the experience exceeded every expectation.
View more images from The Dorne's home
Why They Chose Classic
When they first walked into the Classic Showhome in Taupō, Tracey knew instantly this was the right move.
“As soon as we walked in, I liked it straight away. Then we were told we could do a House + Land package, and we thought, ahhh, that’s going to be better for us.”
Having built before, they were confident in what they were seeing.
“Looking through the Showhome, you kind of knew what you were going to get for your money. We’d built before and thought, yeah, this is good value.”
The Build Experience
For Tracy, too many design decisions wasn’t appealing — she wanted the process to be straightforward.
"I’ve got lots of friends that would be like, oh my gosh, you get to design this and pick that colour. To me, that was baffling and overwhelming. I said, this is the benchtop I like, if you can work everything else around that, that would be perfect. And it was.”
The people made all the difference too. Clarke, being a tradie himself, paid close attention to those working on their home.
“Every one of them spoke so highly of Classic and the quality they expect. You know you’re on the right track when even the tradies are happy to be there.”
“Every part of the process and everybody that we worked with was outstanding. It was incredible.”
Ahead of Schedule
Like most people who’ve built before, they didn’t expect the timeline to stick.
“Todd gave us a book with dates and we laughed—we thought, that’s not true.”
But Classic surprised them in the best way.
“Todd actually finished the house and we were in a month early. It was just unbelievable. Our last build took about 12 months. This one took five months — July to December. That’s impressive.”
Living in Their New Home
Seven months on, they’re still thrilled with their decision.
“It’s beautiful. If we ever build again, it will only be with Classic. It’s no fuss, and we got good value for our money.”
Their Advice
For anyone considering a House & Land package, Tracey and Clarke say it’s the confidence and peace of mind that makes all the difference.
“It was incredible. We didn’t have to worry. We just knew everything was going to be taken care of, and it was.”