Clifford Hanks is looking forward to settling in at the Sardinia Bay Golf & Wildlife Estate once he finishes building his house later this year.
An avid builder, Hanks, 60, started building his new home on April 9 and expects it to be complete by the end of November.
He sold his previous house to enable him to build his new place at the estate and as someone who enjoys building – for himself only – Hanks said he sees himself settling in long-term on the estate.
“I enjoy what I do [building] because I love the whole creative side of it. But I only do it for myself.
“I built my last house which I sold and I have two guest houses where I am often involved in the respective building procedures as well.
“But as much as I enjoy building, I am looking forward to living in my home on the estate even more.”
The security aspect and the community feel were what originally attracted Hanks to the estate, he said.
“The two go hand in hand,” he said. “Just for everyone [in the estate] to kind of know each other and be able to walk around and have a braai at night-time while not being worried that someone could just jump over the fence.” That was what he was looking forward to.
“You are able to sit and relax with your door open and not be worried. You can park your car almost anywhere without being concerned that it could be stolen.
“As opposed to when I built my previous house, what I enjoy a lot about doing it on the estate is that I never have to lock up all the equipment overnight, fearing that it won’t be there in the morning.
“I can leave the equipment on the property and it will still be there the next day.
“My workers are not even used to that kind of security. They would rush to lock up a spade and shovel and I would tell them they don’t have to worry,” he quipped.
He also enjoys the wildlife on the estate. “I love the peace, calmness and tranquillity that the surrounding nature offers with buck just roaming around metres from your doorstep.”
Hanks, who is registered with the National Home Builders Registration Council as well as the Master Builders Association, said he was fortunate to have chosen the location of his plot.
“I wanted it to be north-facing and my wife and I always enjoy a view, so we wanted a plot with some sort of elevation.
“This while also not being too close to the golf course. We currently have all of that on our current plot.”
A newly built recreation centre on the estate was a “bonus”, Hanks said. “I have a grandson who loves to be able to swim.
“Therefore I have not had to build a swimming pool myself. If they [his son and grandson] pop up and visit me he would just be able to go down to the rec centre and swim there.
“I am really looking forward to moving in; it will be a really nice place to live.”