Testimonials

At Bella homes we have worked extremely hard to build a reputation built on Friendliness, Honesty, transparency, trust and quality workmanship. We pride ourselves on the relationships formed with our clients during construction. Here is what a few of our clients have had to say…

We moved into our beautiful home December 2023.

This was our first home build, and it was an incredibly positive (and educational) experience.

From our first consultation with Bella Home Directors, Simon and Margie Crawford, communication and interactions throughout the process were direct, honest and open to clarification of any questions or issues as they arose. This willingness to openly communicate was so important and very much appreciated,

Margie provided much needed guidance and was integral to our homes beautiful interior fit-out and design. When I expressed anxiety over ‘missing’ any details, she immediately assured me ‘that’s what we’re here for’. This kind remark has remained with me.

Simon’s role as project manager throughout the build showcased his extensive knowledge in the build industry, and this was very much appreciated, especially as our site and conditions during the time of the build were incredibly challenging. However steady progress was maintained, culminating in a 14 month build time.

All trades that were involved with our home were consummate professionals and a pleasure to get to know.

If you’re considering a build project, you need not look any further than Bella Homes. You will not be disappointed with either the quality of workmanship or engagement processes. We could not be happier with our home and cannot recommend them highly enough.

Virgil Hollis & Charlie Allan

We cannot recommend Bella Homes highly enough. We had visited a show home they had built a few years ago and the quality of the home and attention to detail stuck with us. When we decided to build on a tricky coastal site, we wanted a company we could trust to build a structurally sound and beautiful home. We knew that Bella Homes had won a number of building awards and that Simon was heavily involved with Master Builders NZ – this gave us extra confidence in their ability to deliver a home we were happy with. From the very beginning both Simon and Margie were wonderful to work with. Once we had our initial consultation, we completely trusted that they would build the home that we envisioned. They listened to what we wanted and understood our vision for our new home. They are both extremely professional but also friendly and easy going and clearly highly respected and knowledgable experts in their field. They also were very mindful of how difficult and stressful building can be and clearly made an effort to make the process as easy and stress free as possible. Nothing was too much trouble and they were both always focused on giving us a home that we were happy with and that was exactly what we wanted.

Communication was always open and transparent and we were kept updated regularly about the progress of the build and any issues that occasionally arose – mainly to do with supply of materials. Both Simon and Margie were respectful of our budget, and several times suggested cost effective alternatives which were better than the original plan. Simon managed our build perfectly. There were no unexpected suprises which undoubtedly is due to his expertise and experience. He kept us informed of any issues, worked hard to resolve any problems and we trusted him to always have our best interests at heart.

The architectural team that Bella Homes use were fantastic and we are delighted with the design of our home. They were able to maximise the site and create beautiful spaces which we love and which suit our family. We really appreciated that Simon came to all the consultations with all key services and trades which undoubtedly helped to keep costs down and to anticipate any issues before they arose. The building team were amazing – always friendly and welcoming when we visited the site. They were extremely professional and highly skilled – visitors to our home always comment on the quality of the build and detail in our finishings.

The interior design was an area we found quite daunting but we are so grateful for Margie’s help and expertise with the style and look of our home. It is exactly what we wanted only better. She made the whole process fun and easy. Margie not only has great style but she was able to suggest materials that were high quality and which look great but were mindful of our budget. We love the look and feel of our home and couldn’t have asked for anything better.

People say that building a home is one of the most stressful things you can do. We feel very lucky that the opposite was true for us. We enjoyed the whole process and this was entirely due to how excellent Simon, Margie and their team are at what they do, and how easy and trustworthy they are to work with. We love that they are a family owned, local business building and creating high quality Northland homes. We are very proud of our Bella Home and would recommend the Bella team in a heartbeat.

Maxine Ronald and Michael Boaks

In February 2020 we engaged the services of Simon Crawford of Bella Homes to build us a holiday home for our family in a remote part of Northland.

Our plan was to have the dwelling designed and consent granted during 2020 and then for the build to start in early 2021 and be completed by the end of that year.

At the time this seemed like a tight but achievable timeline.

Needless to say we had not factored in Covid which arrived weeks after the design process had begun.

Covid delivered numerous obstacles; from lockdowns to procurement and supply issues. Projects all around New Zealand were severely delayed and budgets blown by these issues.

For the most part that was not the case for us and it was solely through the hard work, tenacity and incredible forward planning of Simon that the project was not only completed in a timely manner but within reasonable scope of the original cost estimate.

We cannot speak highly enough of our experience with Simon, Margie and Bella Homes. From concept to build, the process was collaborative, constructive and fun.

Simon’s communication and attention to detail on every aspect of the dwelling was exemplary. Though we didn’t live close to site we felt involved with regular phone calls, photos and videos.

For at least six months of the build, Covid restrictions prevented us from even visiting the site. This required a huge amount of trust in Simon and his team but our trust was rewarded; the project could not have been in safer or more competent hands.

Despite the challenges of building in a remote area during a pandemic the home was largely finished by December 2021 as first planned. This was a remarkable achievement.

We love our Bella Homes home. The craftsmanship is first class. You can tell from the moment you walk in the door that it truly has been built by Master Builders.

M & H Barry

Our project was always going to be challenging. Our site is steep with limited access. The home was large and complicated and required extensive engineering and detailed architectural plans. Simon managed the project and from the start it was well organized and planned and progress flowed continually until completion – which was on time !

We were living onsite and had a good, fun relationship with everyone. On the site decisions were made together easily and without hassle. We had a great team of builders, who worked extremely hard in all weathers from very early until late without exception. Finish and attention to detail were paramount to us and we are proud and delighted with the home they have built us.

We confidently recommend Simon and his team at Bella Homes to anyone intending to build and would definitely use them again for any future project.

Bruce & Jan Fraser
Moureeses Bay

We would like to thank you for building our dream home. We absolutely love it!!

We both really enjoyed the building process (to be honest the moving process was way more stressful than the whole build!)

Tony, Tracey, Caitlin & Keisha
Whareora

We would like to thank you for the beautiful house you built for us. We absolutely love living here, and it truly is our dream home. We are very proud of the end result. It is simply stunning. Thank you again.

Johan & Cristina

When we decided to build, we looked around for a company that would listen to our needs and design and build the house we wanted. Simon Crawford of Bella Homes listened designed, listened again and redesign until we were happy with our plan.

Everything was then organised, a firm price for the job and no hassles regarding the project as Simon supervised it from start to finish. Simon was very relaxed even when we changed our minds over the position of the front door and the size of one of the rooms right in the middle of the build! Even when issues did arise, which is bound to happen on any building project Simon was calm and understanding of our position and able to sort the issues quickly and to our satisfaction. Simon didn’t just build us a house he built us our home.

I would recommend Simon to anyone thinking of building.

Gary Taylor

Bella’s builders and subcontractors were very good and subsequent visits by dozens of friends and relatives have all commented on the excellent standard of workmanship.

John & Liz Saunders

Bella Homes recently undertook and completed the rebuild of the Quarry Arts Centre’s iconic building, the Yvonne Rust Gallery

Working closely with Simon and the tradesmen, we do not hesitate to recommend their services – with respect to both their management and the craftsmanship. We found them to be incredibly professional, prompt and they completed a beautifully finished building on time and on budget.

In addition, both Simon and the contractors were very accessible throughout the project, making themselves available to discuss details and answer questions regarding the building process.

The rebuild of our community gallery was a very emotive process for some Quarry members and we found Bella Homes to be very considerate of this. They far surpassed our expectations to complete a building that is in keeping with our unique site and respecting the nature and history of the Quarry and our community.

Bella Homes consistently worked to keep the budget inside its limits, sourcing recycled materials and suggesting alternative materials and surfaces.

We fully endorse their application for any projects and we look forward to working with them on Future developments.

Claire Nicholls
Manager – Quarry Arts Centre