Exterior cladding products from Cemintel® are highly versatile in application, allowing for an alluring mix of textures and shades. Emerging as a material of choice in regional areas, Cemintel has experienced a rise in popularity due to its durability in harsher weather conditions and versatility in the range of options available.
Matthew Gilchrist, director of Gilchrist Homes, has been building with CSR products for over three years, and explains some of the reasons behind the surge of interest.
Established with the aim of providing affordable, high-end, sustainable homes to people in regional areas, such as Albury-Wodonga, Gilchrist Homes takes an innovative approach to building with energy-efficient, aesthetically pleasing materials. This led them to Cemintel.
“Our customers often prefer sustainable finishes with a luxurious look – that also fits within their budget, and we find CSR products fit that brief.”
Their innovative display home, the Mosman, was the first in the area to feature Cemintel and stood out amongst other homes, winning the 2022 Master Builders’ Association NSW Riverina Award for Best Display Home between $450,000-$750,000 and generating much interest in the finishes they were using. The Mosman features Territory Woodlands Teak, Barestone Original and the Oxford Edge Cladding.
“We are always looking for new products to work with that offer a point of difference to our customers. Cemintel offers the opportunity to approach each home individually and bring together different design elements to create something truly special.”
Creating beautiful homes that last is a key driver behind the philosophy at Gilchrist Homes, and as Matt explains, at the heart of this are intelligent build practices. “The beauty of Cemintel is the time you save not only on the prefinished product but also on maintenance costs. The prefinished system means you save money on painting, scaffolding, and bricklaying – plus the customer knows exactly what they will be receiving from the outset, so there are no surprises as the product consistency is great.”
Matt also mentions the timber look cladding options Cemintel offers as efficient alternatives to traditional methods. “The beauty of Edge cladding is the sheet sizes, rather than individual planks, they are simple to install with a beautiful finish and significantly reduce labour costs.”
With so many making the sea change to regional areas during the pandemic, demand has translated to the new home market. As Head Designer, Leah Gilchrist explains, “rather than trying to arrive at a particular outcome or style, we take all the information and constraints given to us and let those elements inform the outcome. Cemintel allows us to accommodate and plan a design without too much compromise due to their wide range, which results in our homes being beautifully unique and what our customers originally envisioned.”
This consideration to capture their client’s needs and elevate their level of comfort is reflected in the design of the Mosman. Built to maximise the northern aspect, it allows the winter sun to pour into the family area, increasing the energy efficiency throughout the home. A primary consideration for many of their customers, Matt describes how Gilchrist Homes uses products with the CSR range to boost insulation in their homes and the benefits of using their range in the current market.
“I think the depth in the CSR range with products such as Superchek, and external wall/ceiling insulation means we have the security of a local supplier for many areas of our build, which helps our planning process immensely and delivers on building efficiency within our customers’ homes.”
With the challenge of finding bricklayers still an issue, especially regionally, Matt says customers are actively seeking alternative building materials, such as Hebel, not only for an airtight, insulated, high quality rendered finish, but also the long-term benefits it brings. “Our customers need to protect their homes against both the heat and the cold, and they often ask us for Hebel instead of brick for that reason.”
Matt believes the popularity of CSR products across the building industry shows no signs of slowing, especially with the range and versatility on offer, and their consistency of service. “Versatility and value management are huge factors in our decision to use CSR and we have every reason to keep discovering new, innovative ways to improve the way we build. We want to deliver exceptional homes to our customers that are built to last – without compromise.”
