Our First Lifestyle Range home completed

Copy Of Untitled 2, Hamlan

Our first ever Lifestyle Range home has been built, securing a bright future for a single dad and his young son. Hamlan’s Lifestyle Range is a Geelong first and offers people an affordable range of universal house designs suitable for people with disabilities and the ageing population.

Aaron Macarthur and son, Abel, 7, now have the keys to their new Hamlan home, aptly named the Abel 230.

Abel was one of six individuals in 2018 who received the honour of being a namesake for a design in Hamlan’s Lifestyle Range. The Lifestyle Range offers an affordable alternative to building a custom accessible home or modifying an existing home. It was designed for people with disability, the ageing population, people with a temporary injury and families with young children. Designed for comfort, safety and access, the homes are built to the platinum standard of Livable Housing Australia’s Livable Housing Design guidelines.

Hamlan General Manager, Jason Draper says the purpose of the Lifestyle Range is to best enhance a person’s independence and allow that person to live their fullest life.

He says parts of the home was funded by the NDIS, which required close guidance from disability advocate Jacqui Pierce, a “pioneer” in navigating through the NDIS Home Modifications Funding Model that can help fund new homes for people living with a disability.

“This is one of the new homes built that has received funding from the NDIS through the Home Modifications Funding Model for a new build,” Jason says.

“The process was quite new to everyone but we had expert guidance through Jacqui, which made all the difference.

“We are so fortunate to have the NDIS fund a portion of the accessible elements of the home to enable us to customise this home to meet Abel’s needs and ultimately enhance his life.”

For Abel, who was born with a rare congenital abnormality and doesn’t have the full use of his legs, Hamlan has built his family a home that is wheelchair accessible and provides the same comforts a new house would provide for any child.

“Abel doesn’t have the same temperature control as you or I have, so heating and cooling had to be considered from a medical perspective, it’s not a nice-to-have but a necessity,” Jason says.

“The house has automated doors to make sure Abel can move about the home freely. We also took into consideration in the design how the home may need to adapt with changing circumstances in the future. We’ve installed reinforcement to certain areas of the ceiling, so that if needed in the future, a hoist system can be installed into areas such as the bathroom. It just means that the building can evolve with Abel over time.

“This Lifestyle Range is much more specific than homes from our other ranges. It isn’t just about the luxury items and how many bedrooms the home has but about enabling a person to do so much more than they can in a regular home.

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“To see this home come to life was phenomenal. Aaron was incredibly determined, driven and committed to making this happen for his little boy Abel.

“We’re so excited to see it come together — a beautiful home finally ready for them to enhance Abel’s life and for Aaron and Abel to live in and enjoy for many years to come. I think it was something special for them, to build the home named after Abel,”

The Abel 230, is a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home that suits families who want a space to play and a space to relax.

“Our Lifestyle Range offers great floorplans for an easy living home. They are all designed around the principles of Universal Housing Design to suit a vast range of families through every stage of life. They’re a fantastic option for young families with a double pram or older people who wish to age in a home that adapts with their future needs.”

Kitchen, Hamlan
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