Take two side-by-side properties with a sea view on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Hold onto them for over 15 years and dream about their potential. Then, make it a reality. The result? An extraordinary home. Was it easy? Not exactly. That’s where Joel Jones, principal of JJ Building Co., comes in.

When Joel started as an apprentice, he dreamed of building beautiful custom homes. ‘I loved working with timber from day one. I saw amazing homes built around me, inspiring me to push my boundaries.’

As he continued to establish himself in his career and his beachside locale, he was introduced to a retired couple with a cottage weekender beside their investment rental. He knew it had the makings of something special. ‘It was just a matter of timing, and I knew from the beginning I wanted to be involved’. The right time, the right architect, the right builder – perhaps it was all meant to be.

Maximising the block

As it turned out, somewhat serendipitously, Joel’s long-term collaborator, architect Richard Cole, had been working with the couple for some time, exploring the best way to maximise the block and its views. Once they settled on a vision, they bought Joel into the project. 

‘Richard is an amazingly detailed architect, and I love working out how to bring his vision to life,’ explains Joel. ‘Some tweaks were needed regarding buildability, but we have enormous trust in each other.’

That trust is what withstood the perfect storm of challenges — COVID, access, wild weather and custom material delays, which occasionally brought progress to a halt.

‘One of the biggest features of the project was the stonework,’ Joel says. ‘It was quarried in Rockhampton, transported by road to Sydney, then craned onto site.’ Some blocks weighed as much as 1000kgs, and with narrow roads limiting access, they often had to be delivered piece by piece on a small trailer. In total, over 1600 blocks made their way to site and were installed by crane – an exercise in patience for any builder.

Then came the rains. The flood-inducing downpours of 2022 wreaked havoc on the east coast of Australia, and this site was no exception. Not only did the rains cease work, but protecting the all-important stonework became the new priority. Joel solved this problem with a series of protective membranes – an approach that, in hindsight, was critical. The site ended up being inactive on and off for close to four months due to the conditions, but the stone remained intact and ready when the build could resume.

Incredible clients

After three years of meticulous work and with the understanding of what Joel describes as ‘the most patient and incredible clients I could hope for’, the project was complete.

Facing north and perched on a headland, the home is clever, tactile and sophisticated yet undeniably restrained. The home is defined by thoughtfulness, precision and a commitment to timeless beauty. Every stone had been handpicked, bush hammered, and drilled in places for services, culminating in a masterpiece of craftsmanship.

Structurally, the three skewed parallelograms are set back to reveal the views, creating space for the landscaped exteriors. One extraordinary feature is the angled travertine blades, which are open but still provide privacy and shield the interior from the early and late sun.

The location – always integral to the building’s story – is designed to withstand its surfside exposure while honouring its natural surroundings. At the site’s base, a retention pond captures stormwater and surface run-off while doubling as a sanctuary for water plants, fish, frogs and even a resident heron.

When pressed for his favourite features, Joel finds it impossible to decide. But if he had to? The main wing. Home to the lounge, dining and kitchen areas and a voluminous connected space. ‘It’s livable, but I love how everything flows together within, from the timber features to the perspective and views offered beyond.’

More than anything, Joel is incredibly proud – not only of the finished home but of the team behind it. ‘Building is tough. You can’t do what you do without the people who support you – your family, your clients, and the professionals that trust you, every trade.’ Just as he envisioned from the start, bringing the right people together was a masterstroke of unified passion to excel.

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The HIA-CSR Australian Housing Awards – one of the country’s most talked-about events in the industry – will conclude the three-day HIA National Conference in Melbourne on 15-17 May.

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First published 24 March 2025