All over the country, people are moving houses. - Watch that truck, eh? - Wow, this is getting tight now. - Can you swim? - From old villas to modern homes and even historic churches,... - Oh, good work there, Clarke. - Like a glove. - ...they're giving new life to buildings and structures that once faced destruction. - Front wheels are skidding. - Whoa! Oh! - (BLEEP) - There's no obstacle too big. - I only need a millimetre. - ...and no challenge too great... - Up a little bit on the hook, Don. - ...for the people who take this on. - Starting to get very ugly down this hill. - Hold on. Whoa, whoa, whoa! - Whoo! - (HORN TOOTS) How far would you go to match your ideal house to the location of your dreams? This time, a Hamilton couple are tossing in life in the city for a life at the seaside. - There's a little bit of anxiety. - Yes. They've chosen a brand new home and got the whole family involved to make it a reality. There's a lot at stake here. Will they be happy with the results? - Oh! - At 18m long and 7.5m wide, it faces a wild trip to the West Coast. It has really slowed down now, which is unsurprising ` we always knew this was gonna happen. We've got no movement on that side. Big street light, fence, and this pohutukawa tree, which we're hard up against now. Have these beach lovers made the right choice? It looks like a Mad Max sci-fi film at the moment, all wrapped up and on crazy angles. Or is this one trip with an unhappy ending? - It's nerve-racking. It's nerve-racking. - So come along for the ride. This is Moving Houses. www.able.co.nz Copyright Able 2023 Living in your favourite holiday spot usually remains just that ` a dream. But sometimes dreams can come true. - Trivia night Tuesday. - Yeah. - It's fancy dress, too. It's the final night for the year. - We should come to it, actually. - Lorraine and Bud arrived in New Zealand 47 years ago from England, part of a wave of �10 poms ` �10 being all it cost to immigrate at the time. - We came in 1975, 23 and 25 years old. Two children. We wanted adventure. - And so had either of you been here before? - No. - No. - No? So you just got off the plane and went... - Yeah. - And that was the first time I'd been on a plane, as well, so, yeah. - A sense of adventure led Bud, an engineer, and Lorraine, an early childcare worker to Hamilton, where they settled sight unseen. - The main street of Hamilton, it looked like a cowboy town. And I'm thinking, 'Oh my God, what have we done with the kids?' You know, it was freezing cold. And look at the school. The kids haven't got shoes on. - And within weeks, neither did our kids. - It didn't take long. - Didn't take long. - Despite the culture shock, the family soon fell for Hamilton, raising four children there. But now, with retirement looming, Bud and Lorraine have made the decision to up sticks to Raglan, on the west coast. And they're taking a brand new home with them. - We had to downsize. Our other house was over 90 years old. It was two storey. So we said, 'Yeah, let's do it.' - It's something we've never had. - We've never, ever had a new house, have we? - No. - Why Raglan? What do you love about this place? - Originally I'm from Hull, and Lorraine's from Bridlington, both on the coast. So looking at fishing boats and stuff is in our blood. It's our life. The first week we came to New Zealand, one of the guys I was working with said, 'I'll take you out to the seaside.' Because he'd heard me talking about the seaside. And this is where he brought us. We just thought, 'Wow!' We've had a lot of good holidays here, and stuff, so we thought... - A lot of memories. I just love the laid-back atmosphere. It's very diverse, and it has everything what I enjoy in life ` the water, the beaches. It looks pretty. - She loves the walking, so she loves the tramping out here. And the canoeing. - I mean, that speaks to the magic of a place like this. - It gets into your bones. - (LAUGHS) Yeah. - There isn't a bad day in Raglan, really. - I tell you what, on a day like today, it's not hard to figure out why you want to live here. I mean, are you nervous or apprehensive about what you're about to undertake? - No. - Yeah, you're not. I am a little bit. Even, like, seeing the finished house. It's all, for me, have I chosen the right colours? Have done the right thing? But then, I'm not nervous about living in Raglan. The section we've got has got beautiful views. - But we shall see. - We shall see. Bud and Lorraine's love for the area is infectious, and I can't wait to see their site. It's located in a subdivision just five minutes from Raglan township. The section is perched on a hill in the Rangatahi development, overlooking an estuary. (GENTLE GUITAR MUSIC) What a site! This is fantastic. I can smell the salt air hitting me in the face. It's beautiful. - Yes, it is very wild. - A heck of an outlook. You've got your estuary, you've got native bush. And so being a new development area, it comes with its own special caveats. - There's no cats. - No cats? - No, for the bird life. - Sorry, I have to ask, does that mean that there is a cat in your life that's not making the journey? - No, we haven't got cats. We've only got Roger, our dog. - Roger the dog. So Roger the dog's allowed? No cats. - Yeah, he's fine. And it's good for dogs, because we've got 13km of walking track. - Bud and Lorraine paid $465,000 for this 594m2 site. I'm dying to know what their relocatable forever home will look like nestled amongst this amazing landscape. Looking around, I'm imagining it's... something black? - There's so many. - One, two, three. One day we counted 14 black houses. - We wanted something a little bit different to what everybody else had. We've gone very light. There's a little bit of anxiety, because we haven't seen the completed house yet. - Lorraine and Bud chose this site because they'll have no neighbours on the adjacent greenbelt. But sitting up high here with no protection means they're going to take a battering from the wind. - Whoo! - There goes the hat. Does that mean that you've got more piles? - 57. - 57 piles? - 22m3 of concrete just in the piles. - Right. You'll be prepared for any west coast weather event. - Any. - Absolutely. - Lorraine and Bud have designs on being in and settled within a week of their home being delivered. I can't see how that's possible, considering there's no water, sewage or power. But they do have a family full of tradies. So let's just do a quick roll call through your family here. We've got a daughter that's involved in design; you've got a son-in-law that's a builder and has helped with the piles; you've got your actual son behind us on a digger, who's also a plumber, who's gonna do the plumbing; and next to him is his son, your grandson, who's also a plumber. - It's a family. - The question will be, can they rely on them, especially when one of them's a keen fisherman? But you know what plumbers are like. - I'm not one for gossip. - Well... (LAUGHS) Well, Lorraine, I tell you what. The indication that your plumbing will be done is if this wind keeps blowing. Because if it doesn't, the sea is gonna go flat, and that's when you're gonna have an issue, right? - Yes, that's right. He'll be out on the boat. - So as long as it's windy, I reckon you're gonna get your plumbing done. This wind stops? He's straight over the bar. Plumber son Matt is supposed to be digging the trench for the stormwater today. But that doesn't seem to be the case. - Someone left a big pile of dirt right on our stormwater connection. So we've gotta move all that before we can dig down and put the stormwater pipes in. - And who left the big pile of dirt on your stormwater collection? - Probably be the brother-in-law. - The brother-in-law left it. (LAUGHS) - So we have to get in and get it done before the truck turns up. - I thought more the fact that the sea's looking a bit rough, so might as well get some work done. - Yeah, well, that as well, you know. - I'm a little bit disappointed it's not slightly flatter. - Yeah. Maybe next time. - Maybe next time. Fishing rods are in the car. Plenty of opportunities. As much as I hate to say it, with the move in just a week's time, fishing might have to go on the backburner. Yeah. No. - Are you here next week? Because I can come out on Monday and give you` - No. - Aren't you? - No, it's quite good conditions next week. - Oh. Yeah. - Right, I'll get back to work. - OK. (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC) - Lorraine actually hasn't seen their dream home in some time. The finishing touches have just been added, and it's ready for its big unveiling. So we've come to Elevate Homes in Cambridge along with their interiors expert daughter Paula to check it out. I really, really hope Lorraine's not disappointed with her design choices. Are we ready? And more importantly, are you ready, Lorraine? - Yep. - Ready? - Yep. Oh! Lorraine is about to see her dream home for the first time since its cladding went up. Fingers crossed it's what she expected. You know, there's a lot at stake here, so let's see how it goes. - Oh, wow! (CHEERFUL MUSIC) Oh, that looks lovely. - Lorraine and Bud's brand new house is 130m2. It's got three bedrooms and two bathrooms. - Are you please with it? - Yeah, I am. I love the cedar. Do you like the cedar? - Yeah, I do. It's great, Mum. - Yeah. - So far, their reaction to seeing it is good. - That's gonna look awesome on the back of a truck. - It is. It's gonna be quite the sight. - It's gonna be quite a sight, that, coming on Rangatahi Rd. - Especially clad in a striking shade of white, and with that tilt roof. - Do you want me to carry you over the threshold? - Oh, yeah! - (ALL LAUGH) - Come on. - No, thank you. That would be a laugh. - You knocked her out last time you did that. - Oh, wow! - Welcome home. - Wow. Yeah. - Oh, this is lovely. - It looks so good. - I 100% agree. The open-plan design makes their home feel like a bach, perfect for a site in Raglan. Every detail looks mint. - Oh, your tiles look good, Mum. - If I'd been a little bit dubious about anything, it was the yellow tiles. But no, I think it goes lovely. - You guys had quite a bit of input together on the design? - Like making the choice for the yellow tiles. I said, 'I really like this colour, but I'm not sure.' - So Paula said, 'Yes!' - Great. That's what you need. - That's so right. You just need someone to say yes. - Everyone needs one of those people in their lives. - Absolutely. Oh, look how easy this slides. - So nice to be new. You've got double glazing. - That's gonna be a whole world. - We've never had double glazing before. - I'm really happy with that. - It's come together good. There's plenty of storage. - Aside from the storage above and beside the oven, there's also a scullery. Let's take a look at the bedrooms, positioned at both ends of the house. - Oh, look at the carpet. We haven't seen the carpet. - Oh, it's so soft. - I know. It's really... - It's squishy. Oh, i's lovely. - Off the master bedroom is the en-suite. The timber louvres are a really nice touch. - Open them both? - Look at that. - Fantastic. - Yeah, that's excellent. - I'm starting to imagine this house on that site. I think they've made a great choice. Everything's modern and fresh. - I think it looks beautiful. I'm relieved. I'm relieved now. So that's one less sleepless night now I've seen it. - I do like how it is a family affair, with the brothers and you all having input. It feels like you've got a vested interest in the place. - It's really nice that we were able to contribute and to help Mum and Dad out, because they really deserve it, and we're all skilled at that, so why not do it? Why not use us all? Yeah. - How much does a place like this cost? - Uh, hmm... - Uh, well, we never went with the basic one. It was... I think it'll come out for the actual build, just this bit, somewhere around the 500,000. - So the move on top of that? - Yes. - Yep, right. - And what are you looking at for the move? - $36,000. - $36,000 for a 91km move sounds like a good deal. - It'll be worth it. It'll be worth it. - Yeah, absolutely. - Excellent. Are you worried about the journey that it's gonna be taking? I don't want to freak you out too much, but this is a very square house. It doesn't have the traditional roof that falls away to the sides. And at 7.2 wide, it's pretty wide. So wide and tall, it is going to require quite a bit of manoeuvring. - Oh, don't say that! Don't say that. - You keep saying that, Clarke. I'm getting a bit worried now. - This home is gonna need some decent protection if it's to survive a journey along rural roads without a scratch. But Elevate Homes owners Lee and Kristin reckon they've got that covered ` literally. - Particularly those hills going into Raglan, there's just not a lot of room to move, so they just basically can't avoid trees. The timber that we use to wrap around the gutter area, that would be level one sort of level of protection, but this one needs about a level four. - OK. Oh, that's interesting. So you have various levels depending on the route that it's going on? - Yeah. The trickiness of the move. - And this is a level four. - This is a level four, so there's timber up around the gutters, and then we have a sheet of ply that goes around the perimeter of the roof, and then another sheet of ply 1.2m down from the gutter. (LAID-BACK ROCK MUSIC) The team swing into action to protect Bud and Lorraine's prized new possession. But the moving company, EasyMoves, have decided that level four protection just isn't high enough for this journey. - Since having another conversation with EasyMoves, we've needed to just go up to that next level, which is another row of ply round the walls. They've just stressed that there are some places that they would like a bit more protection on. We'd far rather see the house turn up in good condition, rather than there being a couple of scratches where the client goes, 'Oh, you know, I'm not really happy with that.' The second-hand houses, they can take a bit of beating, but this one here, just really want to protect it. - Inside, it's all go as well. The idea is the house really is a turnkey product, ready for Bud and Lorraine to move in as soon as the utilities are hooked up. - What we're doing at the moment is the taping up of all the cupboards, drawers and showers. so they are secured the transport. And then the rest of the team come in and block and wedge the doors open. The lighting can always pose a bit of a problem. We've gotta make sure it's all bubble wrapped and then just secured to the kitchen tap, so it doesn't swing around. - Everyone will be working flat out to make sure Bud and Lorraine's first ever brand new home is bullet-proof for its trip to their brand new site in Raglan. It seems all new developments aren't created equal. And in keeping with Raglan's alternative vibe, this Rangatahi development is promoting itself as an urban, sustainable neighbourhood. I don't know about you, but I'm keen to learn more about that. So I'm meeting up with the general manager of Rangatahi, Sam Laity. So can you tell me a little bit about the ethos of Rangatahi here? - We are really focused on the environment here, so we've planted almost 150,000 native plants planted on the peninsula and surrounding farmland. We really want to attract the birdlife back to Rangatahi. - And part of being aware of the environment means that you've put limits on certain construction materials? - We have decided to ban the use of polystyrene block in foundations. So moving forward, we're using a plastic pod system in foundations. - So just little tweaks like that to just make sure that it is low-impact on this area. - Yeah, and we're always reviewing our design guidelines and any issues that we have on site, to come up with ways to combat, and to look after the environment. - And then ultimately, I guess it's just bringing nature back into people's lives, isn't it? - For sure. - The journey to get the house to this lovely area starts today And it's relocation specialists EasyMoves' job to do it perfectly. - A little bit. Yeah. A little bit more. Yeah. - Synchronised hydraulic jacks are raising the home into the air,... Open it. ...allowing for some last-minute protection of the insulation. Next, the moving truck will slide underneath. (UPBEAT ROCK MUSIC) In no time at all, Lorraine and Bud's house is gently lowered on to the truck, and it's job done until tonight. - All right. Done it. Come midnight, it's go time. Normally at about this time we're leaving the yard with a pre-loved home. Tonight it's a pre-built home. But Lorraine and Bud's house has been designed to move, big three-bedroom unit that it is. Tonight's 91km move takes us on to the Waikato Expressway before hopping off and making our way west to Raglan Town, where we'll encounter the notoriously narrow Raglan Bridge. Then on to the final few kilometres around Rangatahi Peninsula to Bud and Lorraine's dream site. - The road out to Raglan is not the widest road. There's trees and winding corners, so with a big building like this, it does get a little bit challenging. - How long's the load tonight? - It's 18.5m. It's the length that can cause issues, isn't it, with corners and trying to get around trees, because you've got less room to move? - Yeah, definitely. And it's quite a funny-shaped roof, so that causes some problems as well. You'll see a pohutukawa tree later on tonight which will be a challenge, because it's overhanging on one side, and normally with a mono-pitch or a gable hip roof, we'll be able to go past it with the high point in the middle or on one side, whereas tonight we're high on both sides. - Do you think we'll have time for a cup of tea on top of the ranges? I think Lorraine and Bud are keen for a cup of coffee and a glance at their pride and joy before it goes down through the tricky stuff. - Yeah. Yeah, I heard they are waiting for us, so we'll keep an eye out for them. - While Connor and his team conduct some last-minute safety checks, I want to make sure Lorraine and Bud don't miss the big show. - Good morning. Is that you, Lorraine? - Yes, it is. We're just getting out of bed now. - Now, I'm gonna do my best to try and make them stop for a cup of tea at the top, but, you know, sometimes these guys, they just have their own agenda. - So we'll see how we go with that. - Yeah, fair enough. - All right. Well, I'm excited for you. This is this is gonna hopefully all go well. The first part of the journey should be sweet as, and then after the cup of tea at the top of the hill, things could get a little trickier. But we'll see how it goes, I guess. - Exactly. OK, we'll see you soon. - It's just after midnight, and we crank up the engine to begin our 91km trip to Raglan. - I'm riding with Whitz tonight. - How you doing, Clarke. All good? - All good, man. He must be some driver to relegate the boss, Connor, to a pilot vehicle. - This is a low ride. - (CHUCKLES) - Do you want it up? - I might bring it up a bit. - (CHUCKLES) - OK, Whitz. When you're ready, mate. Up... or down. Seat sorted, we're off. The size of Lorraine and Bud's new home instantly creates a challenge for Whitz. The load is so long and wide, even just getting out of this driveway tonight is... - It's gonna be a bit of a mish. - A bit of a mish, as Whitz says ` a real challenge. With older homes, we're normally moving them in parts. But for this move, we've got the whole house high on one trailer. I hope it all doesn't come crashing down. (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC) But Whitz is equal to the challenge. - RT: You're amazing, bro. Amazing. - You're getting positive reinforcement. - Yeah. - The gate safely negotiated, just about to get on the road, when... (LOUD CREAKING) Did something move or do something strange on the trailer there? - What was that, Clarke? - Like, almost like it slipped or jolted. I don't know if it was the hydraulic, or the house has moved slightly, but all the guys are out having a look. - I'm just checking everything's tied down still tight. - Did the house have sort of...? - Yeah, it was a bit jerky then. Yeah. It just seemed to... I couldn't quite work out what was going on. If we can't figure out what's happened, this journey might be over before it's even begun. We should be well on our way to Raglan by now, but 90 minutes after setting off, we've barely left the yard. Turns out it's the wheel alignment, which thankfully is an easy fix for Connor. - If you don't line them up, then one can go haywire. - The good news is Bud and Lorraine's house is safe. The bad news is we're almost an hour behind schedule. Time for us to get going, and for me to get going on the snacks. Making our way out of Cambridge, we fly under the bridge. But there's a big intersection to navigate before we hit the highway. Whoo, man! Didn't give yourself much room there. - RT: Come around to your right, Whitz. Go straight for a bit. All good, mate. - So that was the first big challenge, getting around an intersection with not much to spare. And here we go, on to the expressway. (LAID-BACK MUSIC) The freeway is our opportunity to make up some time. I'm super keen to stop and see if Lorraine and Bud are up for that cup of tea before we descend into Raglan. Stopping to see them, though, could cause problems for the movers. - Hopefully we're not catching too much traffic going over the hill. - What traffic are you worried about? The Raglan Hill. So everyone just heading to work. - The concern there is that if we get into Raglan too late, we'll get that morning rush of traffic trying to get out and go to work. With us taking up the whole road, it's a recipe for traffic mayhem. But it seems like we're not the only ones dealing with oversized loads tonight. So, here's one of those 'only in New Zealand' moments. Out on the road, 2 in the morning, and there's another house coming towards us. Whitz obviously knows him. (HORN TOOTS) It's just one of those things you never realise happens on a nightly basis on the streets and roads of New Zealand after dark. (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC) As we approach an overbridge, Whitz urgently wants to check on something. - I'm just gonna pull over. - I'll just check my trailer. - Yep. Hopefully it's not another issue with the wheels. Thankfully, it's not. - Just make sure I'm at the right height before I go under that bridge - OK. - Last thing we want is to peel the roof off. - Oh, it is low, eh? - Yeah. Despite EasyMoves having done thorough research, sometimes the drivers just need to give themselves peace of mind. Bud and Lorraine will be pleased to know Whitz and the crew are transporting their home with such care and attention. Ooh-wee! Right, the Raglan turn-off. As we come off the freeway, we're faced with a hard right-hand turn. Not easy when you're pulling a 130m2 house. Stand by, team. - See if we can get past. - Turning the truck now. Try number two. It is a tight squeeze, isn't it? - Come back down on driver's when you're ready, mate. - Down on driver's. - Coming around nice to the island, Whitz. And looking good, mate. - Whitz and the crew made that look easy. - On the right. Coming around nice. - As we hit the dark roads leading up to our meeting point with Bud and Lorraine, I'm really looking forward to that cuppa. But at this stage, I can barely keep my eyes open. - God, look at them all. - Oh, look. Yeah. Look at them lights. - He'll see us, all right. - I don't think he's stopping, is he? - No, he's not gonna stop. - He doesn't want a cup of tea. - Oh, look at that. - Wow! - Coming down. - Oh, was that our...? Oh. I was gonna stop for a cup of tea. - Oh, were we? - (LAUGHS) Yeah. Shoot! - That's it. Better try and catch him. - They're on the road. - Oh, sorry, team. But with 20km to go, it doesn't take them long to catch us up. - There it is. Look. Look. We can see it going down there. - It's just after 3am. We made pretty good time to this point, but it has really slowed down now, which is unsurprising. We always knew this was going to happen, as it gets tight and twisty. - LORRAINE: Oh, I hope there's no problems. Every time it slows down like this, my stomach goes really knotted. - The pilots have shot way ahead to stop traffic coming up here. If we leave our run too long and that morning traffic starts, then it gets really problematic, with traffic building up and everyone getting in the way and us not being able to get down in good time. Then, while negotiating some particularly low-hanging branches,... (CRACK!) ...we snap the lead off one of the eyebrows. That's what we use as a safety mechanism if there's any low lines, power lines or trees, just to push up and over the house, so they don't get caught up. And this is such a good example of how awkward this load is ` because it's such a big square shape, it means that it can't move like a house that might have a pitched roof and low sides can. It's a simple fix, but it does chew up valuable time. - It's definitely coffee time. - Never mind coffee, I might want a stiff drink. - It's after 3.30am when we're back on the road again. We're gonna be cutting it tight to make it to Rangatahi before the morning commuters start moving. - Starting to break out with the yawns. - (CHUCKLES) You right? - Yeah. - Need a banana? - Nah, I'm all right, thanks. - We're just assessing the roundabout that we turn off here, right on the edge of town in Raglan. - LORRAINE: Oh, wow. - Yeah, we never thought about this bit. - Going what they call the wrong side, so the wrong way around to give us more space to get this big square box around this roundabout. - RT: Come on. Come up on driver's a bit more. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. - Nothing happens fast when you've get a load that's 18m long and over 7m wide. It's nervous times for Bud and Lorraine. - Nice and easy. Looking good. - There it goes. - It's half 4 when we hit the Raglan Bridge. It's a one-laner, and it's tight as. If we don't get on it dead straight, we could be in real trouble. Getting stuck is a real possibility. - This is one of the trickiest bits, isn't it? - Yeah. Look at it. - He's tilting it. - Well, I hope he is, and it's not falling off the truck. (BOTH CHUCKLE) It looks worse because of the tilt roof, look. - We're just cruising, taking it easy over this Raglan Bridge, because it's so narrow. - RT: 150 on the left. - You can just hear on comms there, saying 150 on the left, which is, you know, not much. - 100 on the right, back right. - 100 on the back right. That is 10cm clearance that we've got going over this bridge. And because it's so narrow, we've had to pop up and sit just above it. (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC) - Clear of the bridge. - BUD: Oh! - LORRAIN: They're very clever people, these drivers. - Exciting. - We're almost there, but we've got one major hurdle left to go. - Just got the pohutukawa to negotiate. The tricky pohutukawa. - We're only 1km away from delivering Bud and Lorraine's dream home on to their magical site in Raglan, with one last hurdle to face. This is the tree they've been worried about the whole trip. We're so close to site. We've got no movement on that side, big street light, fence, and this pohutukawa tree, which we're hard up against now. The pohutukawa is a protected native tree. They can't prune or damage it. - Don't come up any closer. - Oh, yep. (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC) - Ooh. - Whoa, whoa. Just go forward. (WOOD CRACKS) - It's a time-consuming, repetitive process to lower and raise Bud and Lorraine's home bit by bit to creep forward, being careful not to damage their home, the tree or the lamp post. (THUMP!) This is providing some nail-biting spectator viewing for Bud and Lorraine. - Oh, what a` Look at that truck. That is a tricky move. - You can see that branch on that pohutukawa is absolutely straining. This is such a good example of why the house has been wrapped in a protective cladding to prevent damage in times like this. - Yeah, mate. You're better, mate. Keep it going. Up on two. Got heaps on this side, bro. You're clear of the tree. - It takes 20 minutes to make it through, house and tree still intact. Bring on the finish line, just a kilometre down the road. - LORRAINE: All right. - BUD: All right, Let's go. - Follow that truck. (CHEERFUL MUSIC) - At 5.50 in the morning, we reach Bud and Lorraine's site. I'm wondering how they're feeling. - Good, innit? - It's nerve-racking! No, no, It looks really, really good. Yeah. Excellent. - But the spectacle isn't over yet. We've reached the development but still have to get on site. Gotta bring it down on to those piles and all that concrete. 52 tons of it. We'll get to see if it's gonna all line up. - When you're ready, Whitz, come back left hand. Bud and Lorraine's eyes are firmly on the movers, no doubt willing them not to drop their dream home. (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC) - Straight now, Whitz. - Push it back, Whitz. - Is that ramp all good? - Hold it there, mate. Whoa. - The ramp is no match for the weight of Bud and Lorraine's home, causing the trailer's wheel to start slipping off the side. - Very real, right? - Yeah. - It's nerve-racking. It's nerve-racking. It looks like a Mad Max sci-fi film at the moment, all wrapped up and on crazy angles. But this is where the trailers come into their own. - Keep coming, Whitz. - This is one of the best examples I've seen of these trailers' ability to adapt to the ground that they go on. So they just bring that wheel up independently and then put it down on to the runner boards. It's just incredible, just the manipulation that's going on here is amazing. Slowly the process is repeated wheel by wheel, as they're lifted over the problem area of the ramp... - A little bit of right hand now. - ...until it's in position. - Touch straight. Left hand. Yep, nice, mate. - It must be a huge relief. - That's amazing. Great job. - Guys, I think we're there. - Yeah. - It's just like a big Christmas present waiting to be unwrapped now. - That's what I said. - We're so relieved. - The one thing I do like is, you know, there's building going on around us. It started well before this arrived and it will go on well into the future. - And yet you guys have a house produced, ready to go. - A finished house. And given that you've got all your stuff in storage, you must be so excited to start thinking about how you're gonna plan your life. - A bit like an early Christmas, because we can't remember half the stuff what's in storage now. - It's great to see Bud and Lorraine's house finally set down on its piles. But there's something ` or someone ` missing. Can I just say, the one thing I'm slightly disappointed about ` where's Matt? - I think he went fishing. (ALL CHUCKLE) - Of course he did. Time to celebrate the move with a bacon sandwich. Never too early for a bit of bacon. - Yeah, I could do a bacon sandwich. I'll leave Bud and Lorraine to soak in the feeling of having their forever home here on their dream site and come back in the morning to visit them when I've had a bit of sleep. This is exciting. I think I'm gonna be the first guest into Lorraine and Bud's new pride and joy. And most importantly, I get to see how it survived the move and going down on to piles. - There they are. - Good morning! - Good morning. - Hey, how are you guys? - All right. Come on in. Our first visitor. - Great! - Come this way. - Into your new home. - Into it. - And here we are. - And here we are. - Here we are. The first thing I notice is a couple of cracks in the plaster. - A major one there, but not really. - And they did say that was going to happen. - He actually took us round and he pointed ` this one and that one, you'll have a crack. They've tried everything, and he said, 'We can't stop it.' - And after that journey over the Raglan Ranges... - Yeah. And of course, you guys got to see that all first-hand, especially through some of those tricky bits. - Yes. I'm a little bit more relaxed today. My... I was feeling quite knotted yesterday. And... But now it's here, it's... (EXHALES) - OK. - And it's good. - It's started to sink in, starting to feel real? - Yep. Starting to feel like we're home. - What did you guys think when you came in here and saw that view for the first time? - Yeah, quite taken aback. But my best view, I think, is out our bedroom window. - I think we need to go and have a look at that. - Absolutely. Come and see. - Certainly. - Come in. - Step over the pipes. - Step over the plumbing. - Don't squash 'em. - This is he plumbing still to be done. - Yeah. - Very good. - Today's job, maybe. - Today's job. But none of this is important at the moment, because it's all about this. Goodness me, this is a view and a half, isn't it? - And it's not as beautiful today, because look, Karioi has got its hat on today. We can't see the mountain very clear. - You know the saying ` if you can't see it, it's raining. - Yes, that's what they say. - And if you can see it, and the clouds start coming down, you know it's going to rain. - You can get your washing inside. - And it's quite true. By the time it hits the bottom, it'll be raining. So it's like a barometer. - I guess the problem with that, Bud, is it Matt's going to want a weather report to go fishing every day. - Yeah. - Oh, yes. - Oh, yeah. Yeah. But if it needs to do a job, I'll just say, 'Nah, can't see Karioi. Windy and raining today.' - You might as well come here. - Come to work. Come to work. - Bud and Lorraine could be excused for just wanting to relax and enjoy all this beautiful new home has to offer. But something tells me they won't be sitting still. - I'll focus... first focus, on my list of jobs to do, is the deck outside the big door in the living area. We have a shorter deck and a smaller one going in around this way. - Yep. - But that's our priority. Somewhere to sit outside when everybody comes over. - I can just see these two sitting outside on their deck enjoying some fish and chips in the warm Raglan sunshine. I think I'll come back and join them after they've got all the family to help complete work on their property and bask in these glorious surrounds. I'm on the road to Raglan, to catch up with Bud and Lorraine. It's been just eight short weeks since the big move, 95km from Cambridge to Rangatahi. I'm really keen to see how the rest of the home-making has gotten on. It's been such a lovely family affair, with Bud and Lorraine's kids all pitching in to help. I hope the weather has played ball. Also hope that Matt has played ball as well, having to get the balance right between helping his parents, his plumbing business, and the all-important fishing. So I guess we will see. (GENTLE MUSIC) Arriving at Bud and Lorraine's brand new relocatable home, it's certainly sitting pretty. And there's still plenty of work being done, but there's no sign of the kids. Gidday, Bud. Is this the last screw? - Bud, how are you? - I wish. I wish. Hey. - Speaking from personal experience, Bud, a deck is 100% more satisfying when you put it in yourself, though, right? - Yeah. Yeah, when you can sit and look at it and think, 'Yeah, I remember that bit. That was an awkward piece of wood.' - Good morning, Clarke. - How are you going? - Good. I'm not disrupting things by stopping Bud from finishing the deck? - Oh, he's all right for five minutes. - He's all right for five minutes. - I'll come out. - Hey, good to see you. - And you. - Goodness me, you must love having this deck and easy access. - It's made life a lot easier than coming across... Cos all this was just mud. - How long after it arrived did you move in? - Three days. - Three days later? - Yeah. Yeah, good to go. - Goodness me, that's an amazing turnaround, really, to be here three days later. - Matt did his job. - Yeah, he did his job, and we had water in the tap. - It must be just so nice on a nice evening sitting here and taking it all in. It's lovely. - We've got a choice. We can either sit here, no wind, or the other side, no wind. - It's getting there. It's still a work in progress, but it's getting there. - Yeah. This is great, listening to you two. You're buzzing about it, and I haven't even had a look inside yet. - Are we allowed to go in? - Absolutely. Come on in. - Oh, look at this. Look at this. This is fantastic. Just having your stuff in here, it feels like the presence of people that live here. We're still sort of moving things around. You know, we'll say, 'Yeah, that looks fine there. 'No, no, we'll change it and take it out.' And we're trying to go 'less is more'. I said to Paula, I'd like Dad's filing drawers over there, because that's from next to his desk when he was a teacher. No, she said. Less is more. Less is more. And it's the same with the artwork ` we've got boxfulls and boxfulls of it. And she said, we'll have a summer and winter, summer and winter art, and then you can swap it. - I imagine that's quite beneficial, having someone that has that family connection that can be a bit tough with you. - Yeah. Yeah. We've got lovely views, so really a lot of the views have just taken our art ` that is our artwork now. - Opening that ranch slider and looking straight across there... - It's lovely. - Now that your colour choices have your furniture around it, are you happy with them? - Yeah. Yeah. I do like the colour. - This green, this has gone with everything we have. - That's worked really well. This is great, Lorraine, because you had a few reservations at the start around the choices. - Now, can we have a look at some of the other rooms? - Yeah. Come on down. - This is the spare room. It's Roger's at the moment. - Roger the dog. And so is he allowed on the bed? No, not at all. No. - Who's this? - Oh, that would be Paula's dog. - It's not a cat? - No, it's not a cat. - No, no. - We have vacuumed. (ALL LAUGH) - Just making sure that you're seeing to the terms and conditions of living in this fine little peninsula. - Yeah, absolutely. - It's his sanctuary. He comes in here when the nailgun's going off and the drop saw's going. - Double glazing, right. All that construction outside, and you can barely hear it. - You can't hear a thing. - And you know what I like about this is that this is just a guest bedroom, and beautiful sun coming in. It's light and breezy. - And of course, this room's got the en-suite in here. - Yeah, go through. - Oh, great. Yeah. That's lovely. Sharing the en-suite is the third bedroom. So, this is the third bedroom in here. - Oh, Clarke, is a no-go area. You can't come in here. - Is this some of the furniture that you're making decisions about? - Yes, it is. Come on, you're not allowed in here. It's a mess. Yeah, come through here, Clarke. This is my favourite room. Our bedroom. This is great, just to see as a bedroom, as opposed to just a room we were walking in. - And it's really quite nice just to wake up and look out at that. - Matt gives you a call. You don't even get out of bed. You just look out the window and tell him what the weather's doing. It's no good today, Matt. How about you come and give us a hand with the deck? - Yeah, bring the digger. - Rain or sunshine, that is one heck of a view. - It is. When the sun's going down, all the landscape changes. The dry tops of the grass go orange. - I mean, it's so nice to be able to come here and see you guys in situ, living here and turning this into your home. Now, let's talk about budget. - Did we stay within where you hoped it would be? - No, it went a lot over. - So, how much over budget are we talking? - I'd say 100,000-odd. - Oh, wow. That much more? Right. For Bud and Lorraine, the cost overruns came from site engineering, allowing them to live on this high-wind zone. Bud and Lorraine spent $465,000 on their section, $500,000 on their house, and $36,000 on their move. - We wouldn't be anywhere where we are now if it wasn't for the contacts that we have within the family. - And I understand Matt and Paula are popping up for some lunch. - Yeah. - With a bit of luck, that means Matt's bringing snapper. Chance would be a fine thing. At least it's fish and chips. - Here you go, team. - Yay! - We got there with some fish in the end, eh? - Yeah. Brilliant. - Fish and chips. - Actually, just before we finish this, just something I've gotta grab. Speaking of fishing, or lack of, I thought we should be contributing something to the house. And so Bud, I thought you might like to open this. We got you a little something. - Awesome. - Oh, lovely! - We'll never hear the end of it. - Oh, look. - Oh, jeez. - I think there might be some benefits to you to having a good weathervane in place. - Yep, sure will be. - You guys have still got a little bit to do here. - Yes, we have. - But it's now all yours to enjoy. - Thank you very much. And thank you for this lovely gift. - It's so cool to see Bud and Lorraine achieving their dream of living in their favourite holiday spot in their perfect home, surrounded by friends and family.