Client Testimonials

Ant and Rachel developed an fantastic design to extend our 1965 home. They overcame the challenges of accommodating 3 different floor levels and squeezed space out of nowhere for a much wanted study nook. Most importantly, they listened to what we wanted and what was most important to us. As we were newcomers to the reno process, they patiently answered questions and allowed us time to make decisions and gave us guidance where needed. They kept to the agreed time frame and communicated clearly throughout.Read More

Rachel and Ant at Swell helped us come up with a design for our renovation that met all our needs, makes great use of the space and fits within our budget. So far the build is shaping up to be fabulous.Read More

Swell Homes designed a significant renovation to our family home. They came up with a fantastic initial design based on our needs and our brief. Because of the area where we live the council knocked the initial design back and we were forced too go back to the drawing board. Swell Homes listened and adapted producing a second brilliant design which cleverly incorporated all our requirements while satisfying the planning regulations. They have listened to us the whole way through and patiently worked with us to achieve a really fantastic and original design. A clever design that stayed within budget and accommodated everything we required. A genuine pleasure to work with Swell.Read More

Firstly, I must start out by declaring our little to no experience with both construction and design!! With a relatively complex block to work with and a strict brief we are extremely happy with the eco friendly design Rach created for us. The design process was smooth and Swell enabled us to change our minds right up until the last minute which many other companies do not allow for. Rach and Ant were both laid back but very professional making the build a much more enjoyable experience. We are forever grateful and satisfied with Swell homes and are incredibly happy with the overall product!Read More

We have had our design for our modern, sustainable, energy efficient design with Swell Homes and in conjunction with David Robinson from More Architecture and the experience has been fantastic. The initial consultation was very good with the team listening to the way our family lives and creating a design that was within budget and had great suggestions. We start our build next week (on schedule) and very much looking forward to the next phase.Read More

If I could give Swell Homes 10 stars, I would. Ant quite literally changed the course of our lives. We were in a dire situation going on years with no end in sight. We had a builder disappear on us and we were just stuck with a partially built home. Numerous builders declined but Ant and Swell Homes came to the rescue and helped us every step of the way to complete a beautiful home for us both in the end, ahead of schedule. He was very tailored in his approach to the unique situation and worked with us diligently to address every need. To top it off, he's a practical and easy going guy which made it even better. A special mention should also go out to Mike the supervisor for his efficiency and attention to detail. He communicated every single detail with me throughout the process and I was always at ease knowing any issues would be handled. I absolutely recommend Swell Homes to anyone.Read More

Very impressed with Anthony and his team. They did a fantastic job in a really compressed timeframe. Thorough and professional, we were not sure about how to implement some of the changes, Ant and Wayne put forward a proposal which has given us exactly what we wanted.Read More

I contacted Ant after being wowed by their design of the houses. Ant is super responsive and very patient to all my questions. We are thinking of either demolishing the whole house or partial of the house and renovate. Ant is prepared to provide free consultation and site inspection. The price quoted for their design and quality is well deserved. It is really up to the customers to decide which way to go. Ant is not pushy, but responds with all attention and understanding to our queries. We haven't decided which way to go, as we have a rather big lot and rebuilding the whole house using an architectural design may be well-above our budget, renovation may not meet our expectation for the space we wanted. I didn't want to waste more time for Ant, but he is happy to offer all the necessary advice even if this may lead to a dead end. I would not hesitate to recommend him to anyone who wants a state-of-the art design and live in an energy efficient, sustainable house for decades to come.Read More

Prior to engaging Swell Homes, our initial experiences with building and renovating had been frustrating and costly to say the least. We had spent over $150k and 2yrs on various house plans only to have builders either refuse to quote due to complexity, or if they did the cost was simply beyond our ability to fund. Luckily Swell had built a home on a block we had previously owned. Due to this, we had kept track of the build. What we saw was a clean worksite, an interesting build and one that seemed to happen very quickly. Due to this we got in touch with Ant and discussed what we wanted. Both Ant and Rachel were a pleasure to work with, understood our needs and provided many solutions along the planning and design phase. They are slanted towards 'green' building methods which fitted well with the way we wanted to build. We are now very close to finishing our project and I have to say it has been an exciting and rewarding experience. Our site manager is Andy who has been awesome and has dealt with our questions and changes with patience and great suggestions. Everyone who has come through our site has been amazed by how clean and tidy it is always kept, which is a testament to Andy and the pride he takes in his work (treating it like his own). We have been given many compliments by people we know already which is a credit to Swell's design and construction. I would not hesitate to recommend the team at Swell. They are transparent with costings and timelines, move the job along in a timely fashion and are just honest, nice people who are great to work with. Ben and GessRead More

Ant and Rach of Swell Homes were brilliant in providing us with a professional and yet friendly service. I had been recommended to them when I was completing my drafting course at TAFE by one of my lecturers. We are building in South Fremantle and wanted a local builder that is focused on quality of design, quality of build and solar passive principles. No question was too hard to answer and they were always on hand to answer any queries we may have had. Swell Homes are quite the local name around Fremantle, and for good reason. They are in tune with and sensitive to the needs of people wanting to build around this area. A "project builder" was never going to be an option for us. One of many reasons is that we didn't want a double brick and tile house, and we wanted the freedom to choose our own fixtures and fittings. With that in mind, Swell Homes were able to provide a quote that was favourably comparable to the mass production builder. I had a sudden death in family which has certainly knocked our plans for a new build on the head for a while, but Ant has been extremely compassionate and is always checking up on me to make sure I am ok. He has also sent me plans from time to time to cheer me up and keep me focused. I would not hesitate for one second in recommending Ant and Rach of Swell Homes. They are a couple that really care about the local area, their clients, and quality, sustainable building. Thank you, Ant and Rach.Read More

Swell Homes were flexible and great to work with. They did a great job and our house was built on time & on budget.Read More

Ant and the team at Swell did a fantastic job transforming our Fremantle terrace cottage. They were not phased by anything that troubled other builders; heritage property, narrow street, almost no access to rear of block, all no problem. Our site supervisor Jimmy was on top of every detail and the group of suppliers and contractors that Swell use provide a high end quality finish to all the fittings. We really enjoyed working with Ant, Jimmy and the rest of the Swell team and are delighted with the result.Read More

I would definitely recommend Swell Homes. We found the initial process a little bit complicated and it did get frustrating for a while. I think a lot of that was really because we were not that experienced in what we were doing. The complications were really communications issues. To be honest once building started I cannot think of anything that I would criticize. The supervisor was honestly amazing, incredibly hard-working, flexible and with a great eye for detail. They were on site most mornings by 7am! . I was 100% happy with all the work - you expect a few little things that you are not really happy with but there were none. It was a fixed price contract and overall I felt that they were reasonable with costs and changes. Overall as I say I'd certainly recommend Swell Homes - be a bit patient at the beginning if you need to be. I would absolutely use them again.Read More

Swell Homes completed a significant renovation and addition to our +100 yr semi-detached house in Fremantle. Over a 3yr period we developed the plans and costing's with our architect and after working exclusively with another builder in the final tendering stage had arrived at a price that was significantly above our budget (and loan capacity), as well as being well above previous estimates/quotes. At that time I sought the counsel of a good friend who had recently engaged Anthony and Swell Homes to build his new home in East Freo and he convinced me to give it another go, this time with Swell. We met with Anthony and he subsequently provided us with a competitive price, which we then worked on collaboratively to get the costs to a level with which we could move forward. During this process Swell's responsiveness and reasonable approach on free issue items and scope definition was really appreciated. The build went very smoothly given the location and site challenges (tight rear lane access and semi-detached), with the attitude and proactive approach to neighbour relations a highlight of the Site Manager's (Andy) many skills. His ability to work in with our architect in a flexible and professional manner was also very much appreciated. There were several variations along the way (due to some errors in drawings on our side and desire to change the spec or scope on a few critical items), which were handled fairly and professionally. Our family are very happy with the end product and we can say that our decision to engage Swell Homes was one of the best decisions we made along the way and we wouldn't have any hesitation to recommend Anthony and the team.Read More

For our extension, we wanted to achieve the highest energy efficiency possible within our budget, to avoid installing ducted aircon, which is expensive to run. We consulted Swell Homes during the design phase for ideas on the building principles and materials we should use to achieve this. The result is a marvel - our place rarely needs heating or cooling. It all comes down to intelligent design, and Ant Pillinger and his team clearly know their stuff.Read More

I approached Swell Homes after my wife pointed out one of their GreenSmart homes in the newspaper. We were immediately impressed with Ant and Rachel's approach to building a new home and discussed various passive solar options for our small block. Now the custom build is almost complete and we are very pleased with the quality of the construction and with the key features of the home. So far this summer the house has been cool, light and makes the most of the surrounding vista. We are showing it off to our family and friends with pride. Throughout the process we have found Swell Homes to be very professional, transparent and flexible. This is the first time we have built and the experience for us as clients has been a positive one.Read More

We are currently working on several projects with Ant and his team at Swell Homes and can highly recommend them as builders who know what they are doing, are professional at all times, but still highly approachable and willing to work together towards unique solutions. Their knowledge of sustainable and energy efficient solutions makes them stand out from the crowd.Read More

Swell Homes have done a great job on designing and installing a major addition to the rear of our existing timber framed house in Fremantle, WA. As well, they renovated/ rebuilt the existing 'heritage' front part of the house. Swell handled admirably all of the negotiations with the City of Fremantle Planning Department, including those related to the heritage issues for the retained part of the house. We are thrilled with the quality of the finish of the house and the renovations, and the high level of insulation that Swell Homes automatically included in the building. Also they were fun to deal with as there was a high level of client / builder interaction during the building process, and minor changes and additions did not automatically flag up significant variations. Thanks Swell Homes!!!Read More

We are currently at our fix out stage for our place in white gum valley, I approched Anthony after noticing a couple of homes being built around Fremantle by swell homes, it has been nothing but smooth sailing from day one, from getting the design right working with there in house design team at shorelines (Rachel Pillinger). With Anthonys experiance he created a natural heating and cooling system to keep the house cool in summer and warm in winter which was always going to be a challenge with minimal sunlight on our block in the winter months but I believe this was achieved I think the best possible design we were after was acheived with the R codes and budget we had, I felt this was important and they nailed it. After council approval everything has been bang on schedule, all the chippys and trades have been great on time and to a high standard. Nick the superviser has been awesome hes on the ball so to speak, a great communicator always filling me in with what's going on, he Has good ideas knows his stuff and we work well together. If I were to ever build again I wouldn't hesitate ringing Anthony ive made a couple of friends out of both him and Nick!Read More

We would recommend Swell Homes to any prospective clients. Their professional expertise combined with the ability to meet our requirements, made for a seamless renovation on time and under budget. The quality of work was excellent, which is a credit to the various tradespersons employed by Swell throughout the build. 5 Stars!Read More

Provided final design and documents for council. handled all the necessary formal applications. Organised sub-contractors for actual build. Extremely impressed by the staff hired for the build. Swell has sourced very capable people, who were quick to resolve any issues on site. Quality of the work was fantastic and the level of communication and ability to work in with our requirements exceptional.Read More

We completed a full home renovation and second floor extension with Swell Homes, from design ideas, to framing the roof and installing the bathroom taps. The people working on the job were great; there were some challenges with tradies as there always are but overall a speedy build, and on budget. The element that sticks out for me is that they made our project a positive experience. Renovating is a stressful endeavour at the best of times, and it would have been that much more difficult if you have to worry about the relationship to your builder on top of that. Swell was always listening, accommodating, and working on the best resolution for our "hurdles". You always felt that they are on "your side" and not just going through a process.Read More

Swell Homes has recently completed an extension/renovation on my home to Lock Up stage. The job was completed reasonably close to the anticipated time frame and to an excellent standard. I was very closely involved with the project on site and found all trades to be professional, helpful, polite, clean and prompt. The Project Manager in particular was very communicative, amenable and happy to tackle any changes and problems that arose and was also very organised.Read More

Swell Homes renovated the main entry of our high rise apartment, and built a new walkway connecting the two towers. They were fast, clean, and polite. Our contract ran on time, and to budget. I have no hesitation in recommending Swell Homes as a professional, and accommodating building company. SA Norwood Chairman of Strata Body PELICAN POINT APARTMENTS CRAWLEYRead More

I recently built my new sustanable home in Wembley with Ant and the Swell building team. I found Ant and his great team to be very professional and proactive. I have po problems in recommending Ant and the Swell team as a builder to build your new home with. Marc Drexel ARCedenRead More

Swell homes extended our existing home by knocking down a wall and building a family room, study, laundry and adjoining the house to the garage. We were very happy with the work. The extension proved more difficult than first anticipated due to the nature of the existing structure but it made no difference to the timing or cost of the work. Anthony kept us informed with progress reports at least twice a week (we moved out during the work). The work was completed extremely efficiently (I think 10 weeks all up). The quality of the work was excellent and we were extremely happy with the price. I would be happy to recommend Swell Homes.Read More

I am a member of the Council of Owners of a 50 unit apartment block. In June 2012 we commenced a $500,000 improvement and maintenance project and Anthony Pillinger of Swell Homes was appointed project manager. We couldn't have managed without his expertise, advice and organizational skills. He was in constant communication and always willing to meet with us to discuss progress. Fortunately, he also has a good sense of humour.Read More

Renovation. 3 x 1 house converted to a 4 x 2. Work started on time with profesional staff who were always approachable and rectified any queiries we had. Standard of work was excellent and all products and design chosen well suited to the Australian climate. Very eco-friendly design. The price was great and with no hidden extras at the completion of work. What we were quoted is what we payed. Work was completed a week early and since completion the builder has kept in contact. I have no complaints and recommend Swell Homes to anyone thinking about renovating. I would use there services again.Read More

Our house is circa 1890's workers cottage, narrow block with poor access. Prior extension had left us with a space that was both not usable and and poorly built. We wanted the back part of the house removed, rebuilt in an open modern style. Main areas renovated were Kitchen, Dining, Laundry, Bathroom and outdoor area. Swell homes were extremely helpful from the start, very positive approach to our job and a willingness to provide guidance from the outset and for the duration of the job. They were flexible and allowed for alterations along the way. The project and site manager were contactable at all times and we were given regular updates about the current work and upcoming schedules of work. We used cost-plus which suited our job and budget well and would recommended Swell to anyone planning a renovation.Read More