Tips and experiences from Noortje and Leontien

The preparation, done by Noortje and Leontien

Noortje and Leontien can both remember very well what it was like to figure out what their holiday property should look like and where it should be built. Noortje tells: “The great thing about having a holiday property built when using Portula is that you have a lot of liberty in determining the design. You can personally decide about the lay-out and materials used, so everything will be just the way you want it”.

To Leontien and her husband Cees, finding the perfect location was the most important aspect. “Erik, at Portula, proved to be a wonderful help here. He drove us to different spots that we would study together. That was some adventure! Erik manages to find beautiful building spots in Vrådal and at other locations in Norway. We would most probably never have found those locations ourselves. It was so great that Erik took all the time needed for it, just as he did to discuss with us what the house should look like. Cees had a number of specific wishes, but Erik listened indefatigably. He would always come up with a solution or suggestion. In that respect, Erik and Adla provide an amazing service to people who are keen to have a holiday property in Norway, but don’t know exactly which actions to take.”

Having a coffee at the construction site

Once the house was being built, Leontien and Cees would frequently come over to take a look. They always felt welcome at the construction site, where they could see with their own eyes what Marek and Pawel were doing and how their house progressed. Each time it was great to watch their craftsmanship and all those coffees and Norwegian sandwiches at the construction site were unforgettable and convivial. As so often happens during building projects, the construction took a bit longer than they initially thought. But they were prepared for this and they were partly to blame, themselves, Leontien admits.

For Noortje things went really quick: in May 2015, her search query for a suitable plot started and in May 2016 the house was completed. In addition to the successful progression during the construction process, what mainly struck her was the attention to the details.

Enjoying the Norwegian nature

Meanwhile, Leontien and Noortje are thoroughly enjoying their holiday houses in Norway. Noortje enthusiastically reveals: “We have a great house in a fantastic area. Norway is a beautiful and varied country, with mountains and glens, waterfalls and lakes. Due to the northern climate, Norway’s summers and winters are completely different. In the summer you can visit quiet beaches, go hiking in the mountains or go canoeing. During the winters we go skiing and cross country skiing”.

Also Leontien can often be found outdoors. “The winter in Norway is very atmospheric, because there is a lot more snow around our house in the mountains than in the glens and it usually comes earlier. Every now and then we make use of a quiet ski slope in the neighbourhood, which is usually open from mid-December until Easter. And there is a lot of cross country skiing when there is snow.”

But also during the summer months, Leontien and Cees will often go out into the Norwegian nature: “We really enjoy the silence and the views. We can often be found outdoors and really feel like being one with nature. In the beginning, we tended to stay in and around our holiday property, but now we explore the area more and more. We go on amazing hiking trips and discover places where we can picnic and light a fire to cook on. Apart from that, we have a boat that we can take onto the lake and Cees has bought an electric mountain bike, so he can cycle longer distances”.

So, both Noortje and Leontien look back on the development and construction of their house in Norway in a positive way. And the fact that they now enjoy the result shows from their enthusiastic stories!