If you’ve been considering a home-office pod for your back garden, you probably have a question or two.
And who better to ask than CFO and father of four, Kieran Mitchell, who’s owned a Harwyn pod for more than six years now.
In this Q&A, Kieran shares his advice for prospective buyers and discusses how having a pod has been a lifesaver in these WFH times.
Q: Hi Kieran! Nice to catch up with you. Can you tell us why you were looking for a home-office pod – all those years ago?
A: Well, it was late 2014 when my wife fell pregnant with our third child. We live in a three-bedroom house with a study. So, with another baby on the way, I knew that study would soon be needed as a nursery.
At first, we looked into extending upstairs, but that was going to end up costing up to around $250K. That’s when we began to explore other most cost-effective ways to separate my work and home life.
Q: So how did you come across Harwyn?
A: It was so long ago now, but I’m pretty sure I found Harwyn on Google. They were one of the only players in the game back then.
Q: What did you like about what Harwyn offered?
A: I was always drawn to the modern and sleek design of Harwyn. But I also liked that I could take my Harwyn pod with us, if we ever decided to move homes.
Q: What do you remember about the purchase and installation experience with Harwyn?
A: The service was always excellent. Very personalised. I first went out to their showroom in Abbotsford to see the pod. The CEO Jason then came out to have a look at our home to let us know if it was suitable.
After designing and ordering my pod, it arrived quickly. And today, six years on, it still looks and feels like new.
Q: So, how has a Harwyn pod changed your work and life?
A: In the beginning, I mainly used the pod to do our family admin and personal finances.
But this year, it’s been a real lifesaver from a professional perspective. Having been forced to work from home full-time, with four kids in the house (yes, we now have FOUR) – two of whom were remote learning – I needed a very separate space to work.
And to be honest, I can’t see how I would have coped without my Harwyn. It gets so noisy and busy in the house. It’s been absolutely essential for me to have that separation.
Q: Absolutely. What would you tell prospective buyers to look for when choosing a home-office pod?
A: The quality of the build. That’s most important. From what I hear, there’s now a lot of cheap imitations out there – and they don’t stand the test of time. Harwyn is definitely a winner on that front.
Thanks for your time, Kieran! We’re delighted to hear that you still love your Harwyn as much as you did the day you got it.
To see how a home office pod could transform your life too, get in touch today. You can start designing your dream pod by calling us on 1300 HARWYN (1300 427 996). Or complete our enquiry form and a Harwyn Consultant will get in touch.