0:00:02 > 0:00:04We're in the midst of a low-cost, self-build revolution.
0:00:04 > 0:00:06- Huh!- We're building walls!
0:00:06 > 0:00:10It's harder than ever to get onto the housing ladder, so a few brave,
0:00:10 > 0:00:14ordinary people are resorting to the seemingly impossible...
0:00:14 > 0:00:17This gets the adrenaline going.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20..building their own home from scratch for less than £100K.
0:00:22 > 0:00:26If we try to buy a house with that space, we couldn't afford it.
0:00:26 > 0:00:30Architect Piers Taylor and me, Kieran Long, are back,
0:00:30 > 0:00:33and coming to the aid of six families attempting
0:00:33 > 0:00:35this toughest of challenges.
0:00:35 > 0:00:36It's difficult looking at the budget
0:00:36 > 0:00:39- and your bank account just literally going down.- Yeah.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41We'll try to help them with design dilemmas.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44You arrive at a blank wall. I mean, is this what you want?
0:00:44 > 0:00:47Challenge them to think bigger.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50It just inspires me to want to go home and crack on with it.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53And search out innovative solutions that make
0:00:53 > 0:00:56the most of their meagre budgets.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58Whoa, look at that.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00We'll all be pushed to the limit...
0:01:00 > 0:01:02Oh, no!
0:01:02 > 0:01:04..as we attempt to turn these ordinary self builds
0:01:04 > 0:01:06into outstanding homes.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09If anyone thinks it's easy, they're an idiot!
0:01:09 > 0:01:11This time...
0:01:11 > 0:01:14Andrew and Claire dream of building a modern farmhouse...
0:01:14 > 0:01:18Look at that! 40 minutes to this stage.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21..but will they end up with a glorified mobile home...
0:01:21 > 0:01:26It's really important that we all realise what we're building.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28..and in financial ruin?
0:01:28 > 0:01:30We've got over £10,000 of credit cards now.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33It's something I feel very, very uncomfortable about.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45Andrew and Claire have ditched their jobs
0:01:45 > 0:01:48and gambled everything they have on a brave new start, but
0:01:48 > 0:01:52they still don't have the one thing they really need - a family home.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03Pretty much everything that we had has been spent
0:02:03 > 0:02:05in establishing the farm.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09I was in the garden centre industry.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12It was very frantic, very busy, very stressful.
0:02:12 > 0:02:17This has its moments, but it's a very relaxed, very informal,
0:02:17 > 0:02:19very calming way of making a living.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22Come on, let's go and feed those animals.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25In life, if you don't take a chance, nothing's ever going to happen.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28We could be two people living in a normal street with normal jobs,
0:02:28 > 0:02:32but I don't think that would make either of us happy.
0:02:32 > 0:02:33There's a goose egg!
0:02:35 > 0:02:38Andrew inherited eight acres of Berkshire farmland from his
0:02:38 > 0:02:42mother, and three years ago, their huge dream began to take shape.
0:02:46 > 0:02:50When we first had the first batch of 2,000 hens delivered,
0:02:50 > 0:02:53I'd literally never held a chicken before in my life.
0:02:53 > 0:02:54So it was all new to me.
0:02:58 > 0:03:00Andrew has been married with kids before...
0:03:00 > 0:03:02Right. Who's hungry?
0:03:02 > 0:03:04..but found a new start with Claire.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07She was a single mum to Tallulah and a townie -
0:03:07 > 0:03:09working in the business world.
0:03:09 > 0:03:14My idea of going back to nature was to stay in a budget hotel.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18Together, they had their son, Edward, and have spent every waking
0:03:18 > 0:03:21minute striving to make their fledgling business a success.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25Morning, girls.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28But with 5,000 chickens laying a million and a half eggs a year,
0:03:28 > 0:03:30it's hard work.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36It's seven days a week, 365 days a year. Early mornings,
0:03:36 > 0:03:39late nights, locking the birds up and things like that.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41So living on the site is a must.
0:03:46 > 0:03:52With no existing farmhouse, the only option is to live in a caravan.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55This is the dining room, office and kitchen.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57We're all very on top of each other.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59You can't really escape.
0:03:59 > 0:04:00Tallulah's bedroom.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06We can't open wardrobes. That's the washing facilities for all of us.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09When we're really cold or if we want a bath,
0:04:09 > 0:04:11Andy and I do actually sit in there. Cross-legged.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14Trying to pretend that we're in a bath.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20Andrew and Claire have risked all their money on building
0:04:20 > 0:04:22the life they dreamt of.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25They have the plot but very little cash left, so they've staked
0:04:25 > 0:04:29the farm against a mortgage to finance the entire build.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34One... One, eight, nine, ten.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38So much has been invested, both financially and emotionally.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40There is no turning back.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44The only plan we have is to build a house here
0:04:44 > 0:04:47and, you know, spend the rest of our lives here.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53To comply with planning laws, Andrew and Claire's house must be
0:04:53 > 0:04:57easily removable from the site if their farm business fails.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05In just one evening, they sketched a design for an incredibly
0:05:05 > 0:05:06basic single-storey home.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13The frame sits on 15 concrete pads instead of conventional foundations.
0:05:16 > 0:05:18The outside will be chalet-like,
0:05:18 > 0:05:21clad in treated wood with metal tiles on the roof.
0:05:21 > 0:05:25Inside, one half will be a large, open-plan kitchen/diner
0:05:25 > 0:05:28with one structural support post in the middle.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35The other rooms will be down a long, windowless corridor -
0:05:35 > 0:05:38including a small office, bathroom, two kids' rooms,
0:05:38 > 0:05:40and at the very end, Andrew and Claire's bedroom.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53I'm worried they haven't designed a house -
0:05:53 > 0:05:56just a bigger version of the caravan they've already got.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59- Hi.- Hi there.- How you doing?- Good.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03Their plot is an exposed site in the middle of their farm.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06They are financing the build entirely via a loan,
0:06:06 > 0:06:09so how much are they expecting it to cost?
0:06:10 > 0:06:13What's going to be the budget of this?
0:06:13 > 0:06:16The builder has said, for 60 grand, he will build it.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20We've allowed ten to do a bit of ground work.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23That brings us up to 70.
0:06:23 > 0:06:28And what kind of contingency have you got in the budget for mishaps?
0:06:28 > 0:06:30- There won't be any.- Really?
0:06:30 > 0:06:34You really can't afford for a single thing to go wrong on this build.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38How far away are you from moving into this building, do you think?
0:06:38 > 0:06:41- From moving in or starting? - From moving in. When's the end?
0:06:41 > 0:06:44I think the end of the summer, I would like to be in.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47I think that is achievable with a fair wind.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50Yeah, I mean, the end of the summer is clearly October.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52- Yes.- Clearly not. Clearly not.
0:06:56 > 0:07:00With late summer just a few months away, this build is going to
0:07:00 > 0:07:04move fast - the frame could go up in a matter of days.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08Piers and I urgently need to help them make a family farmhouse,
0:07:08 > 0:07:10not just an upmarket mobile home in a field.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21Andrew and Claire have a real job on to deliver a good building, I think.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24They have a building that has to be semi-temporary.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27How do you make this building feel permanent
0:07:27 > 0:07:29and not feel like a caravan?
0:07:31 > 0:07:34Enjoy it for what it is, and what it is is a beautiful shed.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37And we need to really explode this myth that agricultural sheds
0:07:37 > 0:07:40aren't beautiful. The big lofty spaces,
0:07:40 > 0:07:43the simple use of materials that are fixed together economically.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46They need to make a virtue out of economy and really look at
0:07:46 > 0:07:48materials that are cheap. So sheet material,
0:07:48 > 0:07:50profile metal, those sorts of things.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53The danger is they'll clad this in an expensive material
0:07:53 > 0:07:56because they think it'll make it better.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58To me, this building is not designed at all
0:07:58 > 0:07:59and they desperately need help.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02What separates this from a good building
0:08:02 > 0:08:03is actually quite a fine line.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06Spaces like corridors need a certain amount of generosity
0:08:06 > 0:08:09where people linger and gather and move into spaces,
0:08:09 > 0:08:12so this is the most lazy form of long corridor here.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17One of the most bizarre features is this structural column
0:08:17 > 0:08:20in the middle of the living space which seems completely redundant.
0:08:20 > 0:08:22Completely redundant.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26But then focus on how you can make this building a beautiful
0:08:26 > 0:08:29agricultural building in landscape and don't try
0:08:29 > 0:08:31and make it into a bungalow.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41The frame will go up in just a few days, so we need to act now
0:08:41 > 0:08:45and challenge every element of the home they are creating.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50- This is it?- This is it.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54What would be great, in fact, is just to mock up what you've
0:08:54 > 0:08:56designed at the moment so I can just understand
0:08:56 > 0:08:59the implications of - what does it mean to have a front
0:08:59 > 0:09:02door on the side of the prevailing wind, what do you look at,
0:09:02 > 0:09:05how do you know when people are arriving, all those sorts of things.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07Where does the kitchen sink go?
0:09:07 > 0:09:10Those sorts of things would be really, really useful.
0:09:14 > 0:09:16Where's that mallet gone?
0:09:16 > 0:09:20The best way to get Andrew and Claire to experience the home
0:09:20 > 0:09:22they've designed is to get them to build it.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26Against the front door.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28OK, let's go in the front door then, yeah.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30So there is this slightly odd thing for me
0:09:30 > 0:09:33walking past everyone's bedrooms to get in.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36The interesting thing for me is that Andrew and Claire haven't had
0:09:36 > 0:09:38this conversation, whereas I would expect everybody to
0:09:38 > 0:09:41get to the stage where they're about to build a house, a house
0:09:41 > 0:09:44that they're spending significant amounts of money on, I would
0:09:44 > 0:09:48expect them to unpick all of it and work out where does the prevailing
0:09:48 > 0:09:52wind come from, how do I get in and what about the look and the feel.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55We're going to have the kitchen there.
0:09:55 > 0:09:56It's a big journey of discovery
0:09:56 > 0:10:00realising that small changes to buildings
0:10:00 > 0:10:03and houses make a huge difference.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06And this is your study in here, isn't it?
0:10:06 > 0:10:10Generally, one tries to minimise the amount of corridor.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13Here you're spending five grand to make that
0:10:13 > 0:10:16and you can only use it to get from A to B.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18There are other ways of dividing up rooms.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22Andrew and Claire's planning permission is for a long,
0:10:22 > 0:10:25narrow building - 20 metres by 6.4 metres.
0:10:25 > 0:10:30That can't change, so it's crucial to plan the interior spaces well.
0:10:33 > 0:10:39The simple move of re-thinking this wall would be a really good one,
0:10:39 > 0:10:44so that was perhaps a more generous arrival into this area.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48Just that one move makes this corridor seem much less long.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51Simply changing the angle of the study wall
0:10:51 > 0:10:55simultaneously opens up the corridor and the living area.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58It's a kind of gateway into the rest of the house.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00- And it's interesting. - I think it's a great idea.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02- Was that my idea? - Yep, that was your idea!
0:11:02 > 0:11:04LAUGHTER
0:11:04 > 0:11:08Should you move your bedroom door, in fact, to there, you know,
0:11:08 > 0:11:10so you enter straight into your bedroom?
0:11:10 > 0:11:11That creates more space, yeah.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15A small adjustment to the position of the master bedroom door
0:11:15 > 0:11:17also reduces the length of the corridor.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19And, for me, going up and down this corridor
0:11:19 > 0:11:20would then be a pleasure.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24I think, for me, it's critical that you start to look at these
0:11:24 > 0:11:26things now because your building is going to be
0:11:26 > 0:11:29unfolding at a rate of knots in front of your eyes.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35Piers's ideas have several advantages.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37Angling the wall between the living room
0:11:37 > 0:11:39and study will shorten the corridor,
0:11:39 > 0:11:43increase the sense of space in the main living area and save money.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47Changing the position of the door at the other end of the corridor
0:11:47 > 0:11:51will add interest and make the master bedroom feel more generous.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57By carefully interrogating the construction now,
0:11:57 > 0:12:00they should also make every effort to remove the structural column
0:12:00 > 0:12:02which dominates the open-plan space.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08Yeah, I love that idea. Absolutely love it.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11It's been nice to re-assess what we're actually building.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13It's actually made it come to life a bit more
0:12:13 > 0:12:16looking at it and making those final changes.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19It actually feels like we're doing it. We're going to have a house!
0:12:22 > 0:12:25With some of Piers's major alterations included,
0:12:25 > 0:12:27construction begins.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30The simple timber frame means rapid progress.
0:12:34 > 0:12:3540 minutes to this stage
0:12:35 > 0:12:37Half a house in 40 minutes!
0:12:39 > 0:12:42And again.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44- That's it.- Use me arse instead.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49Andrew and Claire are saving around £90 per day on labour
0:12:49 > 0:12:52by helping Kevin, the builder, whenever possible.
0:12:59 > 0:13:00Ah, look at that!
0:13:00 > 0:13:04We're about 2mm out over 20 meters.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06Cor, that moved a bit.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14At 128 square meters,
0:13:14 > 0:13:18the house will be nearly 70% larger than the average new build home.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23Just look how tiny the caravan looks.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25Which means when we move in there, it's going to feel...
0:13:25 > 0:13:28- You could probably fit that caravan in there.- Twice.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31- No, four times.- Four, times, yeah. - Easily four times.
0:13:31 > 0:13:32Let's have a cup of tea.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35But the build could soon grind to a halt.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38There's been a complication with the paperwork that defines
0:13:38 > 0:13:41the boundaries of the land, so the mortgage funds Andrew
0:13:41 > 0:13:44and Claire desperately need have not been released.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50The risk that we've taken is that we've started
0:13:50 > 0:13:54the project before having the money in place.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57But we just couldn't sit back any longer.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59I was going absolutely mad.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01I've applied for a few credit cards
0:14:01 > 0:14:04and we've got over £10,000 of credit cards now.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07It's something I feel very, very uncomfortable about.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11In order to keep Kevin on site, we need to keep him fed with
0:14:11 > 0:14:17materials. I think we need about £15,000 in the next fortnight really,
0:14:17 > 0:14:19otherwise it will grind to a halt.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23I'm getting more and more agitated
0:14:23 > 0:14:26and anxious about the money situation.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31With their finances on such a knife edge, they could easily blow this
0:14:31 > 0:14:35chance to get the beautiful, modern farmhouse they are desperate for.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46I want to help them keep that vision uppermost in their minds
0:14:46 > 0:14:48as they make design decisions in the weeks ahead.
0:14:52 > 0:14:53So I've brought you to Suffolk
0:14:53 > 0:14:56because we're going to see a building I love.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59I think it can teach lots of lessons about how to keep a consistent
0:14:59 > 0:15:02vision internally and externally. So let's go and take a look.
0:15:02 > 0:15:03Excellent.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12Set in the rural landscape of Suffolk, Long Farm is the
0:15:12 > 0:15:15award-winning home of architect Lucy Marston,
0:15:15 > 0:15:17completed just three years ago.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24I think the most important thing is this is a modern farmhouse,
0:15:24 > 0:15:27which is what you're trying to create, really.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29What do you think when you see this?
0:15:29 > 0:15:31It looks stunning. It really looks beautiful.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35I can see it's a grander version of what we're trying to achieve.
0:15:35 > 0:15:41The build cost £560,000, so it is on much grander scale,
0:15:41 > 0:15:44but as a long, narrow, unfussy building, I think
0:15:44 > 0:15:47it holds vital lessons for Andrew and Claire in creating
0:15:47 > 0:15:52a beautiful, modern, rural home connected to its surroundings.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55I think the most obvious thing that makes this building feel it's
0:15:55 > 0:15:58part of its context is just the simple form of this box,
0:15:58 > 0:16:00one-room-deep, with a pitched roof,
0:16:00 > 0:16:02which just echoes all of the barns
0:16:02 > 0:16:05and other pitched-roof buildings around it.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09But also, materially, this beautiful brick wall and English garden
0:16:09 > 0:16:13wall bond and then oak, they're the only two materials really
0:16:13 > 0:16:14you've got going on here.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18And the oak is weathering to a beautiful silver.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21Even a house like this has to be built to a budget.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24To help stick to it, the architect has chosen ordinary materials,
0:16:24 > 0:16:28such as the bricks and timber frame that any house-builder might use.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30But she's then focused on putting them
0:16:30 > 0:16:33together in a bespoke way - to amazing effect.
0:16:40 > 0:16:41- So come in.- Wow.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47'Inside, there's a lesson in tackling the design challenges of
0:16:47 > 0:16:49'long, thin houses like Andrew and Claire's.'
0:16:49 > 0:16:53It's really interesting that this is a double-loaded corridor,
0:16:53 > 0:16:56a corridor with no windows, rooms in both directions.
0:16:56 > 0:17:00You normally desperately try to avoid that as a designer,
0:17:00 > 0:17:02but actually, it doesn't feel murky here.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09I think combining this joinery in that dark green with the white above
0:17:09 > 0:17:11it and the view out to the distance means that even a
0:17:11 > 0:17:14double-loaded corridor here just has so much quality.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17It's quite a difficult thing to do, but they've really solved that here.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19The polished concrete is fantastic.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22You get the shine off the light of the far window.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26You could have lino or resin or ceramics or any
0:17:26 > 0:17:30number of materials of wide variety of prices that could give
0:17:30 > 0:17:33some of the qualities of light and reflection that this has.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36I thought of the hallway as just a means to get to the bedrooms.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39I hadn't even thought of it as a, you know, a room.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44The balustrade separates the stairs from the hallway.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46I mean, it's so chunky.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50That's probably four inches by two. It's really, really nice.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53And adds a sense of depth and space to the hall.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00Vertical timbers inside and out give a consistency.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07It looks a similar size to ours, actually.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12Large glazing panels frame the views
0:18:12 > 0:18:14and muted colours echo the landscape.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18One of the things that makes it so homely here is this hearth.
0:18:18 > 0:18:19And it is lovely.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22I think the really special thing is down here,
0:18:22 > 0:18:24where you see that the brickwork of this extends out,
0:18:24 > 0:18:27beyond the glazing. So when you're stood where you are,
0:18:27 > 0:18:30you can see this brick piece is one thing.
0:18:30 > 0:18:34It's almost extending that brick from the exterior inside.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38That's something you guys could really think about.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41Every detail has been carefully considered
0:18:41 > 0:18:43to create a warm family home.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48I think today has been a real inspiration
0:18:48 > 0:18:51to get an idea of what our house can actually feel like.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55That it's that whole modern farmhouse but giving you
0:18:55 > 0:18:57that warm hug as you walk in.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59It really makes you just open up your eyes.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02And sometimes it's about the detail, which
0:19:02 > 0:19:05we're so busy, we haven't had an opportunity to do.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21As the house continues to grow, so too does the credit card debt,
0:19:21 > 0:19:23and it's starting to affect progress.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31- Hi, Andrew. Hi, Claire. - Hello, Piers.- How are you doing?
0:19:31 > 0:19:33Good to see you. So how's it all going?
0:19:33 > 0:19:35Things are tough at the moment, aren't they?
0:19:35 > 0:19:36Actually, we are having to sort of...
0:19:36 > 0:19:39It would be quite nice to get the windows in.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42But that's 10% of the budget. So we are holding off on that.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44We are buying and we are doing jobs
0:19:44 > 0:19:46that are relatively cheap to do, really.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48I can't wait to see what you've been doing.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52Wow, this is great.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55There are also design issues to confront.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58Space in the main living area will be freed up by replacing
0:19:58 > 0:20:00the pillar with a truss.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04But it has had an impact on Piers's idea for the study wall.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06Give me my bearings. This?
0:20:06 > 0:20:09This is the wall that was going to curve round.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12But we need it to support the joist.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16Andrew and Claire have a big design challenge ahead
0:20:16 > 0:20:19to partition the study and living area,
0:20:19 > 0:20:22without losing the sense of space.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25Every decision made on site now will determine whether this becomes
0:20:25 > 0:20:30a unique, contemporary farmhouse or a mobile home lookalike.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32Very nice. Hi there.
0:20:32 > 0:20:33Hello there.
0:20:34 > 0:20:36- How are you doing?- Very well.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39It's Piers's first chance to talk to Kevin, the builder.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41This is looking good.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45And he's curious to hear Kevin's take on creating a sense
0:20:45 > 0:20:47of permanence in a home that's technically removable.
0:20:47 > 0:20:52It's still built on a scheme of a mobile home,
0:20:52 > 0:20:55so it can be split in the middle.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57Remember though, this isn't a mobile home,
0:20:57 > 0:21:00this is a house that just has to be able to be removed.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03It's a subtly different thing. And I think it wants to
0:21:03 > 0:21:06be as different from a mobile home as it can possibly be.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08- Absolutely!- Completely.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12That's all right by me. As long as we're allowed to do that,
0:21:12 > 0:21:14we've got the plans and everything,
0:21:14 > 0:21:17and I just build it from what's been passed on the plans.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20Absolutely. What's the next phase for you?
0:21:20 > 0:21:23Well, I was hoping to get all these purlins across by the end
0:21:23 > 0:21:25of today and the back gable ends up.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28Then we can put the soffits and the fascia boards on the outside.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32I think the word fascia and soffit fills me with horror.
0:21:32 > 0:21:36- Does it? - And makes me come out in hives
0:21:36 > 0:21:39because that is the language of a mobile home.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42Whereas rural buildings don't have fascias or soffits.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44They have very neat clipped eaves.
0:21:44 > 0:21:49It's really important that we all realise what we're building
0:21:49 > 0:21:53and just make sure every detail is considered perfectly.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56You don't want to build a building with a fascia board
0:21:56 > 0:21:59and an eaves because if you do, it'll look like a mobile home.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02Whereas I think if you don't, if you build a really clever eaves
0:22:02 > 0:22:06with a clipped gutter, it'll look like the most beautiful timber barn.
0:22:06 > 0:22:07Mmmm.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11Well, we can...
0:22:11 > 0:22:15- Cancel that order! - LAUGHTER
0:22:16 > 0:22:20The detail that may bring Piers out in hives is an important one.
0:22:20 > 0:22:24Mobile homes, chalets and temporary buildings are built
0:22:24 > 0:22:27in the most conventional ways.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30An inexpensive roof material sits on top of supporting walls
0:22:30 > 0:22:32with a boxed in soffit
0:22:32 > 0:22:34and fascia board to fill the gap.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39But Piers wants Andrew and Claire to expose the rafters.
0:22:39 > 0:22:43He also suggests using a hardwearing yet delicate material
0:22:43 > 0:22:46such as corrugated metal for the roof.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49These ideas will help make their home feel designed
0:22:49 > 0:22:51and unique rather than off-the-peg.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55It sounds like a tiny point.
0:22:55 > 0:23:00And it's so tiny in some ways that you can't even visualise it.
0:23:00 > 0:23:05But in a way, it's such a huge point for how a building looks,
0:23:05 > 0:23:08how it reads, all the subliminal messages it gives out about
0:23:08 > 0:23:10where it belongs and what it is.
0:23:10 > 0:23:15Is it a bungalow or a mobile home or a beautiful, considered,
0:23:15 > 0:23:18contemporary piece of rural architecture?
0:23:18 > 0:23:20But the bigger question for me is
0:23:20 > 0:23:22every single one of these relationships
0:23:22 > 0:23:23that exists all around the building -
0:23:23 > 0:23:26who is driving them, controlling them, considering them,
0:23:26 > 0:23:29drawing them, weighing up the pros and cons?
0:23:29 > 0:23:32HE GIGGLES
0:23:32 > 0:23:36Everyone's looking around for that person!
0:23:39 > 0:23:43In your hands, is the potential to make a really good building here.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46Details seem inconsequential, but actually,
0:23:46 > 0:23:50they're part of really how you read and understand a building.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52Even if you can't articulate why.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56I'm pleased that you've raised it because you can get really busy
0:23:56 > 0:24:00doing the stuff without worrying about the detail.
0:24:00 > 0:24:01It's more the details.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04I didn't know what soffits and everything were.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06I was just like, "Oh, yeah, whatever."
0:24:06 > 0:24:09For me, the buildings that you've put up at the moment, so far,
0:24:09 > 0:24:13are fine. But they, in a way, feel slightly too temporary.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16Whereas now there is a real opportunity to speak of permanence.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18This building will be here for a long time.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20Your children will have this building.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23I think that's a important thing to hang on to.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25Invest in the future, not for just three years.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30Despite all the pressures on them,
0:24:30 > 0:24:33Andrew and Claire are very open to learning more.
0:24:34 > 0:24:36So this is it.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38With big decisions to make on exterior materials,
0:24:38 > 0:24:42Andrew is intrigued by a building he's spotted in a local vineyard,
0:24:42 > 0:24:45and he's asked Claire and Piers to take a look.
0:24:48 > 0:24:53When I saw this a few weeks ago, I really liked the silvery feel to it.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56The colour is really nice. I like it a lot.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00The storehouse at Wolf Oak Vineyard was designed by the owner,
0:25:00 > 0:25:04together with his joiner, and cost £45,000.
0:25:04 > 0:25:08You need to get away from anything that looks like a garden shed
0:25:08 > 0:25:10and garden sheds are very thin timber.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13I think if you used the same timber but you actually beef it up
0:25:13 > 0:25:16so that it's inch boarding or something.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20This is a really good simple building that isn't over designed.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22It sits well in the landscape. I think this is beautiful.
0:25:22 > 0:25:26But is this going to fit nicely?
0:25:26 > 0:25:29I guess I can't see it at the moment, how it's...
0:25:29 > 0:25:33I too struggle with how it will fit in,
0:25:33 > 0:25:39but I'm looking at the rural setting, and it doesn't look dreadful.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41To me, it looks really nice.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43I fully agree with the chunkiness of it,
0:25:43 > 0:25:45I think it needs beefing up slightly.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48I would get your own tree and mill it.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51The raw tree is very cheap, getting a sawmill in to do it on site
0:25:51 > 0:25:54is pretty cheap and you'll save a lot of money
0:25:54 > 0:25:57if you just milled your own timber. A huge amount of money.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59- Literally on site?- On site.
0:25:59 > 0:26:00You can do anything you like,
0:26:00 > 0:26:04you could do all the floors and everything internally in timber.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07For the roofing, Andrew and Claire are thinking of metal tiles
0:26:07 > 0:26:10like the ones used on mobile homes.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12Piers wants them to reconsider.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15I want to stand back here and I'm itching to see the metal roof.
0:26:17 > 0:26:18Yes, so that's the roof
0:26:18 > 0:26:22and it's just the bog-standard agricultural profiled metal.
0:26:22 > 0:26:23I actually quite like it.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25That sample that you brought up,
0:26:25 > 0:26:27I've been trying not to look at actually,
0:26:27 > 0:26:31is corrugated steel designed to look like a tile.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33So it's masquerading as something else.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37And one thing that farm buildings need to exude is honesty
0:26:37 > 0:26:41and directness, and the one rule is that your material can't
0:26:41 > 0:26:42pretend to be anything else.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45So the beauty of that is it's corrugated metal.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47And it is what farm buildings are made of.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50And I think it sits beautifully in this landscape.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54If you had said to me about having a corrugated roof...
0:26:54 > 0:26:57On paper, I wouldn't have liked it at all.
0:26:57 > 0:27:02But actually, I really like it because it doesn't look too metal-y.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04I think your other thing belongs on a caravan park,
0:27:04 > 0:27:07- not a beautiful farm.- I totally agree, it's more of a mobile home.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09Exactly. Yeah.
0:27:09 > 0:27:11Good. You're sold. We can go now.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13I am sold on the roof.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19Fired up by what he saw in the vineyard,
0:27:19 > 0:27:21Andrew is off to buy timber.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31We're talking about plucking out that one. What happens to these....
0:27:31 > 0:27:33In the hope of making big savings,
0:27:33 > 0:27:37he's sourcing it direct from the head forester on a local estate.
0:27:37 > 0:27:40Here we have the dominant tree and the one next to it. Here we have...
0:27:40 > 0:27:42- These are larch, are they? - These are larch.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44They're beautifully straight, aren't they?
0:27:44 > 0:27:46- Yeah.- That's the first thing that strikes me.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48And not that many branches coming off them, so...
0:27:48 > 0:27:50This is what we're aiming for.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52We're aiming for this quality of timber.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54We're aiming for straight, clean and we do that
0:27:54 > 0:27:57A - by selecting the right seed to start with.
0:27:57 > 0:28:01And then managing the crops. But to get here has been a lot of work.
0:28:01 > 0:28:03These trees are about 60 years old.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05The trees will be cut to order,
0:28:05 > 0:28:08but estimating how much timber each one will yield
0:28:08 > 0:28:10needs careful calculation.
0:28:10 > 0:28:14Off these trees, you'd get probably three 16ft logs
0:28:14 > 0:28:17and you might get a 10ft off the top.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20- We're going to need 16 cubic meters of timber.- OK.
0:28:20 > 0:28:24And just to be safe, we're going to need about 20 trees, I think.
0:28:24 > 0:28:26- OK.- 20-odd trees, something like that.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32The logs are delivered within two weeks of confirming the order,
0:28:32 > 0:28:36and with the saw mill on site, work on the cladding gets underway.
0:28:45 > 0:28:47With each tree costing £15
0:28:47 > 0:28:51and the miser saw and operator at around £300 per day,
0:28:51 > 0:28:54Andrew's made a saving of around one third
0:28:54 > 0:28:56compared to buying ready-sawn timber.
0:28:58 > 0:29:03We've worked out we need 390 boards at 2.4 metres.
0:29:03 > 0:29:07So it'll be certainly two days' worth of cutting, I should imagine.
0:29:11 > 0:29:13The nice thing about larch is you don't have to treat it,
0:29:13 > 0:29:15so it can go straight up.
0:29:15 > 0:29:18Just tack it straight up and away we go.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21Natural resin in the larch makes it rot resistant.
0:29:21 > 0:29:23It'll last at least 30 years,
0:29:23 > 0:29:26and potentially double that, whilst weathering nicely.
0:29:34 > 0:29:36Having seen the corrugated roof,
0:29:36 > 0:29:39Claire has ditched her previous choice of domestic tiles.
0:29:41 > 0:29:45We are on a farm, so to have a nod towards an agricultural
0:29:45 > 0:29:48building, even though it is a home, I think is really important
0:29:48 > 0:29:52to help us blend in and look like the house has always been here
0:29:52 > 0:29:54rather than some new monstrosity
0:29:54 > 0:29:57that's just, you know, shoved down in the field somewhere.
0:29:59 > 0:30:04This company that we've found with the coated corrugated steel
0:30:04 > 0:30:08is a lot cheaper than the pressed tile that we looked at.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11So I think we've saved about £1,000 going on this.
0:30:14 > 0:30:18It's a much-needed saving because the financial pressures are extreme.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21As a part of the cycle of egg production,
0:30:21 > 0:30:24Andrew's had to replenish most of the hen flock.
0:30:26 > 0:30:30We've just had to buy 3,000 chickens
0:30:30 > 0:30:33that cost a little bit under £4.50.
0:30:33 > 0:30:37So that's about £13,500.
0:30:38 > 0:30:43And at the moment, we'd have quite liked to have that to help
0:30:43 > 0:30:45with the house build, really,
0:30:45 > 0:30:47but we've got to keep the business going.
0:30:49 > 0:30:51Three months into the build,
0:30:51 > 0:30:55the paperwork needed for the mortgage still isn't ready.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01With his credit cards maxed out at ten grand,
0:31:01 > 0:31:05Andrew has been forced to borrow a further £42,000 from friends
0:31:05 > 0:31:09and family just to get the house watertight and keep building.
0:31:10 > 0:31:15Fortunately, a very good friend and a family member has stepped in
0:31:15 > 0:31:17and given me a bridging loan.
0:31:18 > 0:31:24Which is fantastic because it means we can keep the windows coming on
0:31:24 > 0:31:26and Kevin on site.
0:31:27 > 0:31:30The build was in danger of just grinding to a halt,
0:31:30 > 0:31:31so it's really nice.
0:31:31 > 0:31:34It's quite humbling that someone was prepared to lend me
0:31:34 > 0:31:36the money, quite honestly.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40With no idea when they'll be able to pay back their friends,
0:31:40 > 0:31:44the couple focus on sourcing materials as cheaply as possible.
0:31:46 > 0:31:50Finding seconds of insulation saves them nearly £7,000.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58Come on then. Let's go and see what they are up to.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03The money nightmare continues to take its toll.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08Just keeping the funds coming in to keep the supplies
0:32:08 > 0:32:13coming in for Kevin has been...it's a juggling act.
0:32:13 > 0:32:17It's a big juggling act and I've been pretty stressed and waking
0:32:17 > 0:32:21early in the morning and not being able to get back to sleep but...
0:32:22 > 0:32:26The fabulous news that I literally heard about an hour ago
0:32:26 > 0:32:28is that the bank have released the money.
0:32:28 > 0:32:33So, as of tomorrow, we can actually draw on our mortgage,
0:32:33 > 0:32:38which is a huge relief because everything has been up in the air.
0:32:38 > 0:32:40- Looking good.- Yeah, it is, isn't it?
0:32:40 > 0:32:43Yeah, I can start paying off the cards
0:32:43 > 0:32:46and breathing a little bit easier and sleeping easier.
0:32:48 > 0:32:50Friends and family can be paid back too,
0:32:50 > 0:32:54but finishing a three-bedroom house to a high standard
0:32:54 > 0:32:57for less than £100K is still an enormous challenge.
0:33:02 > 0:33:06Planning rules mean the house had to be built above ground on pillars
0:33:06 > 0:33:09rather than sitting on conventional foundations,
0:33:09 > 0:33:12but Andrew is unhappy with the result.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14From this angle, you can see that
0:33:14 > 0:33:16it's at least half a metre high there,
0:33:16 > 0:33:20so we've got quite a lot of landscaping to do there, really.
0:33:20 > 0:33:22It's the hard landscaping that
0:33:22 > 0:33:24I'm struggling with at the moment, really.
0:33:24 > 0:33:25How we landscape it
0:33:25 > 0:33:28so it doesn't look like it's just been plonked there.
0:33:30 > 0:33:33Andrew's attempted solution aimed to minimise expense
0:33:33 > 0:33:38by scrimping on the quantity and cost of materials.
0:33:38 > 0:33:41I initially bought a few pallets of these block pavers.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44Claire and I sat and looked at it for a while
0:33:44 > 0:33:48and just thought it wasn't in keeping with what we were trying to achieve.
0:33:48 > 0:33:52So it's about finding the right material at the right price
0:33:52 > 0:33:55that also fits nicely in the environment, really.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12Andrew and Claire are at a crucial point in their build.
0:34:12 > 0:34:15They're desperate that their house doesn't just become
0:34:15 > 0:34:17a kind of mobile home sat on top of the landscape.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20Today, I'm going to show them a building that I think relates
0:34:20 > 0:34:22really well to its site
0:34:22 > 0:34:25and uses a range of architectural strategies to achieve that.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31I'm hoping there are lots of lessons here for Andrew and Claire
0:34:31 > 0:34:34that they can take back and apply on their own house.
0:34:36 > 0:34:39We've managed to get access to a private home in Bedfordshire
0:34:39 > 0:34:42designed by Platform 5 architects.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47So I'm really excited to bring you to this building today.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50It's a beautiful, simple, modernist house.
0:34:50 > 0:34:53I think it fits really, really well in this landscape.
0:34:53 > 0:34:55And you can just see from here, the way this timber
0:34:55 > 0:34:58box on the upper storey kind of looks out over the meadow.
0:34:58 > 0:35:00It's still an issue for you guys, isn't it, how you
0:35:00 > 0:35:04connect your building to the lovely landscape and garden around it?
0:35:04 > 0:35:07Is that still something you are thinking over?
0:35:07 > 0:35:08That's the main focus now.
0:35:08 > 0:35:10The big trick is to try and make it not look
0:35:10 > 0:35:13like it's been plonked in the middle of a field,
0:35:13 > 0:35:15which it looks at the moment.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18So it is about making it fit within the landscape.
0:35:18 > 0:35:21Cos that was the whole point of the design of the building,
0:35:21 > 0:35:22that it would blend in with the farm.
0:35:22 > 0:35:26I think this is a building that does some of those things really well.
0:35:26 > 0:35:29It's not a farmhouse, but it is a house that's on a large site,
0:35:29 > 0:35:32that had to find a way to, in a way, root itself in that landscape.
0:35:32 > 0:35:34So I'm excited to show you how they've done that.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36- Great.- Brilliant.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47This creates a very beautiful atmosphere, doesn't it, this grass?
0:35:47 > 0:35:48Yeah, it's lovely.
0:35:48 > 0:35:51What I really wanted to show you about this building is,
0:35:51 > 0:35:54I think, an elegant and very straightforward solution to
0:35:54 > 0:35:57a problem you've got, which is the question of a building
0:35:57 > 0:36:00sitting proud of the ground. And this single slate-covered plinth
0:36:00 > 0:36:03is the ground inside, it's the terrace out here,
0:36:03 > 0:36:06it's even the front doorstep, all on one single level.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09Which, of course, is super accessible and useful, but gives you
0:36:09 > 0:36:12lots of usable perimeter, lots of places to put a table
0:36:12 > 0:36:15and chairs, lots of places for life to spill into the outdoors.
0:36:15 > 0:36:18And I think that's something you guys really need.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21I think it's absolutely stunning, absolutely stunning.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24My first feeling really is that a single surface all the way round
0:36:24 > 0:36:26is probably unachievable
0:36:26 > 0:36:29because there is such a lot of drop in some areas.
0:36:29 > 0:36:33I quite like the idea of some of the paths raising up slightly
0:36:33 > 0:36:35and not all on one level actually.
0:36:35 > 0:36:36I think it's such an interesting thing,
0:36:36 > 0:36:39sometimes you think it's landscaping, it must be organic
0:36:39 > 0:36:42and therefore, it should be wavy and curvy rather than hard.
0:36:42 > 0:36:43I don't think that's the choice.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46I think what you see here is actually just a platform
0:36:46 > 0:36:48that allows you to enjoy the garden.
0:36:48 > 0:36:51There's a real utility to this that surprisingly you might not
0:36:51 > 0:36:55get with the more kind of landscaped, curvy profiles.
0:36:55 > 0:36:57Let's go and take a look around this side.
0:37:05 > 0:37:10The garden has distinct zones and this area cleverly uses gabions -
0:37:10 > 0:37:12metal cages filled with stone.
0:37:12 > 0:37:15I think it's really nice how these gabion walls
0:37:15 > 0:37:18and this walled garden are actually right next to the front door.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21Why don't we got and take a look at how the front door access works?
0:37:21 > 0:37:23Cos I think it's really clever.
0:37:24 > 0:37:26Andrew and Claire have front and back doors
0:37:26 > 0:37:30on opposite sides of the house, so their landscaping needs
0:37:30 > 0:37:32to signal to visitors which way they should go.
0:37:32 > 0:37:35Meadowview does this in a very simple way.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42I think this little planter is quite an interesting detail.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45It sort of just directs you a bit towards the front door.
0:37:45 > 0:37:46Gives a bit of structure to this
0:37:46 > 0:37:49little bit of space in front of the house.
0:37:56 > 0:38:00The inside reveals how brilliantly the use of one flooring material
0:38:00 > 0:38:03seamlessly links the interior and exterior,
0:38:03 > 0:38:05adding to the spacious feel.
0:38:06 > 0:38:10It's just so beautiful how the view is immediately presented to you
0:38:10 > 0:38:12when you come in, isn't it? It's really wonderful.
0:38:12 > 0:38:16It's so light and airy and beautiful. Really lovely view.
0:38:16 > 0:38:18And the grasses, Claire, we loved them outside,
0:38:18 > 0:38:22- but they're almost better inside. - Especially on a day like today.
0:38:22 > 0:38:24- Yeah.- For me, today's been fantastic.
0:38:24 > 0:38:26To see how this building sits
0:38:26 > 0:38:29in the landscaped gardens that they've created
0:38:29 > 0:38:34just inspires me to want to go home and crack on with it, really.
0:38:34 > 0:38:35I've really enjoyed this building today.
0:38:35 > 0:38:38I think it really elegantly and simply relates to what is
0:38:38 > 0:38:41a beautiful landscape and a lovely garden around it.
0:38:41 > 0:38:45I think Andrew and Claire have also got a lot out of it.
0:38:45 > 0:38:47If there was one concern I still have though, it's
0:38:47 > 0:38:51when they talk about just how complex some of their ideas are.
0:38:51 > 0:38:53Andrew's undulating paths.
0:38:53 > 0:38:56They need to take a lesson from the clarity of purpose that
0:38:56 > 0:38:59this building shows and make a very simple, elegant solution
0:38:59 > 0:39:02to usable exterior space around the building.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17I think when people think about the outsides of their building,
0:39:17 > 0:39:19they think about the elevations, they think about
0:39:19 > 0:39:22the composition of the windows and how it looks.
0:39:22 > 0:39:25But actually, how a building sits in landscape is actually
0:39:25 > 0:39:27much more important than that.
0:39:28 > 0:39:32Andrew and Claire's house, at the moment, has been slightly
0:39:32 > 0:39:35plonked down on this ground. And how it sits in this landscape,
0:39:35 > 0:39:39and how then the new landscape allows you to experience both
0:39:39 > 0:39:42the house and their own territory of their farm,
0:39:42 > 0:39:44those things really need to be considered now.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52Andrew and Claire know they want their living room to open
0:39:52 > 0:39:56onto a patio, but beyond that, they have few fixed ideas.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59They need to be clear how each space will function.
0:40:00 > 0:40:02Talk to me a little bit about how
0:40:02 > 0:40:04you see yourselves using these spaces.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08I think the main bit for me is the patio, the raised deck.
0:40:08 > 0:40:12The doors open right out. I'd like to have them wide open
0:40:12 > 0:40:15and a space outside for the dining room table.
0:40:15 > 0:40:19But I want it quite high so I can hide the kids' toys down the side.
0:40:19 > 0:40:22Really, it's an extension of that space in there, isn't it?
0:40:22 > 0:40:25But it also is the thing that connects
0:40:25 > 0:40:28- the house with the garden, isn't it? - Absolutely.
0:40:28 > 0:40:31I think, for me, what I'd like to do is mock this up
0:40:31 > 0:40:33so we can actually feel the shape and scale of it.
0:40:40 > 0:40:4440 bales of straw will help visualise plans for the patio area.
0:40:44 > 0:40:46Won't be going down to the gym tonight, Claire!
0:40:51 > 0:40:56Tell me how far you thought of going in each direction, actually.
0:40:56 > 0:40:58- We'd always thought the width of house...- Yeah.
0:40:58 > 0:41:01..seemed fairly straightforward, I guess.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04- And then perhaps up to where Claire is standing there.- Yeah.
0:41:04 > 0:41:05But I don't know.
0:41:05 > 0:41:08- Maybe it's not big enough. - Actually, as you stand here...
0:41:08 > 0:41:10- It isn't that big.- Yeah. Maybe it should be bigger.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13What about also going that way
0:41:13 > 0:41:18so this is wrapped around and connected up with that?
0:41:18 > 0:41:20If you imagine people arriving and that is your front door,
0:41:20 > 0:41:23which it is, they'll walk up there and if you're not in there
0:41:23 > 0:41:26and they see people round here, they'll carry on walking.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29- And it'll be a lovely place to arrive straight into.- Mm.
0:41:29 > 0:41:31We never thought of it from this side.
0:41:31 > 0:41:33We were always going to wrap it around from the other side.
0:41:33 > 0:41:35- Right.- I don't know why.
0:41:35 > 0:41:39- Maybe this is a more practical side. - That's where the sun is.- Yeah.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45Moving the bales around is a quick and easy way to see just how
0:41:45 > 0:41:49much the house could be transformed by the landscaping.
0:41:50 > 0:41:52For me, I think this thing wants to come this way.
0:41:52 > 0:41:57I think that it definitely should come to maybe five bales along.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59That's looking more like it.
0:42:01 > 0:42:03Nearly doubling the size of the patio
0:42:03 > 0:42:07and creating a continuous sweep around to the front door will
0:42:07 > 0:42:10immediately make the house feel more embedded in its surroundings.
0:42:10 > 0:42:12Remember this whole notion of a chalet
0:42:12 > 0:42:14that you're trying to get away from.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17If this was a chalet on a holiday park, it would have a little,
0:42:17 > 0:42:21you know, terrace probably two bales' width at the front.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24This one move, I think, transforms the building.
0:42:24 > 0:42:27Doing this makes it into something completely different.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30And will soften it down because, at the moment, it is a box in a field.
0:42:30 > 0:42:31Totally.
0:42:36 > 0:42:39Andrew and Claire hope to sell the caravan and use the funds to
0:42:39 > 0:42:43pay for the landscaping, but inside, there's a problem with the partition
0:42:43 > 0:42:48that will be the key feature, dividing the living area and study.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50Claire envisages a bookcase.
0:42:50 > 0:42:52Here is going to be the bookcase.
0:42:52 > 0:42:54So you'll be able to see through it.
0:42:54 > 0:42:58It'll be floor to ceiling with books, ornaments.
0:42:58 > 0:43:02With money tight, bespoke joinery is out of the question,
0:43:02 > 0:43:04and Claire's stumped for alternatives.
0:43:04 > 0:43:07We don't want to put something up for the sake of putting it up,
0:43:07 > 0:43:10we want to really think about it and get it right.
0:43:10 > 0:43:13And I think it's going to be the biggest focus.
0:43:17 > 0:43:20Piers has brought Andrew and Claire to a plumbers' merchant
0:43:20 > 0:43:23to look for cost-effective materials to create their own
0:43:23 > 0:43:25architectural solution.
0:43:26 > 0:43:30Yes. They're not the most glamorous of locations, but these places
0:43:30 > 0:43:32have interesting things inside them.
0:43:35 > 0:43:37So this is a place that distributes
0:43:37 > 0:43:41all sorts of different pipes and tubes, and really I want to try
0:43:41 > 0:43:44- and find a material we can use to make your shelves out of.- OK.
0:43:44 > 0:43:47Maybe not just a material - a system of building.
0:43:47 > 0:43:50Something that's quite quick and quite improvised.
0:43:50 > 0:43:53And actually, I hope quite cost effective.
0:43:53 > 0:43:56- Like scaffolding.- Yeah. But probably better.- Right.
0:43:56 > 0:43:58- Let's go and see.- I'm liking.
0:44:04 > 0:44:07This is galvanised. This stuff is all useful.
0:44:07 > 0:44:10This is the sort of thing that I want to show you.
0:44:10 > 0:44:13The principle of this is that you buy the tubing in three or
0:44:13 > 0:44:18six metres, either in galvanised or powder coated.
0:44:18 > 0:44:21Then you buy any number of different fittings.
0:44:21 > 0:44:25That is how you join two tubes together.
0:44:25 > 0:44:2690 degree bend. Yep.
0:44:26 > 0:44:30- That would be a floor fitting. - Right.- So, screw that to the floor.
0:44:30 > 0:44:34Obviously, you then wind it up with an Allen key,
0:44:34 > 0:44:35to secure it to the clamp.
0:44:35 > 0:44:39- It just gives us hundreds of different options.- It does.
0:44:39 > 0:44:42- The fact that we've got a sloping ceiling.- Absolutely.
0:44:42 > 0:44:44It just makes life a whole lot easier.
0:44:44 > 0:44:46If you had two pieces,
0:44:46 > 0:44:49and it obviously doesn't have to necessarily be this thickness,
0:44:49 > 0:44:52and then the scaffold board or a board straight on top of that.
0:44:52 > 0:44:55- Absolutely, yeah.- Yeah.- And you can make up boxes if you want to.
0:44:55 > 0:44:59- Pull things in and out. - I really like it.- Let's get a few.
0:44:59 > 0:45:04- And go and have a play.- Wiggly ones. - What's that then?- Wiggly one.- Yeah.
0:45:05 > 0:45:08- You're in your element. - I am. I'm having a great time.
0:45:08 > 0:45:11- It's fairly straightforward, basic and simple.- It is. Yeah.
0:45:11 > 0:45:14These fittings really are cost-effective.
0:45:14 > 0:45:18From a trade outlet, the fittings are about four quid each.
0:45:18 > 0:45:22And the pipe, ungalvanised, is about four pounds a linear metre.
0:45:22 > 0:45:27- OK.- I think it's more, about 50% more if you have it powder coated.
0:45:27 > 0:45:30The galvanised option is cheaper. It's probably 300 quid a fitting.
0:45:30 > 0:45:33Or something, off the top of my head.
0:45:33 > 0:45:36If we had something bespokely made, it would cost thousands.
0:45:36 > 0:45:37Thousands, yeah, absolutely.
0:45:37 > 0:45:40But think of the fun you'll have with this.
0:45:40 > 0:45:44I think it's a boys' toys number. I think I'll go out shopping that day.
0:45:45 > 0:45:48We are going to need a whole raft of different pieces.
0:45:48 > 0:45:52We've really struggled with how we can construct this bookshelf, but
0:45:52 > 0:45:57today I feel that we've now got the solutions to the problem, really.
0:45:57 > 0:45:58Yeah, we need those.
0:45:58 > 0:46:01I think what's great about this system is that it forces them
0:46:01 > 0:46:03to design. You know, you can
0:46:03 > 0:46:07really have fun and let that sense of exploration take over.
0:46:16 > 0:46:19Andrew and Claire are now battling to finish the job that will
0:46:19 > 0:46:23make or break the success of their house build.
0:46:23 > 0:46:25They need to make it sit in its landscape,
0:46:25 > 0:46:31so there are 140 tonnes of soil to be moved to level the site.
0:46:31 > 0:46:37Andrew's using free soil donated by a neighbour, saving at least £1,400.
0:46:38 > 0:46:42The sale of the caravan has helped pay for a far more expansive
0:46:42 > 0:46:46area of patio and path than originally planned.
0:46:47 > 0:46:51Upgrading to sandstone slabs throughout should unify the look.
0:46:51 > 0:46:56We've actually faced the step with larch
0:46:56 > 0:46:59so it brings a little bit of the house onto the patio, if you like.
0:47:00 > 0:47:03Using timber left over from the cladding
0:47:03 > 0:47:06also helps stretch the budget a bit further.
0:47:06 > 0:47:11Piers has had a significant input into some areas of the house.
0:47:11 > 0:47:13I only wish he could come and help!
0:47:17 > 0:47:19Brilliant. And that one.
0:47:20 > 0:47:23Inside, the shelves dividing the study
0:47:23 > 0:47:26and living area are critical to the end result.
0:47:26 > 0:47:29It seems straightforward and fairly easy.
0:47:29 > 0:47:32However, it will be very much trial and error today.
0:47:32 > 0:47:35We'll just see how it goes, really.
0:47:35 > 0:47:36OK, now.
0:47:37 > 0:47:39Push it in a bit more.
0:47:39 > 0:47:40OK, that's it.
0:47:40 > 0:47:43A statement piece, if it looks good, is amazing.
0:47:43 > 0:47:45A statement piece, if it looks rubbish,
0:47:45 > 0:47:50is going to make the whole thing look unfinished.
0:47:50 > 0:47:53Andrew and Claire have been incredibly willing to adopt
0:47:53 > 0:47:56bold design ideas, but have they managed to bring them
0:47:56 > 0:48:00together to transform what was going to be a basic chalet
0:48:00 > 0:48:03into a unique, contemporary family home?
0:48:08 > 0:48:11Andrew and Claire began this process trying to build almost
0:48:11 > 0:48:16the impossible - a modern three-bed farmhouse for just £70,000.
0:48:16 > 0:48:20They've spent the last year living in a tiny caravan with their entire
0:48:20 > 0:48:23family, sometimes bank-rolling the build on credit cards.
0:48:23 > 0:48:27At the end, though, have they been able to meet the toughest challenge
0:48:27 > 0:48:30of all - to build a home that feels rooted in its site here on the farm?
0:48:32 > 0:48:35Ten months after they started building,
0:48:35 > 0:48:38Piers and I are back to see how successful they've been.
0:49:01 > 0:49:05- Hi there.- Nice to see you both. - Hi, Kieran.- It's so nice to see you.
0:49:05 > 0:49:08- Amazing.- Congratulations. - Thank you.- It's done.
0:49:08 > 0:49:11It looks incredibly finished. I must congratulate you.
0:49:11 > 0:49:15And it does feel like it sort of belongs here somehow.
0:49:15 > 0:49:17- That was one of the big challenges for you.- It was.
0:49:17 > 0:49:21It was always how it would fit in on top of a hill in the middle
0:49:21 > 0:49:22of a field, really.
0:49:25 > 0:49:28Andrew's decision to cut timber on site and take control
0:49:28 > 0:49:32of his own building has had a big impact on the look of the house.
0:49:34 > 0:49:37It's great to see the timber up and looking really chunky.
0:49:37 > 0:49:40I'm sure it's going to get even better in the colour over time.
0:49:40 > 0:49:42But how do you feel about it? Does it have that
0:49:42 > 0:49:44sense of permanence that you were looking for?
0:49:44 > 0:49:45I really like it.
0:49:45 > 0:49:48We were struggling to know exactly how to clad it.
0:49:48 > 0:49:51And obviously Piers keep up with this idea of sawing our own timber.
0:49:51 > 0:49:54And that whole experience has been fantastic.
0:49:55 > 0:49:56I absolutely love it.
0:49:56 > 0:49:59The fact that it's even changing colour already.
0:50:01 > 0:50:05One of the bits of a building I think is most important
0:50:05 > 0:50:08is how the roof meets the wall and I remember coming here
0:50:08 > 0:50:12and suggesting that you lose this big boxy fascia.
0:50:12 > 0:50:14We decided not to have the soffit.
0:50:14 > 0:50:16There was a fair old discussion about it, I think.
0:50:16 > 0:50:18There was a big discussion.
0:50:18 > 0:50:21I tried to persuade you to cut it off altogether, I think,
0:50:21 > 0:50:23and have this very clipped singular building.
0:50:23 > 0:50:26- We met halfway, Piers. - With a concealed gutter. Yes.
0:50:26 > 0:50:29THEY LAUGH
0:50:31 > 0:50:34You've chosen a metal chunky gutter
0:50:34 > 0:50:37and then just using a very straightforward, wriggly
0:50:37 > 0:50:41tin on the roof instead of the fake tiles you were going to use,
0:50:41 > 0:50:44y'know those things speak of farms, they speak of permanence.
0:50:44 > 0:50:46Well, we absolutely love it.
0:50:46 > 0:50:49And the fact that it's going to get better with age...
0:50:49 > 0:50:52- Does it feel like a temporary building inside?- BOTH: No.
0:50:52 > 0:50:55- Not at all.- I hope not. Have a look. - Shall we go and see?- Yeah, come on.
0:51:07 > 0:51:08Wow, this is fantastic.
0:51:09 > 0:51:11What a huge space!
0:51:11 > 0:51:14It's amazing. And coming right into this space is great, isn't it?
0:51:15 > 0:51:18We absolutely love it, that feeling of openness.
0:51:20 > 0:51:23By reviewing the building's structure
0:51:23 > 0:51:26and how they want to live, they've created a huge open-plan area.
0:51:27 > 0:51:30And I love the fact that you haven't got that central column.
0:51:30 > 0:51:32That was always going to be a central...
0:51:32 > 0:51:36The central column would have played havoc with this space.
0:51:36 > 0:51:38And it's great how simple it is.
0:51:38 > 0:51:42I mean, it has a south-facing terrace with good windows.
0:51:42 > 0:51:45The kitchen is very simple and acts as a place to linger.
0:51:45 > 0:51:46Which is what you're doing now.
0:51:46 > 0:51:49First thing people do is come in and lean on here.
0:51:49 > 0:51:51And actually, a lovely big space to arrive into.
0:51:51 > 0:51:54Everything in here feels solid, robust and well made.
0:51:54 > 0:51:56Looking around,
0:51:56 > 0:51:59I can also see that these window reveals are non-standard.
0:51:59 > 0:52:03And, you know, just that kind of two-inch thick bit of timber
0:52:03 > 0:52:07there instead of a mean, bull-nosed bit of MDF feels great.
0:52:07 > 0:52:09I really like the window reveals.
0:52:09 > 0:52:11It's sort of brings a little bit of wood inside.
0:52:11 > 0:52:14Originally, I don't know if you remember,
0:52:14 > 0:52:17we were going to plasterboard this. Just following what was normal.
0:52:17 > 0:52:19Building houses is often just a process of doing what
0:52:19 > 0:52:22people normally do. And to step outside that is pretty hard
0:52:22 > 0:52:24because you've got to unpick everything.
0:52:28 > 0:52:30The partition has defined two spaces
0:52:30 > 0:52:33and become a stunning piece of furniture.
0:52:35 > 0:52:37This is one of my favourite bits in this room.
0:52:37 > 0:52:40In the whole kind of living area.
0:52:40 > 0:52:42It has worked so beautifully. I really love it.
0:52:42 > 0:52:45I'm really pleased that we've got the separate study
0:52:45 > 0:52:47but it is one big area.
0:52:47 > 0:52:50Tell me how much it actually cost to do this?
0:52:50 > 0:52:54Um, scaffold boards are about five pounds reclaimed.
0:52:54 > 0:52:57£300 for the whole lot, probably.
0:52:57 > 0:53:01And it's much cheaper than it would be to build a tedious white wall.
0:53:01 > 0:53:05What it does is reduce the effective length of this corridor.
0:53:06 > 0:53:11The corridor has also been shortened by moving the master bedroom door.
0:53:11 > 0:53:15For Claire, getting out of the caravan has been a real milestone.
0:53:15 > 0:53:19It was a huge relief to be able to get in and out of bed
0:53:19 > 0:53:22without bashing a damp wall.
0:53:22 > 0:53:25- And this is the bedroom. - Welcome to my boudoir!
0:53:25 > 0:53:26That is fantastic!
0:53:28 > 0:53:32The focus in the master bedroom is a bespoke wardrobe.
0:53:32 > 0:53:35Claire designed it using architectural salvage wood panels
0:53:35 > 0:53:37that cost just £250.
0:53:39 > 0:53:41What does it mean to you, and the family,
0:53:41 > 0:53:43to have finished your first home together?
0:53:43 > 0:53:45It's been absolutely amazing.
0:53:45 > 0:53:47The fact that we're in our first home together,
0:53:47 > 0:53:51but it's one that we've all created, I think that means the most to me.
0:53:52 > 0:53:54I think it's made us even closer.
0:53:57 > 0:54:00After life cooped up in the caravan,
0:54:00 > 0:54:02Edward now has plenty of space for his toys
0:54:02 > 0:54:05and Tallulah has her own sanctuary.
0:54:07 > 0:54:10The cramped shower has been exchanged for a practical
0:54:10 > 0:54:12and inviting family bathroom.
0:54:14 > 0:54:18Outside, the house that once appeared plonked down on the
0:54:18 > 0:54:22site is transformed by a near doubling of the size of the patio.
0:54:22 > 0:54:24- So, the patio.- Amazing.
0:54:26 > 0:54:29This really kind of flows out into the garden, doesn't it?
0:54:29 > 0:54:31It does. It's quite nice, yeah.
0:54:35 > 0:54:39Did it ever feel really indulgent doing this when money was so tight?
0:54:39 > 0:54:41No!
0:54:41 > 0:54:45Because for me it was more about how it sat in its environment.
0:54:48 > 0:54:51It's amazing for me how this house
0:54:51 > 0:54:55and this patio feels completely embedded in this landscape.
0:54:55 > 0:54:57Yeah. It was always our biggest challenge.
0:55:01 > 0:55:04The reality is, there have been many challenges.
0:55:04 > 0:55:06And it was never going to be easy to deliver
0:55:06 > 0:55:08a quality home on their tight budget.
0:55:08 > 0:55:10So how have they done?
0:55:10 > 0:55:13Tell me how much money you had for this project
0:55:13 > 0:55:15and how much you ended up spending.
0:55:15 > 0:55:17Originally we thought it was going to be £70,000.
0:55:17 > 0:55:19That's probably not really very realistic.
0:55:19 > 0:55:23We came in at about £89,000 for the house
0:55:23 > 0:55:30and then we spent a further £8,000 on landscaping.
0:55:30 > 0:55:34I must say, £89,000 for what you've got here is astonishing.
0:55:34 > 0:55:37It works out at £700 per square metre.
0:55:37 > 0:55:40£700 per square metre is extremely cheap.
0:55:40 > 0:55:43Especially for an environment of this quality.
0:55:43 > 0:55:47Going along, having no money, I think has actually made this
0:55:47 > 0:55:52building better because we've had to consider every last little screw,
0:55:52 > 0:55:56handle, wall panel, everything has been really carefully considered,
0:55:56 > 0:55:58and researched and researched.
0:55:58 > 0:56:04But it is just lovely that we have got our own eight acres of paradise.
0:56:04 > 0:56:08To have built your own house on your own farm,
0:56:08 > 0:56:11there's something really beautiful about that,
0:56:11 > 0:56:13and I love every minute of it.
0:56:19 > 0:56:22I think what I like about the building is it feels very natural,
0:56:22 > 0:56:25very inevitable. It doesn't really try too hard.
0:56:26 > 0:56:29It's made out of really good quality materials
0:56:29 > 0:56:32that will age really well. It's full of light, full of space.
0:56:32 > 0:56:34I think they've achieved a great deal.
0:56:38 > 0:56:40Andrew and Claire are thrilled with their new home,
0:56:40 > 0:56:42and at last it's ready to receive the friends
0:56:42 > 0:56:45and family who supported them throughout.
0:56:45 > 0:56:46What will they make of it?
0:56:46 > 0:56:49The ideas that she's come up with have been amazing.
0:56:49 > 0:56:53- So, yeah, really good.- I wouldn't be that creative if it was left to me.
0:56:53 > 0:56:56- That...fencing?- Shelving. - Shelving. We love that.
0:56:56 > 0:56:58We think that's really, really good.
0:57:00 > 0:57:02We are so proud of what we've achieved
0:57:02 > 0:57:04and the fact that we are in.
0:57:04 > 0:57:08This still doesn't feel 100% real, even though we live here.
0:57:08 > 0:57:11It has been an amazing process, hasn't it?
0:57:11 > 0:57:13I couldn't have done it without you. HE LAUGHS
0:57:18 > 0:57:21Andrew and Claire have just made a brilliant job of this build.
0:57:21 > 0:57:23I'm so happy for them and so proud of them, really,
0:57:23 > 0:57:26that they've made such a high-quality result out of a
0:57:26 > 0:57:29process that, let's face it, could have stopped at certain points.
0:57:29 > 0:57:32They were really on the rocks, they were running out of money
0:57:32 > 0:57:36and this could have ground to a halt and perhaps never started again.
0:57:36 > 0:57:39They started out, really, with quite low aspirations.
0:57:39 > 0:57:42No more than a glorified Portakabin was supposed to come
0:57:42 > 0:57:43out of this process.
0:57:43 > 0:57:46But by looking at design and taking buildings seriously,
0:57:46 > 0:57:50they have ended up with a place that's perfect for them and one
0:57:50 > 0:57:53that's emerged naturally from the way they live and what they like.
0:58:00 > 0:58:02Next time...
0:58:02 > 0:58:06Jo and Andy are trying to create an energy efficient eco-home.
0:58:07 > 0:58:11It's hard when you are not designers. Will that work? Will it not work?
0:58:11 > 0:58:14There are things here that you can learn from.
0:58:14 > 0:58:15It's a waste of space.
0:58:15 > 0:58:20But will their no-frills approach mean they end up living in a bunker?
0:58:20 > 0:58:23It could be really harshly cold if you're not careful.