Jo'ann and Andy The House That £100k Built

We're in the midst of a low-cost self-build revolution.

We're building walls!

It's harder than ever to get onto the housing ladder, so a few

brave, ordinary people are resorting to the seemingly impossible...

This gets the adrenaline going.

..building their own home from scratch for less than £100,000.

If we tried to buy a house with that space, we couldn't afford it.

Architect Piers Taylor and me, Kieran Long, are back

and coming to the aid of six families attempting this toughest of challenges.

It's difficult looking at the budget

-and your bank account just literally going down.

-Yeah.

We'll try to help them with design dilemmas...

You arrive at a blank wall. I mean, is this what you want?

..challenge them to think bigger...

It just inspires me to want to go home and crack on with it.

..and search out innovative solutions that make

the most of their meagre budgets.

Whoa, look at that!

We'll all be pushed to the limit...

Oh, no!

..as we attempt to turn these ordinary self builds into outstanding homes.

If anyone thinks it's easy, they're an idiot!

This time, Jo and Andy are trying to create an energy-efficient eco-home.

It's hard when you're not designers.

"Will that work, will it not work?"

But will their no frills approach mean they end up living in a bunker?

It could be really harsh and cold if you're not careful.

Being priced out of the property market

and stuck in a rental cycle is a problem many face.

I'm on my way to Lincolnshire today to meet a couple who,

after years of moving around, are finally putting down some roots.

But they are not just building any old house - they're trying to build

an ambitious eco-home for less than £100,000.

After over a year and a half of planning,

Jo'ann and Andy have embarked on an extraordinary challenge.

I never thought I'd get to a point in life where I'm building my own house.

You've got to pinch yourself. "Really? Us? We're doing that?"

Are we just going to bend it?

Ooh, OK!

Should be fun!

Feed it all the way to the end.

I just do as I'm told.

But, for Jo, getting to this point hasn't been easy.

A turbulent childhood and debt has meant a lifetime on the move.

Yeah, I've had a bit of a property journey, shall we say.

Erm, we are up to 30 moves.

'I've never been anywhere longer than five years.'

Having Frank, now 12,

was a defining moment for Jo.

It transformed the way she wanted to live.

Overnight, it just went... My whole life just turned around on me.

All of a sudden, I cared about my environment,

I cared about the food I was going to give Frank,

the air he was going to breathe... Yeah, it was massive for me.

Nine years ago, she got together with Andy, and the family was

desperate to get on the property ladder in a way that wouldn't harm the environment.

But with money tight, there are few options.

-There's nothing local to buy for the budget.

-No.

It got to the point where I actually thought, "Nothing else will do."

By doing that, we needed to build our own.

They looked into buying a small plot, but a price tag

of around £65,000 made it a non-starter.

Then Jo had an idea...

My mum's got this really big garden and they're not gardeners.

So, I said to Andy, "We could build it on Mum's garden."

Come on then...

When we were asked about it, it was a bit... You know, had to think about it.

She said, "But I need to speak to Tony," my stepdad.

"It might take me a bit of time. You know what he's like with new things."

Come on, then.

'And then we thought, "Let's do it." You know?'

And it's lovely to give them the chance to have their own home,

build their own home.

They've spent the last five weeks overseeing the blockwork,

and Jo's part-time job in a primary school has allowed her to

project manage the build.

-These are overlooking windows.

-OK.

-Yeah, that's fine.

-No worries.

I will be doing the electrical work -

I'm a qualified electrician -

in my spare time, or holidays from work,

-and you're going to help, aren't you?

-Yeah.

-Electrician's mate.

-Yeah.

Just work so hard. We really do give each other lots of support.

-Tightens it up again, doesn't it?

-Yeah.

To fund their dream, they've scraped together savings

and have taken a mortgage of £75,000.

This build needs to come in under 100k, but Jo and Andy

are aiming for even less.

-We're HOPING to do the whole thing for 85,000.

-Yeah.

-With a contingency.

-Yeah, so we have got a contingency.

There is no more money...

I don't think! Not as far as I can tell!

For me, this house isn't just a house, it's our family home.

And it'll be really lovely to put down some roots

and hopefully stay put for a few years.

Cos I've just had enough of moving.

I just don't want to move any more ever again.

And it'd be ours, and it's just going to be lovely.

Jo and Andy are attempting to build a very energy-efficient home.

Dense concrete floors, thick insulated walls

and triple-glazed windows should help retain heat in winter

and cool the house in summer.

Power will be generated by solar panels on the roof,

where rainwater will also be collected for day-to-day use.

It's a unique design, and although slightly bigger than the

average UK new-build, at 78 square metres, there's a lot to pack in.

Upstairs, there's a bathroom and two bedrooms.

To save costs, they've decided to leave

the rough construction materials on show throughout the house.

Down the enclosed concrete staircase, there will be a small

entrance lobby with double doors opening out onto their sole

living and dining space.

Five weeks in and it's going up fast.

Before they get any further, I want to understand why they've

settled on such a stark design.

This is a unique opportunity to create an amazing home.

We need to ensure they end up with one that's worth all the effort.

I can see from the plans that it's a wholly blank

north elevation with no windows at all,

which is a bit for forbidding...

Straight away, the blank north wall is because that's where all

the cold comes from. So we've got 200 mil of insulation

going on the concrete block, then we've got the wood cladding.

200 mil of insulation, plus the blockwork, plus the outer

cladding, I mean, it's like living in a castle.

Yeah, it is. It's like a big warm blanket going round.

Yeah, we need to try and put some glazing on the south elevation

but we were limited due to overlooking,

so the best next option was the west for the evening sun.

Which is almost entirely glass.

Entirely, yeah, to get as much of the solar gain as we can.

A lot of concrete in there, which will retain all of that heat,

that solar gain, and then lets it out slowly, keeping that constant

temperature, which is really important.

So, in a way, this is a house that passively heats

and cools itself because it's well insulated and you allow the sun in?

Yeah, definitely.

That's quite unusual, isn't it, because a lot more insulation,

having solid cast concrete slabs and so on,

is not what builders like to do.

Yeah, builders don't like to do it, actually. It's abnormal for them!

I can see on the drawings, solar panels.

So how much will this reduce your typical electricity bills by then?

Because we're low energy anyway, I would hope to get to nearly zero.

-Really? Wow.

-Should do. Very close.

-Yeah. That's extraordinary.

'The average UK household energy bill tops £1,000 a year,

'so the potential future rewards are considerable,'

but low-cost builds ordinarily rely on inexpensive construction.

Here, they're doing the exact opposite.

Well, I think it's probably costing us around about the 30,000 mark.

-It's a good proportion...

-It certainly is a good proportion.

..but you're talking about core materials

that you would have to buy anyway, insulation, windows...?

Yeah, definitely. We'll probably increase the specification of them.

Along with the solar panels, they are investing over

a third of their budget in an effort to make this home sustainable.

This means stripping out costs elsewhere.

Eg, floorings, we're sticking with a concrete floor.

Plaster, coving, skirting boards... we're not having any of that stuff.

We will be quite basic.

I don't think we'll be lavishing out on anything that's cutting edge.

I'm worried they're so concerned with the sustainability of the build

that they're not seeing how plain and dark their home could end up being.

But what will the house look like from the street?

Well, we've got a rendered system round the south and half of the front.

-The other half of the front and the north is a timber-based cladding system.

-Right.

Just sawn wood. Let's keep it as cheap and as simple as we can.

-What's the roof material?

-Metal clad.

-Metal clad.

-I mean, it's a lot of materials in a small build.

-There's loads!

It's hard when you're not designers, so it is quite difficult for us

to actually think, "Will that work, will it not work?"

When in doubt, stick it all in!

-So, when in doubt, chuck all the materials at the wall and see what sticks?

-Yeah!

-Great.

-THEY LAUGH

-It's one strategy!

-Yeah!

We face a huge challenge ahead -

finding ways to improve every corner of this home for these novice

self-builders without blowing that minuscule budget.

-This is going to end up being quite a mass of concrete.

-OK.

While we can't change the overall shape of the house,

there are still major design pitfalls that could be avoided.

I want Piers Taylor to scrutinise their plans.

This is to be commended. This is the model of a good, efficient

affordable house now.

The problem for me here is that, in a way,

the delight of it has been forgotten.

And it's so, I suppose, focused on doing the right thing,

they haven't really thought about the joy of it, the beauty of it.

That feels right to me.

They're quite modest people and they constantly say,

"We don't need more than this. This is the space we need."

And I just wonder if they've really thought through just what they could

gain out of thinking a bit more ambitiously.

They're just so compromised, these rooms.

Thus, it's really important to get every square inch to

work as hard as possible so it feels more spacious, more generous.

Tell me what your take is on the exterior.

It looks too complicated.

If they want so little and want a modest building, why does it bother

with all these changes of material?

I think it probably could be simplified.

There's a lot to prove here, that you can do a really well-considered,

well-insulated, well-performing house for a tiny budget.

With just £85,000, it's a tall order to create

a house that will tick the eco box and the homely one.

The ground floor structure's up and the form work is in,

ready for the concrete floor above.

Their goal to build a practical, nil-bill home is at a critical stage...

..so with no time to waste, Piers is racing to Lincolnshire.

What's interesting, in terms of sustainability, the biggest thing

is building a building well and making it well-sealed.

The other thing is you're building a building which has exposed finishes.

-And most people would think of a concrete block as an ugly old thing, but here it is.

-It's gorgeous.

-It looks like granite or something.

-Certainly does, yeah.

-It doesn't need to be hidden.

-It doesn't.

And that's a big mind-set change because all of that stuff is designed, usually,

to be covered up, so here you're taking quite a big risk, in fact.

Some of the contractors we've got involved haven't done anything like this before.

You've really got to have eyes around everywhere and making sure they're

not just going back to old habits, because that's what they want to do.

The mat concrete blocks absorb light, and the downstairs room

already looks worryingly dark and small.

But heading up onto the roof shows that if they can find ways to bring in light,

they can increase the sense of space within even this small structure.

I mean, for me, in terms of the ground floor, which this is

a facsimile of, you really want to maintain this sense of space.

And what you don't want to do is start shutting this down

and making it feel dark and oppressive.

And the beauty of this, the drama, is something you need to hang on to.

Oh, definitely. Keeping the light, keeping the space, but also...

-Yeah, it's got to stay functional.

-Yeah. That's really important.

Jo and Andy's focus on affordable function

risks being at the cost of good design.

Piers must find ways to address that limited downstairs space to try

and make it feel lighter and brighter.

The critical thing is that every square inch has to work really hard.

He must first tackle their dark and cramped entrance hall.

You know, to have such a big porch for this seems to me...

-I suppose, too space-hungry.

-Mm.

Certainly, I would get rid of those double doors, actually,

and putting an opening there will make this seem much bigger.

You could actually just angle that wall there, and it's a

sense of arriving into a space that has slightly more generosity there.

A clever but simple alteration to the stairwell could have a big impact.

You could actually cut a hole in that stair wall

so, from here, you looked into an open stair

and, you know, as you came down, you looked into this room.

The inside of that oval... Orange or something would be lovely.

-Would be lovely, wouldn't it? A real feature.

-Really nice, really nice.

And you'll even borrow some of this light that comes down...

Instead of being a dark hole, cos that's what it's going to be

-at the moment, which is a bit of a slight concern.

-Yeah.

Piers' ideas have additional advantages.

Removing the planned double doors between the lobby

and main living zone would not only save money

but also make the whole ground floor feel like one larger space.

To then bring more light in and increase

the generosity of the room, the utility room wall could be angled.

And by opening up part of the wall onto the stairwell,

a feeling of spaciousness is created as well as allowing light to

pour into the dark concrete staircase.

Each idea is a low-cost alteration designed to increase

the sense of space in the compact living area without altering

the footprint at all.

But will Jo and Andy be flexible enough to see that making

brave changes at this stage could massively affect the final outcome for the better?

Actually redesigning some of it can be a bit scary.

If we do implement any changes,

are they going to start rising the costs?

And that is something we're very, very conscious of.

But we're definitely open to the changes, aren't we?

Yeah, I'm up for any changes, as long as they're practical.

Yeah. And within our reach.

Do you want these teas, guys?

It's three and a half months into the build,

and Jo and Andy have spent 45 of their £85,000 budget

in their quest for maximum efficiency.

The second floor's carcass is complete.

The internal walls for the family bathroom

and bedroom are taking shape.

And today, the roof's going on.

Rather than traditional roof tiles, they've found a prefabricated

material more typically used on warehouses.

It's long-lasting, low-maintenance, lightweight and recyclable.

It's brilliant, I'm really chuffed.

It's basically board, insulation and metal tin all in one.

It's almost like a one-stop roof.

You know, lift it off the lorry and, a couple of hours later, it's done.

These prefabricated panels come with insulation embedded

and are an unexpected bargain compared to buying

and fitting the elements separately, for which they'd budgeted 12 grand.

The roof fitted will cost us about £6,000.

It's a great saving,

but this industrial finish is still pretty unconventional for a home.

This is the first time we've ever put it on a dwelling, yeah.

It was different. It's...

I suppose it's...

Yeah, it's different to see it on a house, you know what I mean?

Yeah, I think the non-standard parts of the building can pose issues with tradesmen

because they don't see it from our point of view.

I think they sometimes look at it a bit funny

because it looks unfinished, but I say, "Well, why cover it up?"

Andy and Jo are looking for every opportunity to make

the building more efficient and cheaper.

-Looks good, doesn't it?

-Yeah.

On the ground floor, they're also starting to incorporate

some of Piers' design ideas, which haven't cost a thing.

The first thing we decided was that we can remove the double doors

from the entrance and open it right up,

give us so much more space and that continuity of flowing through.

And Piers' idea of punching a hole into the stairwell has

transformed the staircase.

You really don't believe the difference it can make with

the light shining through. And at sunset time, when the orange and pink

light throws through, that actually goes straight through that hole,

straight into the stairwell, which looks fantastic.

I'm really pleased we've cut that in.

They simply can't afford to go over budget, so are consumed by not

spending a single penny unless absolutely necessary.

We've got a toilet, a sink, a cistern that are all due for a skip,

so...but now they're going to be ours.

They're also saving on their rainwater harvesting tank,

which would've cost two grand to buy, but they got for free from a local factory.

And there are further savings online.

Andy came across an ex-display kitchen, and it's a really

expensive kitchen at a knock-down price,

so we're really chuffed with that.

They're making great deals across their build,

but a general lack of funds risks affecting their judgment.

We were discussing whether we should pay the extra money for the grey windows

or whether we should go with the cheaper option and have white,

because it really doesn't matter. It really doesn't.

It's all aesthetics and...

..our house isn't about that.

But good design is about function AND aesthetics.

I'm worried Jo and Andy are letting cost impact their design aspiration.

So, in a bid to raise it, Piers wants to tackle the enormous

issue of their plan for a very busy exterior,

with a mix of brick, metal, render and wood.

Let's talk a little bit about the outside of the building

and the materials. I mean, there are quite a few, aren't there?

Yes, there is numerous, isn't there?

What about this sense that buildings in rural contexts need one

material to sit in a landscape well?

You know, these buildings, they don't have endless changes in material.

-I've considered that, haven't I?

-Yeah.

-And got a bit shot down.

Who shot you down?

Small buildings tend to benefit from being unified by a single material on the exterior.

By mixing materials, Jo and Andy are in danger of making their home

appear smaller and a real hotchpotch.

-So you could turn alternate boards on end...

-Yeah.

..and what that means is that you get, you know, a fantastic

quality of shadow and light across that.

It's deep, isn't it? I really like that.

And as long as it's financially viable, that's my worry.

-Financially viable and no planning constraints on that.

-Yeah, good. Good.

-Let's do that.

Covering the building in one, simple, inexpensive material

which suits the rural setting could improve its looks.

This change won't alter how the building performs, so although

they like the idea, it may be a change they aren't willing to make.

They still have three months before they have to reach a final decision,

and it looks like Jo might need all that time to work on Andy.

Yeah, most probably I need a bit more convincing, I think. Erm...

-Yeah, it's more down to budget for me.

-Yeah.

-Erm...

And there's more work involved for us because we'll end up cladding it.

But I'm happy to do that.

Andy does keep coming back to function, and function, of course,

is incredibly important in architecture, but so is delight.

The house could be pretty good, pretty ordinary,

or it could be really, really amazing.

And I want to steer it towards the really amazing.

For four long months, Jo and Andy have been really pushing themselves,

trying to save money, keeping an eye on quality

and getting stuck in themselves.

But the reality of juggling work, and the pressure to

finish their build on budget, is taking its toll.

A lot of it's been so hard that you tend not to be able to get

that excited feeling because it's like...

SHE SIGHS "Really?"

They've now been living in a caravan at the end of the garden for almost a year.

It feels a little bit claustrophobic

when you feel like you could do with a bit of space.

The novelty of camping out with two dogs

and keeping family life on track is wearing thin.

The chores still have to be done, you know what I mean?

-They do. No-one does it for you, do they?

-You just get on with it.

Sometimes you get fed up with this, that and the other.

I love cooking and it's so difficult because I haven't got enough room.

I will love to have my dishwasher back.

But there's still a lot of work to do before they can

leave their mobile home for their permanent one.

Finding enough enthusiasm to keep innovating as they turn

the basic shell into a home is their biggest challenge now.

Back from work, straight on site, is that a typical day for you?

Yeah, it's typical. Come home, get changed and start again.

It's better doing it that way than spending money on getting labour.

Tell me a bit about budget and how the money's going.

Well, we're round about 50,000 that we've spent so far.

-Out of a total of around...?

-85. That's what we aimed for.

-Yeah.

Are you happy with the value you've got so far out of that?

Oh, definitely, yeah. The quality of the build, you know, it's very

strong and it's doing what we want it to do.

A lot of people would say it's pretty unconventional,

exposed blockwork, and you've obviously embraced a little bit

-of showing some of the materials that the building's made of.

-Yeah.

The industrial finish is very different, it's a lot harder,

a lot more practical, and that's how I aim this to be,

-a bit more practical...

-Yeah.

..rather than all the soft finishes and all the unnecessary finishes.

Will that mean there's any left over for some extras?

Is there anything else that you're thinking,

"Oh, now we can maybe afford this or that"?

There might be the chance that we would think about buying

something extra, but ultimately, I think we would both decide,

"Let's not bother, let's just save the money."

Inside, those raw finishes are the final look.

-So this is going to...?

-Oh, yes, this is how it will look.

We're definitely going to leave the ceilings exposed.

That's going to be really nice.

I'm worried it'll feel like they're living on a building site

long after the builders have left.

This is going to be Frank's room.

-It's quite quirky.

-Yeah, yeah, yeah.

What does he think of all the exposed blockwork?

-Yeah, he loves it.

-He's into it?

A minimal approach to finishes certainly makes things simpler

and cheaper, but combined with the compact size of these rooms,

it feels cell-like.

Then we come through into our bedroom.

The focus on practicality

could be driving this build at the expense of all else.

They risk ending up with a home that doesn't feel homely.

As a tradesman, do you think Andy thinks in quite a pragmatic way

about how to get the thing done? Are you the one more with the vision?

Sometimes I may be a bit braver and I'll think a bit more out of the box

about the ways to do it,

but that's probably because I don't know the implications!

-Yeah, yeah, yeah, sometimes a bit of naivety is good, though.

-Yeah, yeah, it is!

Jo and Andy, I must say, should be complimented on how far they've got.

But it's important now that they focus their attention

on the interior - not just practically, but in terms of its design,

how that place is going to become a home.

There's a very fine line between an interior of beautifully

exposed materials that the building is really made of

and one that simply looks unfinished.

We need to show them that they can create a beautiful

and innovative sustainable home that won't break their budget.

Jo'ann and Andy done a great job getting to this point,

but I think there's a whole world of amazing detail that they could bring to this building.

I want to take them to a building that really reinvents,

from first principles, every single way of making

a building that purports to be sustainable,

and hopefully get them inspired by the spirit of invention in this house.

The Meat Factory is a pioneering eco-house in Nottingham.

This is the south-facing growing courtyard.

Built on a former industrial site

and home to its architect, Julian Marsh,

it's a brilliant collection of ingenious ideas.

There's actually another greenhouse on that roof,

another greenhouse on that roof...

Makes sense, rather than having it down there taking up ground space.

-Absolutely.

-That's just brilliant.

Although it cost five times Jo and Andy's budget,

it's almost three times the size,

so they need to attempt to match the level of aspiration here.

Piers is hoping to show them how architectural ideas

can be brought straight into their home.

Inside, the experimental approach is taken to another level.

Immediately, there's about 30 things that you just want to look at.

Isn't there?!

The house is a wild mix of materials,

but rather than being superficial, each has a specific function.

Polycarbonate filters light and warmth into unheated spaces,

while thick clay plaster absorbs heat.

-There's just so much to look at.

-There is, isn't there?

-Amazing.

-Yeah, just kind of soaking it all in.

-I know.

Despite its size, this house costs as little as £500 a year to run.

Solar panels provide power and shade to the building,

a compost toilet reduces water use,

and temperature is controlled using some experimental low-cost ideas.

These are brilliant because they add thermal mass to a space that needs it most.

And they're full of water,

which acts to absorb heat and reradiate it at night.

And this is such a great way of making something that is

effectively a piece of physics into something's that's architecture.

I'm hoping Jo and Andy can see that there is room for creativity and design in their home

without letting go of their values or budget.

This is a huge space, and over there, a sneaked view.

So there are windows in the places that you would least expect them.

From right the way into that corner,

-you can see all the way through the building.

-Yeah.

-Are you sneaking a view from your stairs into your living space?

-Yes.

-You are? Great.

-Yeah, we will be.

-That will be very nice.

-Yes.

More expensive materials used sparingly can create interest

without breaking the bank.

These glazed bricks cost £5 each, but just a few has a huge impact.

This is a beautiful material, but it's only where you touch it

and then it's back to white plaster.

I really like that sensibility around knowing that the things that

you touch, the things that you brush past, are where you invest time.

Yeah, yeah. It does, it feels lovely.

It's really tactile and it's smooth.

Creative use of recycled materials here has kept costs down.

Structural beams are made using recycled timber.

Even old pallets have been reused as fencing panels.

This is toughened glass from, I think, a stadium in London,

-and he used that to make his walkway.

-And designed it round them.

Jo and Andy need to look for high-quality materials

that could be used as decoration in their home.

And again, in here, in the shower, they've used...

this red meat-packing stuff.

-That's fantastic.

-Isn't that fantastic?

-The light from that...

-The light is amazing.

Oh, I like that.

Light and colour will be key to Jo and Andy really transforming

their stark home into something stunning.

This is living space actually about the same size as yours,

-which is interesting.

-It is.

It's lovely to see all the different forms of materials

that have been used, to get some inspiration because we've

got our basis, but it's adding that extra...

-Just to finish it off.

-Varnish the blockwork on the walls.

I bet that looks lovely. I hadn't thought about that.

Cos that would reflect light, wouldn't it?

The beauty of this house is in the way it works.

There's nothing here that's superficial.

It's all got a use and everything that you see is creative thinking.

The slightly wacky experimentation, I think, is something

that should be positively encouraged.

And that's the spirit that you need to bring to your house.

The lessons for anybody in this house are immense,

the lessons for Jo'ann and Andy, at this stage of their build,

are immeasurable. What I'm looking for, for them,

is a perfect marriage of clever thinking, function and beauty.

I want to see them go a little bit out of their comfort zone.

What struck me initially about the house is just how brave

-they've been with the use of materials.

-Yeah.

We can start putting a lot of different materials together.

-We can have a look, can't we?

-We're not architects or artists, though.

So whether ours look a jumble is another thing.

-But we'll go for it now.

-Yeah.

This house shouts from the rooftop that it's an eco-home, experimental

and proud of it - a lesson I hope Jo'ann and Andy will take away.

It's September, five and a half months into their build,

and back on site, Jo and Andy are experimenting.

Yep, another new skill to learn!

To save money, they're applying the wood cladding themselves.

It covers a series of layers designed to maximise

thermal efficiency.

-Looks like a corner.

-Looks like a corner. Woo-hoo.

The hard work should significantly reduce their energy bills.

I feel like I've been doing it for weeks and weeks,

I put paper on, insulation on,

paper on and baton on and now I'm putting wood on.

It's crazy!

Having already committed £900 on cladding and fittings,

they've decided not to go with Piers' suggestion

of unifying the outside with one material.

When completed, the house will be largely a mix of timber

and render.

I loved Piers' ideas but there was an expense to that

that was more than we'd budgeted for.

No matter how much we wanted that other look,

it's still only a look.

We can do this until the sun goes down,

grab some dinner and then we'll probably pop inside

and carry on doing a bit more in there.

Pop here late evening.

Their house is getting closer to being habitable

and today the triple glazed windows are going in.

At £5,300, the windows are 15% more expensive

than common double glazed ones.

But the investment should be worth it when combined with

their log burner - it will all help to reduce their heating bill.

These back ones are huge, and I wasn't expecting them.

I know it's silly, cos I know the space.

But I'm really pleased about that.

Cos they're looking really good.

And fired up from their visit to the Meat Factory,

there's been a dramatic development.

Jo and Andy have been thinking about some of the details

of their home, not just from a practical point of view.

We're having some coloured exterior frames on the front

to add some colour to the building.

Which certainly is more appearance than function.

So, 107.

Andy is working round the clock.

He wants to provide Jo and Frank with the family home

they deserve, after years on the move.

I am using industrial hand railing for the stairs.

Surprising what you can do with all this sort of stuff, really.

The materials have only cost 60 quid.

I suppose it's not quite the pristine finish that people expect

in a domestic house.

Yes, it's a look we both like.

Although it's not as easy as he hoped.

50 mil out, that is. And that's 50 mil the opposite way.

Four hours later, Andy's created a bespoke banister.

That's brilliant!

It looks level too.

Keen to make it look interesting too, he's trying to find ways

to incorporate industrial door curtains to catch the light.

It'll add that orange glow with the light coming in,

something like that. But I think it'll look good.

Jo is also looking for ways to adapt the bare bones of the house

and is experimenting with different finishes.

I'm putting varnish on, which will be our kitchen area

and it saves putting tiles or a splash back of any form

because this will waterproof it

and also, it means we get to see blocks too.

Which is lovely.

But the move from building to designing hasn't been easy.

I do find it actually difficult to know what probably works well.

I probably prefer the more functional side of it,

cos the structure has specific plans.

The aesthetics at the end doesn't.

With the interior starting to come together, I want to push them

to the next level.

They are experimenting with materials -

but they need to think about how they want their limited space

to feel and how they'll live in it.

We've got our things out of storage

and we're slowly putting them into certain places

and it's starting to give us ideas.

So your strategy is to arrange your stuff around,

-that's...

-It finds its place, doesn't it?

We need to think about interior design a bit differently

to that, so maybe I can show you a place now that I hope can make you

-think about that interior as a whole. Shall we go take a look?

-Yeah, let's.

I've invited Jo and Andy to see a sleek and modern reworking

of a Victorian house in North London by Lipton Plant Architects.

I want them to see a practical space which also has a sense of fun,

to show them it's OK to have both.

And this is actually nothing like your space in a way,

but for me, there are things here that you can really learn from.

I mean, take this beautiful big bench.

It's built in, so it's incredibly space saving.

I've always loved fitted furniture, I love benches particularly.

What do you think about it, Andy?

It's a waste of space.

-Yeah, yeah, this is a big space.

-I just don't see the point!

-You don't see the point?

-No.

'I'm hoping Andy might see the point if it has an additional use -

'like storage underneath.'

I love window seats, but I'm just worried that we don't have the space

to incorporate one in our house.

But you shouldn't rush to that conclusion.

It's not about whether you can take this directly into your house,

it's really about whether you like it or not.

Cos if you like it, then it's about saying, how can we make a space

that's as delightful as this is to relax in?

'A wall of storage makes the room feel uncluttered,

'and every inch becomes usable.'

Can you see the potential in something like this?

Rather than having all of this kind of stuff scattered around?

I think there are certain things that need putting away.

Um, but then certain things need leaving out.

But when put them away, what do you put them in?

It's about thinking bigger, designing the space

and not just placing pieces of furniture, really.

'This has no practical use whatsoever, but I want to

'persuade them to bring some playfulness into their home.'

It's really fun to have an element like that.

I've always loved swings. I did ask for a swing.

I was told we weren't allowed to attach one to the roof joists.

-Oh, really?

-Yeah.

-Why?

-Andy, you didn't want a swing?

-No!

'It's not just the swing that's failing to create

'the right impression.'

It's a bit bland, a bit empty, it lacks a homely feel.

'But with the flick of a switch...

'..a stark interior comes alive and is anything but bland.'

So this is really what I wanted to show you.

It's completely transformed by colour.

I guess as an electrician you know the potential of this kind of stuff.

-Lighting's important, isn't it?

-Good fun.

-Isn't it?

-Definitely.

What really excites me now is this clinical interior

that you were referring to before

is given loads of colour by the light.

The reflections are good and the glow. It's nice.

It's really beautiful how this indirect light washes across

this concrete material. Because you've got a lot of concrete in your interior.

Yeah, we have. And I love the way it changes the look of that material.

Much more homely feel now in here.

It adds, erm, colour and does make it feel warmer,

it does, we could do something concealed quite easily.

-Yeah, definitely.

-That little bit of glam in the corner.

The challenge for Jo'ann and Andy is still to keep pushing themselves

forward in terms of design.

I think what they need to aspire to is some of the poetry of home.

I think if they took away one thing, it's really about

unifying their thinking, not just placing objects

in a space but actually thinking about designing that whole interior

for how they want to use it.

Back on site, Jo and Andy have now spent all of their 85k budget

and are starting to dip into their 15k contingency.

All the way along the line we've stuck to our budget

and if something costs too much but we want it, we either find

another way to get it that is within our budget or we don't have it.

It's as simple as that.

They still have a way to go, so it's more crucial than ever

we deliver low cost ideas to get this house finished.

Piers is on his way back to Lincolnshire, to find out

how the build is progressing.

Even as an experienced architect, he's surprised at quite how far

Jo and Andy have gone with their pared back interior.

I think this finish is amazing, everything is exposed,

it is as raw as you can get and I really like that rawness.

But I wonder for some people whether it is too much and I suspect

it could be really harsh and cold if you're not careful.

I think there are one or two things they could do to this building

that will really lift it

and go that extra mile in making it truly exceptional.

-It's a cool colour, isn't it?

-It's exciting.

If you just want to grab that side.

Piers has come with an idea to inject some much needed warmth

and fun into that stark interior.

Colour is an amazing thing but actually colour with light is incredible.

-Look at the floor as well.

-Around the edge.

-Great, isn't it?

-It's amazing.

And the colour with the concrete is so fantastic.

It would be great to do is something like this just with ordinary lights

which will give you something that is kind of

decorative in the best sense, but also is a beautiful light.

Piers has sourced some acrylic, which can be picked up for

as little as £50 for a large sheet

but with a bit of ingenuity will bathe their cold concrete finish

in a warm glow.

Add a five quid fluorescent tube for a unique lighting feature.

Yes, if they were placed under the ends...

For me, that is nicer than most likes you get in a shop.

No, it's fab, it's lovely.

This house isn't an ordinary house and Jo'ann and Andy

aren't ordinary people, and the light and the colour

we've been looking at today is truly extraordinary

and I think it's really important that they do find something

that really lifts the house and gives it the final push that it needs.

Although Piers' previous suggestion for the exterior was rejected

due to cost, he's still desperate to find a way to reflect

Jo and Andy's values in the exterior look of their home.

A pallet recycling centre might not be everyone's idea of a fun day out,

but Piers wants to capitalise on Jo and Andy's passion

for the environment to help them make their outside space sing.

I'm a little bit anxious today because this could all go wrong.

I haven't really ever built anything out of pallets before.

But I think the challenge today is making them into something

that really transforms their original use

as a pallet into something far better

and far more architectural.

But will Jo and Andy be more accepting this time

of his ideas to improve the outside appearance of their home?

I love these, with the colour. Brightness in there. It just looks fantastic.

It is quite nice seeing the writing.

You don't want to disguise the wood, you want to be able to see

the grains and stuff still.

-Big, thick boards on them, haven't they?

-Yeah.

Clearly palates aren't the most beautiful thing

but in a way they do, for me, start to become interesting

when you stack them up and use them to define spaces.

As a simple bench, with herbs and stuff growing out of the holes,

maybe a taller bit and then even perhaps using this as a back,

-you know, to it.

-That looks lovely, it does.

I think they look great. I am actually genuinely surprised.

-It does look good. It's so instant, isn't it?

-Yeah.

At only three quid a pallet, it's a very cost-effective way

to make a big impact.

I wanted pallets for a long time actually.

So when we were brought here I was quite excited

because I actually really like to recycle and re-use things.

Back on site, the pallets go together extremely quickly.

Maybe we go...three...

-Three along?

-Yeah, I think so.

And Jo is getting creative with the leftovers.

You could do one here like a gate.

What I'm excited about is actually getting to the stage we are now

where we can use colour on these to start to really transform them.

So, this one is...

-Look at that.

-It's a kind of orange.

-It is a kind of orange.

-And a yellow.

-There is blue. Amazing colour.

-Yeah.

I think it's nice seeing the wood, isn't it?

Paint them like that, we don't go down the cracks.

-It's probably a lot easier, isn't it? It's quite nice.

-Yeah.

I think so.

-It's great seeing that colour, isn't it?

-Yes, it's good.

So, of course, there's lots of options.

-I think I'm up for the blue.

-Blue this side.

-I think so.

It's very farmgate-y looking as well, isn't it?

-It's agricultural and kind of urban.

-Yes.

-Do you like it, Andy?

-Yeah, it looks lovely. It's so vivid, isn't it?

I think the lesson here is,

it's fine to go into something not quite knowing

what you're going to do, and just have fun, see what comes out of it

and it is something that is so modest

and so cheap, yet actually it's really transformative in how

it works in this context for this building.

Yes, really happy about some of the different things that have evolved.

The colours are fantastic.

Yes, it has helped us maybe pull this area together a bit.

Yeah, in a really quick way,

quicker than what we thought we were going to do.

Jo and Andy are battling to get their interior finished

with as little expense as possible.

These casters were £10.

We are going to fix these to what will be a bench.

They are searching for any way they can to make fixtures

and fittings out of whatever they have lying around.

It's quite encouraging to be able to use another piece

of furniture that we have used and used and used,

with it being a display unit or a bookcase or a shoe unit,

rather than just throwing them on landfill.

Oh, we could have races!

It's swishy, isn't it?

Take this over there.

Outside, they've managed to scavenge more materials.

It needs to come over that way a bit.

We are just fitting in these railings which are recycled

from the school that I work in, which I'm really pleased about.

And really liking the striking blue.

As we complete each individual job, it is just such a sense

of achievement and an experience

and we are doing things we've never done before.

It's a good feeling to be getting to the end,

though I do actually enjoy doing the jobs.

Yes, we do make a good team.

-Don't we, Jo'ann?

-Yes, we do, Andrew.

THEY LAUGH

But what will all their ideas look like when they are done?

Will they have managed to transform their previously stark

interior into a much-needed and inviting family home?

After a lifetime on the move, Jo'ann and Andy took a huge risk

to try to put down some roots. With a tiny budget of just £85,000

they attempted to create a house that wasn't just sustainable

but also costs absolutely nothing to run.

The question is, could this eco build with no frills

really ever feel like a home?

13 months after work began,

Piers and I are back to find out what they've managed to build.

-Hi.

-Hi, guys. How are you doing?

-Lovely to see you.

-Great to see you.

Well, congratulations, guys, it is so fantastic to see it built.

And it's sort of right of place now on the street

but how do you feel it is fitting into its surroundings?

Oh, it's just lovely, it cheers it up no end.

It's an interest to people, passers by. Makes them smile.

I love that you can tell this is not an ordinary house,

you can tell it's got some aspirations to sustainability.

The clue is in the little window here,

this big, deep wall you've made, that's keeping it nice and warm.

It is.

I remember way back trying to convince you to clad

the entire building in timber but coming here now, I quite like

the quirkiness, I quite like the fact that you have stuck to your guns.

I agree with you, these different materials all do work together

but I still don't think you would have chosen orange for your house.

Maybe not.

What you've done is weave in your personality into this building.

I did like the full clad idea,

I loved it, but it was just over our budget.

-Even if only 100 quid, that's probably 100 quid too much.

-Yes.

If everything is £100, you go into thousands and it just rolls on.

'This house risked being more about efficiency than design.

'So how does it look now they've moved in?'

Well, this is really fantastic.

Look at this place!

With these lovely colour accents and all of your furniture

and stuff and it feels like a real home. You must be thrilled.

Oh, definitely. Yes.

Really proud of it actually, and the way it does show itself off,

with the balance between the colours of the furniture

and the raw materials, all put together.

Really pleased with the outcome.

The thing that most architects would get obsessive about here is

the honesty and the truth to construction.

This is a building that has made a virtue out of how it is constructed.

Piers' idea to remove the double doors has opened up the space

dramatically and let the light flow through.

'The average spend on a kitchen in the UK is £6,000.

'By picking one up ex-display, they've only spent a third of that.

'They've been creative with their cash,

'but also inspired to be resourceful throughout their home.'

Things like these shelves, which I love actually,

it seems to fit really well with the blockwork walls.

That's a cable tray,

electricians use it all the time in industrial locations.

That's so brilliant, you're becoming a designer!

You've taken a material that you recognised and reused it.

You know, I really like the way you've positioned your sink at

the end of this run of units, you've made another little area here.

-It's a hospital hand basin.

-Yeah.

And it was the perfect size.

I think what's great about the sink is taking something that

would typically exist in a nondomestic environment

like a hospital, which means it is really good quality,

and then using it here.

'It's a small space

'but they've found inventive ways to make the most of it

'by upcycling old bedroom furniture.'

It's a transforming thing.

It's a desk, yes, and you just sit down and you're off.

I also can see you've gone to town a bit on the colours!

-Which I love, why not?

-I love it.

What's curious about the colour is that these things serve

as kind of abstract sculptural objects sitting in a corner,

-even when they are not being used.

-Yes, that's what it was all about.

It's enjoying them, enjoying them, not just because it is a desk

and it bringing life to the coroner.

It's about putting our own take on it with paint,

making it into something different and a bit of DIY and saving money.

By doing all the electrical work himself, Andy has saved £5,000,

but it's the way he has channelled his practical know-how

into bespoke design features that has really paid off.

I really like how the stairwell is part of this space. Downstairs.

It's good. The concrete just flows, doesn't it?

-And it's such a great space, isn't it?

-It's brilliant.

It's huge, and it's just not what you expect in a house of this size.

Yeah.

The stairwell risked being dark and cramped.

Punching a hole in the wall hasn't cost a thing but has

increased the sense of space and lets light through.

When I first met you, you were worried about doing something

that wasn't strictly functional.

And this is playful as well as functional, isn't it?

I like this, it's one of my favourite features.

Depending on where the sunshine is and where the light is,

it reflects on the walls or the floor, it's always different

but this just adds that pleasure of walking through, it's got colour.

I wouldn't have expected you to say things like that a year ago.

-No, probably not.

-It's quite a design journey you have come on.

At the beginning,

I would have tended to go towards a conventional style of interior.

To break away from that, for me to see it in a different way,

was a journey.

Being adventurous and allowing the house to be different.

'Upstairs, quirky touches and a mix of materials add a sense of fun

'and personality to their concrete canvas.'

So, this is a beautiful place to wake up. What a view,

-it's fantastic.

-You can just see for miles, it's lovely.

'After 30 house moves, Jo can finally settle into her family home.'

Jo'ann, tell me how it feels to have finished this project.

You know, you've put an awful lot into this process, haven't you?

Our all, really, everything I've got

-and probably a little bit more some days.

-Really?

Yeah, yeah, but in one respect it's quite sad that it's finished.

But obviously the main aspect is just proud, happy, excited.

And we often, me and Andy, do pinch ourselves and go,

"Did we do this?" You know, we just did it as a team.

It was a learning process for both of us.

I'm just so happy for you, but especially to make a building

that has got so much of you and Andy in it.

It's so clearly about how you want to live with your family.

-I'm just super proud of you. I think it's a fantastic result.

-Thank you.

'Sustainability and cost were the driving forces on this build,

'so how did they get on with the budget?'

We planned to spend 85 when we first sat down, that was the aim.

-With a contingency.

-And in the end?

-We spent 100,000.

I think it's an amazing result,

£100,000 for a building this efficient,

and this generous inside, is just absolutely brilliant.

But there must be other payoffs here too. The low-energy quality

of the building also means it must be incredibly cheap to run.

Right now we're spending minus £1.50 per month.

-Minus £1.50?

-Yeah!

-So the grid pays you for this building to exist?

-Yeah.

-That's amazing.

How much are you saving per year then on what you would pay

-against a normal house?

-I'd estimate that would be about £1,500 per year.

-Wow.

-There's a nice bit of income to have as well as being

-comfortable, warm and no outgoings.

-Absolutely. Brilliant.

It makes it all worthwhile.

Jo'ann and Andy have done something really important here.

I think this is really big. I think they are real trailblazers.

Jo'ann and Andy have taken a very, very modest amount of space

and turned it into something that feels much bigger than it actually

is, costs far less than most houses and is beautiful and sustainable.

And this house will look good in five years' time,

ten years' time and 50 years' time.

It's an incredibly durable building that will need very little upkeep.

And that is sustainable.

The house is compact and basic,

but a nil-build home for £100,000 is an extraordinary achievement.

And calls for celebration.

But how does such a unique

and unconventional home go down in an ordinary street?

Would you live in a concrete house having seen this?

-Yes, I think I would.

-It's warm, homely, welcoming.

Tell me what you think of your daughter's interior.

Is this your taste? Blockwork walls and concrete floors?

-The only thing I would change is the ceiling.

-Really?

Because I find it quite oppressive.

-Full of colour, isn't it lovely?

-I love the floor and I love the feel.

You feel as if you're sliding on it!

-But they have no bills now.

-They can always have mine!

It's an amazing feeling and it is our house, we built it.

-We don't intend on going anywhere, do we?

-We don't.

We are going to live in it and enjoy it

and that was part of today, sharing it with some friends and family

and share that enjoyment and be proud of our accomplishments, really.

Yeah.

Jo'ann and Andy have built an astonishingly good value house here.

£100,000 for this building with all its generosity of space

and incredible thermal efficiency is a real achievement.

And in a way, it is the gift that keeps on giving

because it is saving them money every single month.

This building in the end is about so much more.

This is a building that Jo'ann and Andy have made together and

it's a real home, almost a perfect representation of who they are.

Next time, Heidi and Stephen attempt to build a house for just £70,000.

-What we've got is what we've got.

-But will juggling family life...

CHILD SCREAMS

..and problems with the build...

It wasn't that people had given us the wrong information,

it was because we didn't ask the right questions.

..leave their home unfinished and their dream in tatters?

Basically we've got about ten grand left.