0:00:02 > 0:00:04The cheapest way to a dream home is to build it yourself.
0:00:04 > 0:00:08Right, get a shovel, Sam. Get plenty of shovels.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11But can it be done for less than £100,000?
0:00:11 > 0:00:15If you think outside the box, you can build something extraordinary.
0:00:15 > 0:00:19Architect Piers Taylor will help families facing dilemmas.
0:00:19 > 0:00:23But when you can do anything, you don't need to have rooms.
0:00:23 > 0:00:24But I like rooms.
0:00:24 > 0:00:28While I, Kieran Long, will show them a world of inspiring design...
0:00:28 > 0:00:32- What do you think of this place? - Amazing.- Spectacular.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35..packed with ideas that can work in any home.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38This is the kind of thing we want to do for our grandchildren.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40And they needn't be expensive.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43You could do the same thing with a couple of trestles
0:00:43 > 0:00:46- and a beautiful piece of timber on the top.- Absolutely, yeah.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49- It's a challenge...- In this case, I think we've just got to start again.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53- ..that's as tough as it gets.- Been one of the worst days of my life.
0:00:53 > 0:00:59But some will turn low-cost self-builds into fantastic homes.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02It looks great! It's just fantastic.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06- This time...- Wow! - ..we push Alistair and Karen...
0:01:06 > 0:01:10- Looks absolutely fantastic! - Very similar to what we had planned.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12..to make every inch of their new build amazing.
0:01:12 > 0:01:17- How about making this the kitchen? - That's radical!- What do you reckon?
0:01:17 > 0:01:18Alistair's not convinced.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21But will the tough realities of self-building...
0:01:21 > 0:01:24You start with the best aspirations and I think you start
0:01:24 > 0:01:26whittling them down as you get into it.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29..dash their hopes of a perfect home?
0:01:29 > 0:01:31- How much have you got to fit the building out?- £25,000.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33It's never going to do it.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47I grew up here in the farm just behind us.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49That was where I was born and reared all my life.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53It was a lovely, quiet, rural location to grow up in,
0:01:53 > 0:01:55so happy memories.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58Alistair and Karen dream of a mortgage-free life.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02They're seizing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
0:02:02 > 0:02:05to build a family home in County Antrim, Northern Ireland,
0:02:05 > 0:02:07in a place close to Alistair's heart.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10Really, from the day we met,
0:02:10 > 0:02:13Alistair's always said he wanted to build a house at home
0:02:13 > 0:02:16and when his mother decided to sell up,
0:02:16 > 0:02:20we saw that as an opportunity to try and realise that dream.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24Their dream began when they bought a small plot of family land
0:02:24 > 0:02:26across the road from the farm.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28Here we go. Throw this one.
0:02:30 > 0:02:31- That was a big throw.- That was good.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34This is their chance to give son Matthew
0:02:34 > 0:02:37the idyllic childhood that Alistair enjoyed.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40This is going to be the garden, essentially.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42It's going to be his little playground.
0:02:42 > 0:02:43He'll enjoy running about here.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46- Can you put your stick in the water, give it a stir?- You stir the water.
0:02:46 > 0:02:47Any fish in there?
0:02:51 > 0:02:55Building their own home close to family also gives them the chance
0:02:55 > 0:02:58to design a house to meet the needs of an uncertain future.
0:02:59 > 0:03:032007, I took ill. I went straight to the local hospital here
0:03:03 > 0:03:05and they did a battery of tests on me
0:03:05 > 0:03:08and it finished up with an MRI brain scan,
0:03:08 > 0:03:10which clearly indicated multiple sclerosis at that stage.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12You can't change what's happened.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15Deal with it as best you can, I don't let it take away life.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17If there's a life to be lived, get on with it.
0:03:17 > 0:03:18- That's one set. - That's one set.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22Alistair's MS diagnosis has influenced their design decisions
0:03:22 > 0:03:25and underpins the whole reason for this house.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27There doesn't have to be level access at the back,
0:03:27 > 0:03:29as long as you have level access at the front.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31I think, certainly on balance,
0:03:31 > 0:03:33on the plans and what we can see in front of us,
0:03:33 > 0:03:37the house should be totally, um, future-proof
0:03:37 > 0:03:39for wheelchair use, if it comes to it.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42Yeah, we wanted to try and put a lot of thought into it
0:03:42 > 0:03:45before we started and because we know it's very difficult to go back
0:03:45 > 0:03:48and change anything and we're limited budget-wise.
0:03:48 > 0:03:49OK.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53The sale of their old house has given them £100,000
0:03:53 > 0:03:56for the build and a small contingency.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00If we can possibly be mortgage-free, that would be the dream for us.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03Under the circumstances, take the pressure off
0:04:03 > 0:04:06Alistair having to work or anything like that in the future.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10But building a low-cost home and living mortgage-free
0:04:10 > 0:04:13on this sloping site is going to be tough.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17Slab number one.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21To make it suitable for future wheelchair use,
0:04:21 > 0:04:25they've already spent a fifth of their budget on foundations.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28We're talking about £22,000 to get to this level.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32And this is double what it would have cost to do normal foundations.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34At least double, yeah. That's lessons we're learning,
0:04:34 > 0:04:38being completely novice at it and first time, so...
0:04:38 > 0:04:40With costs already spiralling,
0:04:40 > 0:04:42this couple are in desperate need of help
0:04:42 > 0:04:46to complete the rest of this build within their 100K budget.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55I've spent 20 years writing about architecture
0:04:55 > 0:04:58'and I'm fascinated by how we use the spaces in our home.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02'As an architect,
0:05:02 > 0:05:05'Piers is constantly finding new ways to use materials.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09'I've come to his studio to see how we can help the couple
0:05:09 > 0:05:12'achieve the best house possible on their budget.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15'This is the first time we get to see their plans.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20'Alistair and Karen are building
0:05:20 > 0:05:22'a single-storey blockwork and render house
0:05:22 > 0:05:25'in three distinct sections.'
0:05:27 > 0:05:30The house is entered via a covered carport,
0:05:30 > 0:05:32leading to a glass entrance hall
0:05:32 > 0:05:35which links both wings and houses a small utility room.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42To the right, access to the main living area
0:05:42 > 0:05:46is through a wide doorway, leading to a double-height,
0:05:46 > 0:05:48open-plan living-kitchen-dining space.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52On the other side of the glass link,
0:05:52 > 0:05:56a long corridor gives access to three bedrooms and two bathrooms.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00This is an ambitious build,
0:06:00 > 0:06:03especially for someone who's never done it before.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08Alistair and Karen have spent about 20% of their budget already
0:06:08 > 0:06:12on foundations. So, they've got a tough challenge.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15The bungalow has a kind of bad reputation, doesn't it?
0:06:15 > 0:06:18It's very much associated with the '70s,
0:06:18 > 0:06:19with kind of large floor plans,
0:06:19 > 0:06:22with very dark spaces in the centre of the floor plan.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25You're right, but what they've done here is to make
0:06:25 > 0:06:28two slightly smaller bungalows and that's nice.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31But they still have a long corridor and they have a piece of space
0:06:31 > 0:06:34in the middle of the house which doesn't seem to do very much.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38This is going to be a real puzzle, because it's a glazed link,
0:06:38 > 0:06:40which you can sort of understand, architecturally,
0:06:40 > 0:06:43why you would have that thought, but it has no function.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46And it's the most expensive bit, per square metre, to build,
0:06:46 > 0:06:49because you've got to have big pieces of glass, a flat roof.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51We have to try to get them to think
0:06:51 > 0:06:52about what these spaces are actually for
0:06:52 > 0:06:54and how they're going to live in them.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58I think that's right and I think we also need to get them to find
0:06:58 > 0:07:00a way of reducing the perceived length of this corridor,
0:07:00 > 0:07:04because this will seem like a long, dark tunnel to nowhere.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08I'm just wondering about its image as a rural building.
0:07:08 > 0:07:12It sits in a context of farms and of quite messy sheds,
0:07:12 > 0:07:14and it's this perfect white render.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16This feels, to me, very much like a house
0:07:16 > 0:07:19that doesn't really have material or texture.
0:07:19 > 0:07:24The vernacular, locally, is things like black metal, black slate,
0:07:24 > 0:07:27and materials that are quite robust.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30Maybe one of our key tasks is to find a way
0:07:30 > 0:07:32to give it some material, give it some character,
0:07:32 > 0:07:35give it a sense of belonging through that stuff.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37It's even more essential that Alistair and Karen think
0:07:37 > 0:07:41about how this fits into the context cos this is where Alistair grew up.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44It feels, to me, like they need to add something that's really a sign
0:07:44 > 0:07:47of their generation's approach to this beautiful place.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49This is going to say something about Alistair
0:07:49 > 0:07:5150 years after he grew up in this place.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53It's essential he gets it right.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00Piers needs to talk to them before any of the walls start to go up...
0:08:00 > 0:08:02- Hi, Alistair, how are you doing? - Hi, Piers, nice to meet you.
0:08:02 > 0:08:03- Hi, Karen.- Hi, Piers.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05..to get them thinking
0:08:05 > 0:08:07about how they will use the spaces they're building.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11So, what I want to do is to mark out where this utility is,
0:08:11 > 0:08:13mark out where that corridor goes,
0:08:13 > 0:08:17and just get a handle on whether or not it's the right thing to do
0:08:17 > 0:08:18to put the utility there.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22- Let's grab some of these and map it out.- OK.- Let's get them up.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30For any self-builder,
0:08:30 > 0:08:34mocking up the interior walls is a great way to understand the space.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37- It's actually wider than what I thought it was.- Yeah.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40- Much more spacious than I thought. - It was so I wouldn't scrape
0:08:40 > 0:08:42my knuckles on the wheelchair as I go down.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44You've got to think future-proof.
0:08:48 > 0:08:53Seeing this mapped out, I think I realise that this utility room
0:08:53 > 0:08:57really compromises the potential of this space,
0:08:57 > 0:08:59if you left this exactly as it was.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02But then what else are we going to do with a glass, you know...?
0:09:02 > 0:09:05How about taking out the utility and making this the kitchen?
0:09:07 > 0:09:11- That's radical! Oh!- That's a big change.- That's a big change.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14Moving the utility out of the glazed link
0:09:14 > 0:09:18and making the most expensive part of the build a centrepiece kitchen
0:09:18 > 0:09:20would make it the heart of the home.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25Now, Piers has to figure out if it's possible.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29So, seeing it like this, you can see that this is a big room
0:09:29 > 0:09:31and, as soon as you cut into it,
0:09:31 > 0:09:35what it does is stop you
0:09:35 > 0:09:39using this glazed space effectively, I think.
0:09:39 > 0:09:45But the options for here are moving your utility there,
0:09:45 > 0:09:47something like that,
0:09:47 > 0:09:50and you had a door going into it from underside the carport.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53So, you could have your kitchen all down this end
0:09:53 > 0:09:56and you could have a big dining table down there, if you wanted.
0:09:56 > 0:10:02Our only concern with that would be, one, to eat into this bedroom
0:10:02 > 0:10:06- a little bit, cos we would like a utility somewhere.- Yeah.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10And two, access, if we were ever at wheelchair phase,
0:10:10 > 0:10:14- might be a bit more difficult with the kitchen in the middle.- Mm-hmm.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17Moving the utility out and the kitchen into the link
0:10:17 > 0:10:20is too big a step for Alistair and Karen,
0:10:20 > 0:10:23so now Piers must find a way to reimagine the space
0:10:23 > 0:10:26so it's not dominated by the utility room and long corridor.
0:10:27 > 0:10:32Option two is possibly cutting that nib back to there
0:10:32 > 0:10:38but then just doing something different with this.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40It could have a curved geometry.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43By putting the curve in it, the corridor essentially starts here.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46- Totally.- I think it's a great idea. - A good idea.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48And it's something we hadn't even thought of.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50This is a simple and elegant alteration
0:10:50 > 0:10:52which would help differentiate
0:10:52 > 0:10:55the bedroom corridor from the entrance hall.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00By softening the utility wall into a curve,
0:11:00 > 0:11:02the glass link becomes a functional living space.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07Widening the door into the open-plan living room helps the flow
0:11:07 > 0:11:09from one area to the next.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16Piers also wants to challenge them on their ideas for the exterior.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20Their current plan is to render both blocks.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23But he wants to show them a way
0:11:23 > 0:11:27to make their home feel more in keeping with the rural environment.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30So, this is the farm, isn't it, that you grew up in, Alistair, here?
0:11:30 > 0:11:33- Absolutely.- And it's amazing, seeing it from this field,
0:11:33 > 0:11:36because there are two buildings that we can see here
0:11:36 > 0:11:40- and, in effect, that is a similar composition to your house.- Mm-hmm.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43We hadn't thought of looking at it that way, linking the buildings
0:11:43 > 0:11:46with the gap in the middle, which is what we'll have as well.
0:11:46 > 0:11:51And then, as palette of materials, one is rendered over blockwork,
0:11:51 > 0:11:56the other clad entirely in that beautiful black sheet material.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59That black, with all this green, looks amazing, doesn't it?
0:11:59 > 0:12:03- Absolutely stands out really sharp there.- And it belongs here.- Yeah.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08Piers hopes to convince them to use the same materials on their build.
0:12:08 > 0:12:14So, this as a sort of entirely black corrugated, simple building.
0:12:14 > 0:12:18- This all glass next to it.- Yeah. - I think it would be lovely, yeah.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21- Yeah, I like that. - That's a good idea.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25Simple materials used everywhere are what makes these types of buildings
0:12:25 > 0:12:28and that black barn beautiful.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30Changing external materials would have planning
0:12:30 > 0:12:34and building regulation implications.
0:12:34 > 0:12:38But Piers's suggestion would make a striking architectural statement.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42Replacing the white render and roof tiles on the bedroom block
0:12:42 > 0:12:47with black corrugated sheets will give this wing a barn-like feel.
0:12:47 > 0:12:51The contrast between that and the white rendered living block
0:12:51 > 0:12:54will make the glass link stand out and the overall effect
0:12:54 > 0:12:57will be in keeping with the rural landscape.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01Piers has suggested some good ideas today,
0:13:01 > 0:13:03which we hadn't really looked at or considered.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06He's given us the push that we needed, maybe,
0:13:06 > 0:13:08to jump in with both feet and go for it.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10It's definitely a push for us
0:13:10 > 0:13:12to start costing that side of things up.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17It took Alistair and Karen almost four years
0:13:17 > 0:13:19to get planning permission for their build.
0:13:20 > 0:13:25Now, after just six weeks, the blockwork is up to roof level...
0:13:27 > 0:13:29..and the trusses are already going in.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38I have the lead there for the lead tray, maybe get that done today.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40It's reasonably straightforward.
0:13:40 > 0:13:45Finishing the blockwork has taken their spend to around £33,000
0:13:45 > 0:13:49and they've budgeted a further £10,000 for the roof.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54To keep costs down, Alistair is doing as much labouring as possible.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58And having his builder brother George living close by
0:13:58 > 0:14:00is a huge advantage.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03It's been great having him help us.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05Essentially, I may be the project manager,
0:14:05 > 0:14:09but without George's help here, we couldn't have done it.
0:14:12 > 0:14:16I do what I'm told, basically. That's usually the way it is.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19If he keeps doing what he's told, everything will be OK.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21THEY LAUGH
0:14:21 > 0:14:23With the internal walls in place,
0:14:23 > 0:14:27the footprint of the house is becoming clearer.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29- That's the big entrance through there.- Yeah.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31It's three metres-ish, maybe.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34Alistair and Karen have taken on board Piers's idea
0:14:34 > 0:14:38and widened the doorway into the open-plan living space.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41And they've also curved the utility wall.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45This has transformed the glass link from a hallway to a potential room.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49But they still have no idea what to use it for.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52The centre link, obviously, is not really taken up with anything else.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54At the minute, it's just spare space.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58There's a huge risk that the £2,500 glazing bill for this space
0:14:58 > 0:15:02will be completely wasted if its sole function is a corridor.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07They need to decide how to use this space now,
0:15:07 > 0:15:10before it's too late to put that money to better use elsewhere.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22The design for Alistair and Karen's house really hinges
0:15:22 > 0:15:23on this glass linking piece,
0:15:23 > 0:15:26connecting the two blocks of accommodation,
0:15:26 > 0:15:29and I think Piers has pushed them really hard to try to get them
0:15:29 > 0:15:31to think about that room as something interesting.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35I've brought them to the Highlands of Scotland to see a house
0:15:35 > 0:15:38that elegantly resolves the same problem.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42I'm hoping it will inspire them to push their building further.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50This is Torispardon Cottage,
0:15:50 > 0:15:54an incredible private home near Aviemore.
0:15:54 > 0:15:58This contemporary building uses old materials with modern ones
0:15:58 > 0:16:02to create a distinct line between old and new.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07So, I love this view from here,
0:16:07 > 0:16:10where you start to see these pieces coming together,
0:16:10 > 0:16:11but what's your first impression?
0:16:11 > 0:16:14You can see the glass link and it looks fantastic.
0:16:14 > 0:16:15Similar elevations to ours.
0:16:15 > 0:16:17Once the site of an old croft,
0:16:17 > 0:16:21architects Stuart Archer and Liz Marinko used reclaimed materials
0:16:21 > 0:16:24from the original buildings to create two traditional
0:16:24 > 0:16:28stone-walled structures, linked by a contemporary glass block.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33From a distance, it looks like it's three separate buildings
0:16:33 > 0:16:35- and then you see this glass connector.- Absolutely.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37You don't see that from a distance.
0:16:37 > 0:16:38No, you've put your finger right on it.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41That whole idea of trying to just disconnect these pieces
0:16:41 > 0:16:44and make them look a bit like separate buildings
0:16:44 > 0:16:46is sort of achieved by these pieces of frameless glass.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51Alistair and Karen are clearly impressed by the outside,.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54But I want them to experience how the interior might help them
0:16:54 > 0:16:57visualise how they could inhabit their own house.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04- Wow! Fantastic!- It's beautiful.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07So, this is how they've used that glass linking piece.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11Here, the glass link is a beautiful kitchen-dining space,
0:17:11 > 0:17:15full of clever ideas to make the most of its stunning position.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21By using two or three simple neutral colours,
0:17:21 > 0:17:26you can increase the sense of space without detracting from the view.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32A bespoke roof light matches the dimensions of the units
0:17:32 > 0:17:36and is positioned to throw natural light on to the work surfaces.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41And the positioning of the dining table
0:17:41 > 0:17:43makes the most of the panoramic view.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48Don't you just want yours to be more than just an entrance,
0:17:48 > 0:17:50more than just a front door, when you see this?
0:17:50 > 0:17:52The whole thing works superbly but, of course,
0:17:52 > 0:17:54their link is so much wider than ours would be.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57- Yeah, this is much bigger than yours on plan.- Absolutely.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00I suppose the interesting thing here is how they found a way
0:18:00 > 0:18:02to inhabit this wonderful space.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05Just think about how that piece you're building in the middle there
0:18:05 > 0:18:07could take on more than just entrance and kicking boots off
0:18:07 > 0:18:09and getting to the lounge.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11I think the solution, having just looked at it, is this.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14- The dining area.- Possibly put a dining area in there.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16You think you would be able to bring some furniture in there?
0:18:16 > 0:18:18- Have the dining area there.- Yeah.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20As a dining space, I think it would work well.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22That sounds like a great idea to me, it really does.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26Alistair and Karen have seen the value of turning
0:18:26 > 0:18:29their expensive glass link into somewhere they can use every day.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31Now I want to push them to see other ways
0:18:31 > 0:18:34they can raise their home out of the ordinary.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42I really like how the whole house is united by this single floor material
0:18:42 > 0:18:45and you can see all the way down to the very extent of the house
0:18:45 > 0:18:48in that direction, and in this direction,
0:18:48 > 0:18:50it sort of leads you through to the other living space.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54And, of course, the doors, too, being hidden away, almost invisible.
0:18:54 > 0:18:59This is an absolutely beautiful way of removing barriers between rooms.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03You can by pocket door kits from as little as £100.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07Avoiding swinging doors helps declutter rooms
0:19:07 > 0:19:10and improves the flow between spaces.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13The door leads to a double-height living area.
0:19:13 > 0:19:17Just like Alistair and Karen's this has a vaulted ceiling
0:19:17 > 0:19:21but, here, extra light comes from a series of skylights.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23It's so clever how this building
0:19:23 > 0:19:25takes you through all these different atmospheres,
0:19:25 > 0:19:28and here, you see how height can have an effect.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30I just wonder if there's any potential, in your two blocks,
0:19:30 > 0:19:34to create a bit more of that drama and that sort of spatial experience.
0:19:34 > 0:19:35You see the light coming in.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38That's something we possibly could look at incorporating,
0:19:38 > 0:19:40before it's too late - putting in a Velux of some description.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45Light also floods in from the corner picture window.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49Butting the panes up against each other removes distractions
0:19:49 > 0:19:51and invites you to enjoy the view.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55It's one space, but it's zoned,
0:19:55 > 0:19:57so you can sit and have a wee snug and a read in that bit,
0:19:57 > 0:20:00but comfy living and watch a bit of TV in this bit.
0:20:00 > 0:20:01But it's still the same room.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04Here, you get a sense of a whole sort of terrain
0:20:04 > 0:20:07that you can occupy in different ways, always with the view,
0:20:07 > 0:20:09- always with beautiful light.- I think, when you look at it on plan,
0:20:09 > 0:20:11you tend to stick with what's there,
0:20:11 > 0:20:13but seeing something like this is fantastic,
0:20:13 > 0:20:15because it shows you how you can utilise the space much better.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19- I think that's right. - Or for different purposes, you know.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22Seeing how the space is used here
0:20:22 > 0:20:26has given Alistair and Karen inspiration for their own build.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28We're leaving with lots of ideas.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31Plenty to go away home with and think about and try and plan
0:20:31 > 0:20:33and add to our design now, incorporate.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36Before we get too far in, at least we can use some of these ideas.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38Absolutely, there's half a dozen or more things here
0:20:38 > 0:20:40that we would like to look at and do.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43I think Alistair and Karen have really enjoyed seeing a house
0:20:43 > 0:20:46that so closely mirrors the one they're designing.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50They seemed to immediately see the potential of their glazed link
0:20:50 > 0:20:52as somewhere to inhabit and somewhere to use.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54As soon as they saw the dining table downstairs,
0:20:54 > 0:20:56they were saying, "Yes, we can do this."
0:20:56 > 0:20:58And I think it's opened their eyes.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03It's October.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05Alistair and Karen need to get the roof finished
0:21:05 > 0:21:09and the building watertight before the weather starts to turn.
0:21:15 > 0:21:20Alistair is working long days on site, doing as much as he can.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24But Karen is constantly aware of the toll this could take on his health.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29You tell him to rest, but he's happy enough to keep going,
0:21:29 > 0:21:34so I try and just let him...do what he thinks he's capable of.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37I think you always worry.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39It's in the back of your mind that he's got MS,
0:21:39 > 0:21:42but he knows how to manage it and he's on his medication
0:21:42 > 0:21:45and you just try and keep the pressure off here.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50After Piers's visit, they were keen to use materials
0:21:50 > 0:21:54that would help their bungalow sit in the landscape.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57They wanted natural slate tiles for the living block roof
0:21:57 > 0:21:59but to keep costs down,
0:21:59 > 0:22:02they've opted for a mass-produced tile instead.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06These are a fibre cement slate.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09I suppose you could call them a fake slate.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11But they're so much cheaper than genuine slate.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14Straightaway, it was something we had to make a decision on.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16Our budget didn't stretch to that, so again,
0:22:16 > 0:22:20it's a compromise on cost against what you're after, at the same time.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23But they still want to go with Piers's idea
0:22:23 > 0:22:25of using corrugated black sheets
0:22:25 > 0:22:27on the walls and roof of the bedroom block,
0:22:27 > 0:22:29but that's proving difficult.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33This, we can get local, but we can't get the black colour.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35- It has to be ordered in from England.- Right.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38In hindsight, if we'd gone from the start and planned that in,
0:22:38 > 0:22:41we'd have went with that but I think we've left it too late in the game.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43And the cost of bringing it across,
0:22:43 > 0:22:46plus if you forget a piece and you haven't measured it correctly,
0:22:46 > 0:22:49- you can't just go and grab a piece locally.- Yeah, you have to wait.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52Out of the options, I think that's probably,
0:22:52 > 0:22:56maybe not achievable for us just at this point, I think.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59You start with wish list of all the things you would really love
0:22:59 > 0:23:01in your ideal perfect home
0:23:01 > 0:23:04and then your budget tells you what you can and can't have, basically.
0:23:04 > 0:23:05It starts to dictate things.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08You start with the best wishes in the world and the best aspirations
0:23:08 > 0:23:11and I think you start whittling them down as you get into it.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14But, of course, you don't realise the cost of things
0:23:14 > 0:23:16until you start the process.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23After such a disappointment, it's easy to lose heart.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27It's four years since they bought the land and started the project
0:23:27 > 0:23:29and they're getting ground down by the building process.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33It's getting heavier.
0:23:34 > 0:23:38With the budget so tight, it's tempting to go for easy options
0:23:38 > 0:23:41but they're in danger of compromising key design details.
0:23:43 > 0:23:45We need to find them another solution
0:23:45 > 0:23:47for the outside finish fast.
0:23:51 > 0:23:55Alistair and Karen are at a real turning point
0:23:55 > 0:23:58in terms of not quite knowing how to finish the outside of their building
0:23:58 > 0:24:02and, for most architects, that's the most important bit -
0:24:02 > 0:24:04how a building sits in a landscape.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06And the detail of it, the material, all of it,
0:24:06 > 0:24:09the composition of the outside of the building,
0:24:09 > 0:24:11is really important to get right.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15Traditional rural buildings sit effortlessly in the landscape,
0:24:15 > 0:24:18but that's tough to pull off with new builds.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20But I've found a contemporary house
0:24:20 > 0:24:23that works perfectly within its rural context
0:24:23 > 0:24:27and might be the key for us to help Alistair and Karen's home.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31This is Ty Pren in the Brecon Beacons,
0:24:31 > 0:24:35an ultra-modern building designed by architects Feilden Fowles
0:24:35 > 0:24:37and inspired by its surroundings.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43One way to make a very direct reference to a context is,
0:24:43 > 0:24:46of course, to use the material that comes from that place
0:24:46 > 0:24:49and there aren't many more Welsh materials than slate
0:24:49 > 0:24:51and this building uses recycled slate.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55It's beautiful and robust and has a certain character.
0:24:55 > 0:24:57But we can also see that it's not structural.
0:24:57 > 0:24:59Slate is, of course, a very thin material,
0:24:59 > 0:25:03and this is just cladding a very, very modern frame behind.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05And I love that because it means the building somehow tells a story
0:25:05 > 0:25:08of something very, very ancient and old
0:25:08 > 0:25:09and something totally contemporary.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15Using the same slate on the roof and walls and concealing the gutters
0:25:15 > 0:25:18gives the building a barn-like shape.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21The cladding here is like a finely-tailored suit.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24All of the materials meet in a very sharp way and beautiful way.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27It just goes to show that a building with such a simple silhouette
0:25:27 > 0:25:30really takes effort in the details to achieve.
0:25:30 > 0:25:34Using recycled slates on the exposed north side
0:25:34 > 0:25:37helps protect it from harsh weather.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39On the south-facing side,
0:25:39 > 0:25:42they were able to use a slightly less robust material.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46The southern side of the building is clad in larch,
0:25:46 > 0:25:50locally grown just a couple of miles from here and sawn on site.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52And you can see that it's been untreated
0:25:52 > 0:25:54and it's beginning to warp and bend now
0:25:54 > 0:25:56and take on a real character. And I love that.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59It looks like an old coaching inn or something,
0:25:59 > 0:26:01starting to settle down into its site.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04So, I love this ambiguity between ancient and modern
0:26:04 > 0:26:06that a beautiful natural material like this can bring.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11This is a stunning example of a perfect finish
0:26:11 > 0:26:13that suits its rural context.
0:26:14 > 0:26:18The huge challenge for Piers is achieving this level of beauty
0:26:18 > 0:26:22within the limitations of Alistair and Karen's budget.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26All of the buildings I've done here over the years
0:26:26 > 0:26:27have been as frugal as possible.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30What's curious about this building is that it's only stripy
0:26:30 > 0:26:33because we didn't have enough wood to finish it
0:26:33 > 0:26:36and we worked out where we could use the wood we had
0:26:36 > 0:26:39and then just introduced a black waterproof membrane
0:26:39 > 0:26:42behind that wood to allow the building to be waterproof.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45Piers has an idea about a material
0:26:45 > 0:26:47they are already using on their build.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52- This is your tile, isn't it?- Is that the exact same one? I think it is.
0:26:52 > 0:26:56Yeah, I guess I just thought, "Why wouldn't you just use
0:26:56 > 0:27:00"the same thing on the walls and hang it in the same way?"
0:27:00 > 0:27:02- I've never seen hung slate before. - Yeah.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05I think we should hang them together and see what they look like.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07I think so too.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15Using their choice of roof tiles on the walls as well
0:27:15 > 0:27:19- has an added advantage.- OK, next one.- They could do it themselves.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22You can just cut it with a knife.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24Like one...two...
0:27:26 > 0:27:30..three times and then you can just...
0:27:30 > 0:27:35- Yeah, super. - There you are. That's it. Perfect.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38Using the same material to cover an entire block
0:27:38 > 0:27:40would be a dramatic design feature.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42What do you reckon, looking back?
0:27:42 > 0:27:45- Looks really crisp and sharp. - Very sharp and very clean-looking.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47It looks great against the greenery,
0:27:47 > 0:27:49which we've got behind with the trees.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51This is less than £10 a metre, isn't it?
0:27:51 > 0:27:53And compared to other cladding things,
0:27:53 > 0:27:56I think this is probably about as cheap as you can go.
0:27:56 > 0:27:57I'm chuffed to bits with it.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59I really think it's the answer we were looking for.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01This could be the perfect solution
0:28:01 > 0:28:04but they may need to reapply for planning mission.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11It's a big day on site. While work continues on the roof...
0:28:12 > 0:28:16..the bespoke glazing units, which are a key feature of their design,
0:28:16 > 0:28:18are being fitted.
0:28:18 > 0:28:22There's over £8,000 sitting there, so near 25 pieces, all told.
0:28:22 > 0:28:24It's a significant part of our money.
0:28:27 > 0:28:29Inspired by the house we saw in Scotland,
0:28:29 > 0:28:33they've added skylights into the open-plan living block.
0:28:36 > 0:28:38When choosing windows and doors,
0:28:38 > 0:28:40insulation and energy efficiency are key.
0:28:40 > 0:28:42With so much glazing in this build,
0:28:42 > 0:28:45Alistair has opted for a higher specification
0:28:45 > 0:28:47than building regulations required.
0:28:48 > 0:28:50We could have went with 70mm frames,
0:28:50 > 0:28:53which is the normal window frame you would have went for,
0:28:53 > 0:28:56but we were able to get the 90mm frame for very little more money
0:28:56 > 0:28:59which we felt, at the time, was probably worth going for.
0:28:59 > 0:29:03With all 25 units installed in just one day,
0:29:03 > 0:29:05there's a definite sense of progress
0:29:05 > 0:29:08and they're well on their way to a watertight building.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19It's late November.
0:29:21 > 0:29:24The family have been living in the caravan for over 16 months.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27- You want one more?- Going have these.
0:29:27 > 0:29:29While Karen's at work,
0:29:29 > 0:29:33Alistair is taking care of Matthew and running the build.
0:29:34 > 0:29:36He's took a real bad dose of chicken pox this week,
0:29:36 > 0:29:38so it's held us back a bit
0:29:38 > 0:29:41in so much as I had to take a couple of days to look after him.
0:29:41 > 0:29:44These things happen, I guess, and we've lost a few days,
0:29:44 > 0:29:45but not to worry.
0:29:46 > 0:29:50They've managed to get the house watertight before the winter
0:29:50 > 0:29:51but work has slowed right down.
0:29:51 > 0:29:55It's a bit frustrating sometimes when things don't always go to plan
0:29:55 > 0:29:58and schedules aren't kept. Um...
0:29:59 > 0:30:04Yeah, it's goes on and on and the money just disappears rapidly,
0:30:04 > 0:30:06but you've started so you have to finish,
0:30:06 > 0:30:08but we'll get there, I think.
0:30:10 > 0:30:12The reality of self-building
0:30:12 > 0:30:14is clearly having an impact on Alistair,
0:30:14 > 0:30:18so I've come to check in with Karen to see how he's coping.
0:30:21 > 0:30:22Do you ever get worried about him?
0:30:22 > 0:30:25Yeah, he is doing a lot and he does get tired
0:30:25 > 0:30:29and then there is still, inevitably, responsibilities at home as well.
0:30:29 > 0:30:31- Yeah. - So, it is a lot for him to take on.
0:30:31 > 0:30:34Are there ever times when you wish you'd just bought a house
0:30:34 > 0:30:36and not had to live in this place for a year and a half?
0:30:36 > 0:30:38I think probably six months ago,
0:30:38 > 0:30:41I wish we'd have just bought a house and we didn't have do all this,
0:30:41 > 0:30:44- but now, you can see the benefit of doing it yourself.- Yeah.
0:30:44 > 0:30:46You can see what you've worked towards
0:30:46 > 0:30:48and what you're going to get at the end.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51And it's a lovely site up there and it's a great place for Matthew,
0:30:51 > 0:30:56which we couldn't have afforded, if not, so that's brilliant for him.
0:30:57 > 0:31:01After the disappointment of not being able to use corrugated sheets
0:31:01 > 0:31:02on the bedroom block,
0:31:02 > 0:31:05I'm keen to find out what's happening with the outside.
0:31:05 > 0:31:08We went with Piers and looked at the hung slate
0:31:08 > 0:31:10and we were really impressed with it,
0:31:10 > 0:31:13- so we made a decision that's the finish we'd like to go with.- Great.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16It does mean we have a process to go back the planning, obviously.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19If we can get permission to do it, we'd love to do it.
0:31:19 > 0:31:21It would have been easy, when the guys were plastering
0:31:21 > 0:31:23the outside of this block, to see this plaster on and finish it.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25I'm proud that you stuck to your guns.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28Is it a bit nerve-racking waiting for that planning decision?
0:31:28 > 0:31:30- Well, it's in the hands of the planners now really.- Yeah.
0:31:30 > 0:31:33They have no idea how long the planning decision will take,
0:31:33 > 0:31:35but while they wait,
0:31:35 > 0:31:38they should really be pressing on with the inside.
0:31:38 > 0:31:40First of all, I'm blown away by the space,
0:31:40 > 0:31:42I'm seriously impressed with it.
0:31:42 > 0:31:45But it does feel a bit quiet on site today and I was just wondering
0:31:45 > 0:31:48how it's going with the interior because, you know,
0:31:48 > 0:31:50- there's still a lot to do in here. - Absolutely.
0:31:50 > 0:31:51It's a bit like a graveyard today.
0:31:51 > 0:31:55It seems to be, with the building trade, guys are caught in one job
0:31:55 > 0:31:57with delays, it rolls over, so it's a knock-on effect.
0:31:57 > 0:32:00I think there's no point getting wound up about it.
0:32:00 > 0:32:02You just have to accept it and that's the way it goes.
0:32:02 > 0:32:05And in terms of the money, in terms of what you've got left to spend.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08How much have you got to fit the building out?
0:32:08 > 0:32:12- We're...£75,000?- Yeah, up to here, we've spent about £75,000, so...
0:32:12 > 0:32:16In reality, it leaves us £25,000 or just over to finish it now.
0:32:16 > 0:32:18It's never going to do it.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22Alistair's right. At this moment, this large building is just a shell.
0:32:22 > 0:32:25There's still the plumbing and electrics,
0:32:25 > 0:32:27the kitchen and bathroom fittings,
0:32:27 > 0:32:30the plasterboarding and all the internal finishes to be done.
0:32:30 > 0:32:34They could easily spend £40,000 to £50,000
0:32:34 > 0:32:36on finishing a house this size.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39Karen, how much over do you think you're going to go then,
0:32:39 > 0:32:40over the £100,000?
0:32:40 > 0:32:44Realistically wouldn't like to go any more than £20,000,
0:32:44 > 0:32:46- I would say, over budget.- Mm.
0:32:46 > 0:32:48I mean, and that's everything finished.
0:32:48 > 0:32:52Realistically, we're probably looking at a small loan or mortgage
0:32:52 > 0:32:53to cover that amount, I would say.
0:32:53 > 0:32:55This is a real blow.
0:32:55 > 0:32:59They wanted to be mortgage-free because of the uncertain future,
0:32:59 > 0:33:01due to Alistair's health.
0:33:01 > 0:33:04So, it is going to be about borrowing and spending money
0:33:04 > 0:33:05you don't necessarily have,
0:33:05 > 0:33:09so it feels like maybe Piers and I have got some help to give you,
0:33:09 > 0:33:12in terms of ideas to finish cheaply and efficiently and beautifully.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15To get to the finish line now is going to be tight within budget,
0:33:15 > 0:33:17so any ideas that we feel could be used,
0:33:17 > 0:33:20we're absolutely up for using them, so...
0:33:20 > 0:33:24With money rapidly running out and planning decisions pending,
0:33:24 > 0:33:27the build is losing momentum.
0:33:27 > 0:33:29I need to remind them of what they could achieve
0:33:29 > 0:33:31if they can just keep going.
0:33:31 > 0:33:35I've brought them to County Kildare in the Republic of Ireland
0:33:35 > 0:33:38to see a house that I hope will give them the push they need
0:33:38 > 0:33:40to finish their build.
0:33:40 > 0:33:43- So, here we are.- Looks fantastic.
0:33:43 > 0:33:45Looks like it's dropped in from outer space.
0:33:45 > 0:33:47This is the C House,
0:33:47 > 0:33:50designed by Steven Connolly, Alan Connolly and Grainne Daly.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55This is a contemporary interpretation of an Irish bungalow.
0:33:55 > 0:33:57I know you're a fan of slate.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00The slate is the exact slate that we have got, actually.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03I think it's quite interesting how the architect here has brought
0:34:03 > 0:34:06that colour down to the walls as well, this charcoal grey wall.
0:34:06 > 0:34:08It actually works very well there.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10This is an impressive exterior
0:34:10 > 0:34:13but it's the inside space that I think they'll really appreciate.
0:34:17 > 0:34:19This fabulous open-plan kitchen-dining space
0:34:19 > 0:34:22is the heart of this contemporary home.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25So, hopefully, you can see why I wanted to bring you here, guys.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28This is a really beautiful space.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31With its vaulted ceiling and windows on three aspects,
0:34:31 > 0:34:35this room is strikingly similar to Alistair and Karen's plans.
0:34:36 > 0:34:38One of the things I think is really successful here
0:34:38 > 0:34:41is this lighting scheme - a mix of indirect and direct light.
0:34:41 > 0:34:44It's beautiful. I love the high ceilings and the skylight.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47- That's brilliant.- I can see how just a very simple bulb,
0:34:47 > 0:34:50no lampshades, and it really works across this space.
0:34:50 > 0:34:52And definitely not expensive, either.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55These are standard off-the-peg pendant fittings
0:34:55 > 0:34:57which you can buy from around £10.
0:34:57 > 0:35:00The flexibility to hang them at different lengths
0:35:00 > 0:35:02makes these ideal for very high ceilings.
0:35:04 > 0:35:07The island here. Is this sort of how you imagine yours?
0:35:07 > 0:35:09Yeah, it's very similar to something we have planned.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11Kitchen islands are really popular
0:35:11 > 0:35:14but you have to think carefully about positioning.
0:35:14 > 0:35:17There's quite a gap between the island and the kitchen
0:35:17 > 0:35:20and that works well. It allows through passage of people crossing.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23We could actually moves ours across to make the bigger gap.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28This layout was designed with socialising in mind,
0:35:28 > 0:35:32so the 1.6-metre gap leaves plenty of circulation space.
0:35:33 > 0:35:35Whatever size your kitchen is,
0:35:35 > 0:35:39the main thing to factor in is enough clearance for opening doors.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42Using mirrored glass as a splashback
0:35:42 > 0:35:44cleverly reflects light back into a room.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47It's quick to install and easier to clean than tiling
0:35:47 > 0:35:49but you have to use toughened glass.
0:35:52 > 0:35:54One of the things I think we all notice right away
0:35:54 > 0:35:57is this beautiful table. It's just fantastic, isn't it?
0:35:57 > 0:36:00It's super. A very simple design to it.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03Super minimal and it fits the space beautifully
0:36:03 > 0:36:04and it's the same timber as the windows.
0:36:04 > 0:36:08And what's wonderful about it is it was designed by the architect
0:36:08 > 0:36:12for the space, made by a joiner in Ireland here for 1,000 euros.
0:36:12 > 0:36:16For me, that would be a great addition to an interior anywhere,
0:36:16 > 0:36:17especially in a house like yours.
0:36:17 > 0:36:22Just one piece of bespoke furniture can totally transform a room.
0:36:22 > 0:36:25This is a modern interpretation of a classic farmhouse table
0:36:25 > 0:36:28found in homes throughout rural Ireland.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30Alistair and Karen should look for ways
0:36:30 > 0:36:33to introduce details like this into their home.
0:36:36 > 0:36:38I think there's stuff that we can do
0:36:38 > 0:36:40and ideas that we can take away from here.
0:36:40 > 0:36:43The lighting, for instance, moving the kitchen island...
0:36:43 > 0:36:47Island's a similar size to that, so moving it doesn't cost us anything.
0:36:47 > 0:36:49It does us the wee lift we need, the inspiration,
0:36:49 > 0:36:53enthusiasm to get cracking on again and the big push for the finish now.
0:36:56 > 0:37:00Two months have passed and the whole house has been plasterboarded,
0:37:00 > 0:37:01ready for painting.
0:37:04 > 0:37:08In a space this big, that's an expensive and time-consuming job,
0:37:08 > 0:37:10but Alistair's found a shortcut.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13We had looked at costing the house up at the start to get it sprayed
0:37:13 > 0:37:17and we had figured it was £1,500, £2,000 to get it sprayed.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20But we managed to get a guy to come in and quote for it at £370.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23It's much cheaper than what we ever expected it to be.
0:37:28 > 0:37:31For self-builders, it's tempting to try and save money
0:37:31 > 0:37:33by doing as much as you can yourself.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36But sometimes, cleverly outsourcing jobs to the professionals
0:37:36 > 0:37:39can work out to be the cheaper option.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42This machine here is worth about four to five men.
0:37:42 > 0:37:44If you were to put maybe two painters
0:37:44 > 0:37:47in here on a Monday morning, they wouldn't have this finished...
0:37:47 > 0:37:50Well, it would take Wednesday night for them to get it finished,
0:37:50 > 0:37:52whereas I can do it in a day.
0:37:53 > 0:37:57But even with such a big saving in both time and money,
0:37:57 > 0:37:59they're still financially stretched to the limit.
0:37:59 > 0:38:03Money's getting tight now, so it's at the end of the build
0:38:03 > 0:38:05where you really have to watch what you spend it on.
0:38:05 > 0:38:08Certain things can't be avoided. You have to pay for them.
0:38:08 > 0:38:10Even with money so tight,
0:38:10 > 0:38:14Alistair is keen to put some kind of sliding partition
0:38:14 > 0:38:17between the living space and the glass link.
0:38:17 > 0:38:19This is a chance to build something bespoke
0:38:19 > 0:38:21into the fabric of their home.
0:38:21 > 0:38:24I think Alistair and Karen could actually take a few risks.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27It's all too easy just to go and get the materials you're familiar with -
0:38:27 > 0:38:30timber and plaster and paint, those sorts of things.
0:38:30 > 0:38:32And, actually, they could use a few materials
0:38:32 > 0:38:36that really defined this house and made a big difference.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39This is an area where Alistair is keen to bring ideas
0:38:39 > 0:38:42that reflect rural Ireland into their home.
0:38:42 > 0:38:46- Your opening is something like three metres or so, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:38:46 > 0:38:48It's a big, wide opening.
0:38:48 > 0:38:52So, you're definitely going to make a sliding door,
0:38:52 > 0:38:55which you can hang on some kind of track.
0:38:55 > 0:38:58Yeah, we still want to do a big commercial style sliding door
0:38:58 > 0:39:01between the two, and what we're sitting at, we looked at earlier
0:39:01 > 0:39:04and it's something that would be perfect for us.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07One of the worries about using plywood is that when it's shut,
0:39:07 > 0:39:09this becomes a forgotten space.
0:39:09 > 0:39:12It's a good idea to have the kind of sliding door
0:39:12 > 0:39:13you'd find in a rural building,
0:39:13 > 0:39:18but get the material wrong and the magic of the space could be lost.
0:39:18 > 0:39:20The quality of light that will come from this
0:39:20 > 0:39:24could allow us to think about using a different type of material.
0:39:24 > 0:39:28- This is a sort of honeycomb... - Yeah, it lets the light through.
0:39:28 > 0:39:32Still obscures. You can get ones with dichromatic film.
0:39:32 > 0:39:35- Ah, right.- That's nice, yeah. - It's pretty amazing, isn't it?
0:39:35 > 0:39:36That's fantastic, yeah.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39The problem with this stuff is that it is quite expensive.
0:39:39 > 0:39:42There is another option, which is more affordable than this.
0:39:42 > 0:39:44Let me grab a sheet.
0:39:44 > 0:39:48This stuff is polycarbonate. Super cheap.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52This is left over from when I was building this place.
0:39:54 > 0:39:56Polycarbonate sheets like these
0:39:56 > 0:39:58are readily available in builder's merchants.
0:39:58 > 0:40:02They come in a range of widths, thicknesses and colours
0:40:02 > 0:40:04and most places will cut them to size.
0:40:05 > 0:40:07This is used for shed roofs and things
0:40:07 > 0:40:10but this doesn't look like something
0:40:10 > 0:40:12- you just find on a shed here, does it?- No, absolutely not.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15Particularly if you get a beautiful frame made up.
0:40:15 > 0:40:17Yeah, if you have a nice frame made.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20What sort of money is a sheet of this, just out of curiosity?
0:40:20 > 0:40:24- About 20 quid a sheet.- I like that. It's an alternative to that.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27The quality of light is still great coming through there, isn't it?
0:40:27 > 0:40:29- It's beautiful stuff. - I like the blue.
0:40:29 > 0:40:34- That's something that we could make a nice door out of.- Mm-hmm.- Yeah.
0:40:34 > 0:40:36I can see them really mulling this over.
0:40:36 > 0:40:39I don't quite know what configuration they'll use it
0:40:39 > 0:40:41but I think they will use this, if not in the door,
0:40:41 > 0:40:44then maybe somewhere else. But I'm hoping the door.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48It's April.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51After almost two years in a mobile home,
0:40:51 > 0:40:55the family are desperate to move into their new house.
0:40:55 > 0:40:57Right, hammer it in with that.
0:40:57 > 0:40:58HAMMERING
0:40:58 > 0:41:01But the outside still isn't finished.
0:41:01 > 0:41:03After waiting months for planning permission
0:41:03 > 0:41:06to clad the bedroom block in hung slate,
0:41:06 > 0:41:09they were asked to submit a whole new set of drawings,
0:41:09 > 0:41:12which would cost several hundred pounds.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14A new set of plans is a lot of money
0:41:14 > 0:41:16and that's with no guarantee of it
0:41:16 > 0:41:19actually being passed at the end of it,
0:41:19 > 0:41:21so we just made the difficult decision then, right,
0:41:21 > 0:41:24it's better that we pull out at this point,
0:41:24 > 0:41:26rather than throw more money at it.
0:41:26 > 0:41:27We're very, very disappointed
0:41:27 > 0:41:30with the whole way things turned out with that.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34They have no choice but to revert to their original plan
0:41:34 > 0:41:37to white render both blocks.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40This is a really big disappointment for Alistair and Karen,
0:41:40 > 0:41:44because the hung slate would have made all the difference
0:41:44 > 0:41:47to what could be quite an ordinary house otherwise.
0:41:47 > 0:41:48I think if they'd hung on,
0:41:48 > 0:41:50they would have got an approval for the slate,
0:41:50 > 0:41:54but they were just ground down by the system and needed to get on.
0:41:56 > 0:41:58We were sort of disappointed with the slate issue
0:41:58 > 0:42:01- but it just got to the point where we had to pull the plug on it.- Yeah.
0:42:01 > 0:42:04All is not lost here. I think there's still some things
0:42:04 > 0:42:06- you could do to make this a bit different.- Right.
0:42:06 > 0:42:09- So, let's go inside anyway and have a look.- OK, let's go.
0:42:09 > 0:42:13Piers has an idea to make a feature of the rendered walls
0:42:13 > 0:42:16and tie the inside to the outside.
0:42:16 > 0:42:21What about painting that whole corner a bright colour?
0:42:21 > 0:42:24- So, that wall there and that. - This outside...?
0:42:24 > 0:42:27- That outside wall and that. - The left-hand corridor?
0:42:27 > 0:42:29So, standing here,
0:42:29 > 0:42:32it would stop this feeling like a corridor
0:42:32 > 0:42:34but also, just arriving at the house,
0:42:34 > 0:42:36and seeing it as a bit different would be great.
0:42:36 > 0:42:39I think it's a good idea and it's not expensive either.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42- I do like the way it ties the outside to the inside.- Exactly.
0:42:42 > 0:42:45- You need to do both or not at all. - Not at all, yeah.
0:42:45 > 0:42:47Before changing the external colour of your house,
0:42:47 > 0:42:50you should consult your local planning authority.
0:42:52 > 0:42:54- What about that kind of colour? - That's nice, yeah.
0:42:54 > 0:42:58- That yellow is great, isn't it? The sort of acid bright yellow.- Yeah.
0:43:01 > 0:43:05The off-the-peg kitchen, including appliances, has cost over £10,000.
0:43:05 > 0:43:08It's practical but Piers has concerns
0:43:08 > 0:43:10it just isn't working in the space.
0:43:11 > 0:43:15However nice this kitchen is, at the moment I think it floats slightly
0:43:15 > 0:43:19in this sea of white and I wonder about making the storage
0:43:19 > 0:43:23actually tie this whole kitchen into this corner.
0:43:23 > 0:43:26For example, if you designed a storage thing
0:43:26 > 0:43:30to run along at the height of that top cupboard around there
0:43:30 > 0:43:32and drop down here could be great.
0:43:32 > 0:43:34Could you lend us £3,000 or £4,000?
0:43:34 > 0:43:36Well, actually, you could do it really cheaply.
0:43:36 > 0:43:39We can draw it and see how it'll work.
0:43:39 > 0:43:44What I'm suggesting is homemade, low-cost pegboard
0:43:44 > 0:43:48and you wrap it around...like that.
0:43:48 > 0:43:52You can make your own out of MDF, which is about £12 a sheet.
0:43:52 > 0:43:54What do you reckon?
0:43:54 > 0:43:57- Yeah.- It's clever, isn't it? - Alistair's not convinced.
0:43:57 > 0:43:59I think what we ought to do is just do a panel
0:43:59 > 0:44:03and do it with the holes and the dowels and see what it's like.
0:44:03 > 0:44:07- With my limited DIY skills, even I could maybe do that.- Yeah. Me too.
0:44:07 > 0:44:09THEY LAUGH
0:44:13 > 0:44:16After the disappointment of the slates,
0:44:16 > 0:44:19we need to help the couple add some bespoke touches to their home
0:44:19 > 0:44:21for as little outlay as possible.
0:44:21 > 0:44:25- So, let me go and grab the grey paint.- OK.
0:44:26 > 0:44:28Not having seen your kitchen,
0:44:28 > 0:44:30I just got something that was neutral and grey.
0:44:32 > 0:44:34So, what we've done, in about 15 minutes,
0:44:34 > 0:44:39is drill these 15mm holes for the dowel.
0:44:39 > 0:44:42If we had another hour, we could actually get it all done.
0:44:42 > 0:44:44Probably could. Could do the whole lot.
0:44:44 > 0:44:45LAUGHTER
0:44:45 > 0:44:49Let's do it there. That's it. Bring that forward a tiny bit.
0:44:49 > 0:44:52So, let's see how it looks with some cups on.
0:44:55 > 0:44:58- What do you reckon? - I'm really impressed with it.
0:44:58 > 0:45:00- I was apprehensive, maybe. - Yeah, suspicious.
0:45:00 > 0:45:04- Suspicious, but I like it.- Great. - Yeah, it's a good idea.
0:45:04 > 0:45:06That's two good ideas you came out with today, Piers.
0:45:06 > 0:45:08- You can go home now. - THEY LAUGH
0:45:12 > 0:45:14It'll definitely stand out, that's for sure,
0:45:14 > 0:45:17and we'll blame Piers if it all goes horribly wrong.
0:45:21 > 0:45:25Alistair and Karen are racing to put into practice Piers's ideas
0:45:25 > 0:45:27and finally finish their house.
0:45:29 > 0:45:30Before I started this process,
0:45:30 > 0:45:33I could just about have built a dog kennel, probably.
0:45:33 > 0:45:35And now we're at the end of the process,
0:45:35 > 0:45:37I could still build a dog kennel
0:45:37 > 0:45:39but I would do it slightly quicker because I've got a nail gun.
0:45:42 > 0:45:45The last big job is the sliding door.
0:45:45 > 0:45:46There's 3.8 metres.
0:45:46 > 0:45:49They've gone with Piers's polycarbonate idea.
0:45:49 > 0:45:53- We want to be two there. - The track is up.
0:45:53 > 0:45:55I'm just going to put this up against...
0:45:55 > 0:45:58But they still don't know how to put it all together.
0:45:58 > 0:46:03- Would you screw that in, would you? - Um, might be too industrial looking.
0:46:03 > 0:46:05- But this is too short.- Right.
0:46:06 > 0:46:09Alistair and Karen have been incredibly willing
0:46:09 > 0:46:11to adopt our ideas...
0:46:12 > 0:46:14..but are they enough to do the trick
0:46:14 > 0:46:17and turn their bungalow into something extraordinary?
0:46:21 > 0:46:24Building a house for £100,000 is tough enough.
0:46:24 > 0:46:26But for Alistair and Karen,
0:46:26 > 0:46:28they were taking on the added responsibility
0:46:28 > 0:46:31of this beautiful place that they know and love.
0:46:31 > 0:46:34There was always the risk that a new building in this setting
0:46:34 > 0:46:36might detract from the beautiful character
0:46:36 > 0:46:38of Alistair's childhood home.
0:46:38 > 0:46:40So, have they managed to create a place
0:46:40 > 0:46:44where the next generation of their family can really put down roots?
0:46:45 > 0:46:48After a ten-month build and a few challenges along the way,
0:46:48 > 0:46:51Piers and I can't wait to see what they've achieved.
0:46:59 > 0:47:04- Hi.- Hi, Keiran. Hi, Piers. Nice to see you.- Great to be here.
0:47:04 > 0:47:06It's looking so fantastic. Look, it's crisp and clear...
0:47:06 > 0:47:09- KIERAN AND PIERS:- And finished! - LAUGHTER
0:47:09 > 0:47:11We're pretty happy with it now.
0:47:12 > 0:47:14You had some challenges along the way.
0:47:14 > 0:47:17I remember when we last spoke, you had all sorts of creative ideas
0:47:17 > 0:47:19- about cladding, ambitions for the outside.- Yeah.
0:47:19 > 0:47:22- How do you feel about the result? - We're very happy with how it looks.
0:47:22 > 0:47:24It's very sleek looking, we think.
0:47:24 > 0:47:27- A little bit of me thinks, "Well, simplicity has won."- Yeah.
0:47:27 > 0:47:29I think it works really well.
0:47:29 > 0:47:31Reverting back to their original plan
0:47:31 > 0:47:34for two white rendered blocks has paid off.
0:47:34 > 0:47:37The pristine white is complemented
0:47:37 > 0:47:40by Alistair's bargain fake slate roof tiles
0:47:40 > 0:47:43and I'm pleased to see they've fully embraced
0:47:43 > 0:47:45Piers's idea for a splash of colour.
0:47:47 > 0:47:50Alistair and Karen have kept their finishes very simple -
0:47:50 > 0:47:52no fascias or soffits.
0:47:52 > 0:47:54And their choice of plain black window frames
0:47:54 > 0:47:58and simple concrete sills keeps the look clean and sharp.
0:48:00 > 0:48:02I'm really keen to go and look at this window,
0:48:02 > 0:48:05which is like a little bit of kind of modernism -
0:48:05 > 0:48:08this corner taken away, just this slot cut out.
0:48:08 > 0:48:11It really is lovely, and how much nicer than just a single opening.
0:48:11 > 0:48:14I love the way there isn't any load-bearing structure
0:48:14 > 0:48:17between here and here. There's just a lintel that runs around.
0:48:17 > 0:48:20I think it's a beautiful little detail.
0:48:20 > 0:48:23The bungalow is unashamedly a modern building,
0:48:23 > 0:48:26yet still looks at home in its rural landscape.
0:48:27 > 0:48:31The outside is a real success but the big question is,
0:48:31 > 0:48:33has that tricky glass link worked as well?
0:48:40 > 0:48:43- Wow, what a brilliant space to come into!- This is fantastic!
0:48:45 > 0:48:49What could have been wasted space is now a beautiful dining area.
0:48:49 > 0:48:51Taking inspiration from the house we saw in Scotland,
0:48:51 > 0:48:53they've moved their table,
0:48:53 > 0:48:56freeing up space in the living room and making the most of the view.
0:49:00 > 0:49:03Originally, this was rather a mean little lobby, wasn't it,
0:49:03 > 0:49:06with a hard corner here, a conventional corridor
0:49:06 > 0:49:08and, actually, quite an unusable space.
0:49:08 > 0:49:12And now, this doesn't feel like I'm in a corridor and you're in a room.
0:49:12 > 0:49:15This just all feels like a beautiful space with light both sides.
0:49:15 > 0:49:19- And this curve has worked really well.- That is really good.
0:49:19 > 0:49:21We love the curve. It was a great idea.
0:49:21 > 0:49:23It's just opened up this whole space.
0:49:24 > 0:49:28Alistair and Karen's choice of lighting improves it further.
0:49:29 > 0:49:33A line of pendant fittings draws the eye down the corridor
0:49:33 > 0:49:35and exposed bulbs minimise shadows.
0:49:35 > 0:49:39Using coloured glass blocks to break up the curved wall
0:49:39 > 0:49:41also let's light through.
0:49:42 > 0:49:45The other thing that works really well is this yellow.
0:49:45 > 0:49:48I really love the way this yellow comes all the way in
0:49:48 > 0:49:52- and actually makes that very much the bedroom wing, doesn't it?- Yeah.
0:49:52 > 0:49:55Took a day or two to get used to it and, actually, we love it now.
0:49:55 > 0:49:59And also, so pleased to you have made this polycarbonate door.
0:49:59 > 0:50:01And I can't wait to see what's on the other side of it.
0:50:01 > 0:50:03Yeah, let's get in.
0:50:06 > 0:50:09- Oh, wow!- This is amazing! What a great space!
0:50:13 > 0:50:16The double-height, open-plan living-dining area
0:50:16 > 0:50:18is totally unexpected in a rural bungalow.
0:50:22 > 0:50:25This has the feel of a contemporary loft apartment.
0:50:26 > 0:50:28The room is filled with light,
0:50:28 > 0:50:32from the skylights in the vaulted ceiling to the vast picture window
0:50:32 > 0:50:34which, just like at the Scottish house,
0:50:34 > 0:50:38is an inviting spot to settle down and enjoy the view.
0:50:41 > 0:50:44Do you get a sense of the luxuriousness of space you've got,
0:50:44 > 0:50:46especially after being in the caravan for all that time?
0:50:46 > 0:50:48Definitely we feel like we've got so much space
0:50:48 > 0:50:50and just to be able to come out there
0:50:50 > 0:50:53and look all the way through that window is brilliant.
0:50:53 > 0:50:56This whole axis of the house is long and roomy
0:50:56 > 0:50:58and visually connected to the outside.
0:50:58 > 0:51:00I think it's really successful.
0:51:00 > 0:51:04The flow through the house is helped by the huge sliding door,
0:51:04 > 0:51:07made with Pier's suggestion of polycarbonate sheets.
0:51:07 > 0:51:09This is a bit of material that's different
0:51:09 > 0:51:11from most other things in the building.
0:51:11 > 0:51:15But, actually, what it does is let light all the way through
0:51:15 > 0:51:17and instead of being something
0:51:17 > 0:51:19that's very heavy and difficult to operate,
0:51:19 > 0:51:21you could operate this with your little finger.
0:51:21 > 0:51:24But that is just an agricultural track, isn't it?
0:51:24 > 0:51:26Piers, you're constantly trying to convince people to do things
0:51:26 > 0:51:29with industrial materials. You've got galvanised and polycarb...
0:51:29 > 0:51:31I can see how happy you are.
0:51:31 > 0:51:33Well, it's just what people do in rural places.
0:51:33 > 0:51:36- This stuff is off-the-peg. - We weren't going to do it.
0:51:36 > 0:51:37We ran out of money, essentially,
0:51:37 > 0:51:40but at the eleventh hour, we pressed on with it
0:51:40 > 0:51:43and we put it together ourselves on the floor here.
0:51:43 > 0:51:46- How much was this frame?- The frame was £90 for all the aluminium
0:51:46 > 0:51:48and the two sheets were £110 each.
0:51:48 > 0:51:50A bespoke door for this would have cost probably three times
0:51:50 > 0:51:53what it cost us there, so by doing it ourselves,
0:51:53 > 0:51:55it certainly helped that side of things.
0:51:55 > 0:51:57You're being too modest. I don't think it's just about cost.
0:51:57 > 0:51:59You made some really good choices
0:51:59 > 0:52:01and I'd love to have that in a place I lived in.
0:52:01 > 0:52:03- It's a beautiful thing.- Totally.
0:52:05 > 0:52:08The kitchen area is dominated by an island,
0:52:08 > 0:52:10which doubles as a breakfast bar.
0:52:10 > 0:52:13After our visit to Kildare, Alistair and Karen took on board
0:52:13 > 0:52:16how important it is to get the positioning right
0:52:16 > 0:52:20and have made sure their island has plenty of space to move around.
0:52:23 > 0:52:26I really love the choices you've made here, spatially.
0:52:26 > 0:52:28And here, we're now inside this beautiful window
0:52:28 > 0:52:30which we were admiring from the outside.
0:52:30 > 0:52:31It's quite unusual, actually.
0:52:31 > 0:52:34It's great with the worktop going all the way through to the window.
0:52:34 > 0:52:38Totally and the window makes total sense in here when you sit down.
0:52:38 > 0:52:41I think it's the best place for a window in the kitchen,
0:52:41 > 0:52:44partly because of this eye-level, but also because you don't lose
0:52:44 > 0:52:47- any wall space because it's below where you need to put storage.- Yeah.
0:52:48 > 0:52:51And here, there is plenty of space for storage
0:52:51 > 0:52:53as, after a bit of convincing,
0:52:53 > 0:52:57Alistair wholeheartedly took on Piers's idea for a pegboard.
0:52:57 > 0:53:00- I was slightly sceptical but love it.- Mm-hmm.
0:53:00 > 0:53:04It's great to hear you say that cos, actually, when I last came,
0:53:04 > 0:53:07those three units were swimming in all this white space
0:53:07 > 0:53:09and the kitchen didn't make sense.
0:53:09 > 0:53:12And the point of the pegboard was to anchor this kitchen
0:53:12 > 0:53:15- into the architecture, which I think it does.- Absolutely.
0:53:15 > 0:53:19This looks like it's, you know, the £1,000 option
0:53:19 > 0:53:22to add onto the kitchen, but instead it's, what, £100, £150?
0:53:22 > 0:53:25- Oh, far less. £30 or £40.- Wow! - It was really cheap to do.
0:53:25 > 0:53:30The whole space is a great success and is beautifully finished.
0:53:32 > 0:53:35Their attention to detail continues in the other block,
0:53:35 > 0:53:39with two high-quality bathrooms and three bedrooms...
0:53:40 > 0:53:42..including Matthew's first room.
0:53:46 > 0:53:48A big throw.
0:53:49 > 0:53:51It must be quite a special moment, in a way,
0:53:51 > 0:53:53to have him in his first real bedroom.
0:53:53 > 0:53:55Yeah, his first proper bedroom with his own bed
0:53:55 > 0:53:57and just all his stuff around him.
0:53:57 > 0:53:59And we can tell Matthew we built this house
0:53:59 > 0:54:03and he will remember bits of this being built, this house.
0:54:03 > 0:54:06And Alistair was literally brought up across the road
0:54:06 > 0:54:10and he played in this field and we've pictures... We've one here.
0:54:10 > 0:54:13- Oh, yeah.- Alistair, and this is his daddy.- That's Alistair.
0:54:13 > 0:54:16We've pictures like this of them going up in this place.
0:54:16 > 0:54:19Part of the idea of the house was giving you both security
0:54:19 > 0:54:22and a base to whatever might happen with Alistair.
0:54:22 > 0:54:24That's it, and with Alistair's MS,
0:54:24 > 0:54:27just knowing we're in a bungalow and in a house that can accommodate
0:54:27 > 0:54:29what, hopefully might not come in the future,
0:54:29 > 0:54:32but what might be part of our future, you know,
0:54:32 > 0:54:34that we can basically grow old in this house.
0:54:35 > 0:54:39Alistair and Karen have got the family home they dreamt of,
0:54:39 > 0:54:41which can take them into that future.
0:54:42 > 0:54:46- Is that nice tea?- But at what cost?
0:54:46 > 0:54:49So, when I came to see you guys in the winter,
0:54:49 > 0:54:51it was freezing cold here, it was a shell of a house,
0:54:51 > 0:54:54you were already approaching the £100,000 mark.
0:54:54 > 0:54:56Tell me where you're up to now with the budget.
0:54:56 > 0:54:59To date, we're £141,800, as of two nights ago.
0:54:59 > 0:55:02There's a couple of small bills to come in
0:55:02 > 0:55:03for steelwork and bits and pieces
0:55:03 > 0:55:06but we're probably anticipating £143,000 all told.
0:55:06 > 0:55:09It's obviously a big percentage over the £100,000.
0:55:09 > 0:55:10You'd got 20-something thousand
0:55:10 > 0:55:13before you'd even got above ground here,
0:55:13 > 0:55:15but how have you been able to cover that cost?
0:55:15 > 0:55:17Well, we did run out of money, we approached the bank,
0:55:17 > 0:55:19we borrowed £18,000 from them.
0:55:19 > 0:55:23We've used credit cards, we borrowed a little bit off my mum,
0:55:23 > 0:55:25we've used whatever bit of savings we had,
0:55:25 > 0:55:28so really, we had to scrape through to the end,
0:55:28 > 0:55:32but we wanted to finish, so rather than have a half-finished project,
0:55:32 > 0:55:35- we went as far as we could to get it finished.- Sure.
0:55:35 > 0:55:38It must be stressful, having to be hand to mouth like that.
0:55:38 > 0:55:42Yeah, it's stressful. I'm just glad it's over, that's all I would say.
0:55:42 > 0:55:44If you do it once, you're half mad.
0:55:44 > 0:55:46If you do it ever again, you're fully mad.
0:55:46 > 0:55:49Certainly, there's a lot of lessons, as a beginner.
0:55:49 > 0:55:52You make mistakes but you learn lessons.
0:55:54 > 0:55:57This is a really good house for Alistair and Karen and their family.
0:55:57 > 0:56:00But it's a really good model for self-builders everywhere,
0:56:00 > 0:56:03because it shows that self-building isn't about adding things
0:56:03 > 0:56:05to make your house better.
0:56:05 > 0:56:10It's about thinking cleverly about detail, material, space and light.
0:56:11 > 0:56:15What I really like is that they've been so up for the ride.
0:56:15 > 0:56:18They really enjoyed going to see places with Kieran,
0:56:18 > 0:56:21they really enjoyed exploring ideas with me on site
0:56:21 > 0:56:24and the whole process of exploration.
0:56:24 > 0:56:26They haven't been fixed in their ideas.
0:56:26 > 0:56:30They've been totally up for seeing what's around the corner.
0:56:33 > 0:56:35Have you managed to meet your own expectations,
0:56:35 > 0:56:38that kind of dream you had at the beginning for this project?
0:56:38 > 0:56:40The day, really, I ever met Alistair,
0:56:40 > 0:56:42he always wanted to build a house at home.
0:56:42 > 0:56:45And really, we started out with a modest budget,
0:56:45 > 0:56:48wanting a modest house on this site,
0:56:48 > 0:56:50and I do think we've exceeded that by far.
0:56:50 > 0:56:54It's a beautiful house and to be able to bring Matthew up here,
0:56:54 > 0:56:58where Alistair was brought up, is, you know, a real treat really.
0:56:58 > 0:57:00Personally, I think we've far exceeded it and it's turned out
0:57:00 > 0:57:02much nicer and better than what we ever thought.
0:57:04 > 0:57:07Good quality low-cost architecture in a rural setting
0:57:07 > 0:57:09is really rare in the UK
0:57:09 > 0:57:13and I think what Alistair and Karen have made here is a building
0:57:13 > 0:57:14that's respectful of its context.
0:57:14 > 0:57:18It's dignified, it's well-made. It's a great example of that type.
0:57:18 > 0:57:20But I think perhaps even more than that,
0:57:20 > 0:57:22this is a building that has a deeper meaning.
0:57:22 > 0:57:25No-one loves this site more than they do,
0:57:25 > 0:57:27and they've got all the same hopes,
0:57:27 > 0:57:30fears and expectations for their family that any family has.
0:57:30 > 0:57:32They've made a building that will have a long life,
0:57:32 > 0:57:34that will accommodate their futures
0:57:34 > 0:57:36and I think that's why this is such a great role model
0:57:36 > 0:57:38of what low-cost building can be.
0:57:43 > 0:57:46- Next time...- Oh, very lovely.
0:57:46 > 0:57:49Derek and Christine love the modern...
0:57:49 > 0:57:53- Oh, yes!- ..and the quirky. - I love the door handles.
0:57:53 > 0:57:55But plans for their home don't add up.
0:57:55 > 0:57:59It's an off-the-peg staircase and off-the-peg doors.
0:57:59 > 0:58:02If you can build a house that's anything, why would you do that?
0:58:02 > 0:58:05And a devastating blow threatens the entire house.
0:58:06 > 0:58:12We have been advised to stop work on site.
0:58:12 > 0:58:16We have worked on this project for a year and is it all to waste?