A team of five came from Poland with the timber frame, which went up, roofed, within three days –George Hadley
LEFT: THE DESIRE TO FOLLOW THE EDGES OF THE CORNER PLOT PRODUCED SOME ODD ANGLES IN THE ARCHITECTURE BUT A TRULY BESPOKE APPEARENCE
project costs
Cost of land: £140,000 Overall cost of project: £380,000 Value of property now: circa £460,000
What was the high point of the project? Seeing the timber frame arrive in November and then seeing it all in place less than two days later. It meant that all the waiting was over.
is planned to be added at a later date. Unfortunately, a combination of earlier
delays, Christmas and the terrible snowy weather of January 2011, meant a Christmas move became out of reach, but the Hadleys were able to move in in early February. They have loved almost every minute of the process, they said. The Hadleys have several points of advice for
self-builders: “First of all, don't underestimate the numbers of hours you'll spend on even a turn- key build like this. I've literally spent hundreds of hours getting the specification right,” said George. “Secondly, don't underestimate your costs. I reckon that a 20 per cent contingency isn't too much for the extras which will surface, no matter how carefully you plan.” The result for the Hadleys though is a unique
home, which has cost around £120,000 less than its current valuation. It provides a lovely environment in which they can bring up their two daughters who were responsible for delay- ing the build of their dream home!
The low point was: Discovering that the economic crisis had led to my mortgage product being deleted and having to find another mortgage. Then the delay caused by the windows not being ready [which] meant we wouldn't be in the house to cele- brate Christmas.
Contacts
• Architect: Alastair Howe
www.alastairhowe.co.uk • Main contractor: Dan-Wood House
www.dan-wood.co.uk
• Development: Newhall Project, Harlow
www.newhallproject.co.uk • Flooring: Balterio
www.balterio.com • Boiler: Vaillant
www.vaillant.co.uk
EVEN THE SANITARYWARE AND TAPS IN THE
FAMILY BATHROOM BORROW ANGULAR, NEAR- CUBIST NOTES FROM THE BUILDING
• Composite windows: Sokolka
www.sokolka.com.pl • Sanitaryware: Roca
www.uk.roca.com
selfbuilder & homemaker
www.sbhonline.eu
13
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68