FOR THE INTERIOR, THEY TOOK A HANDS-ON APPROACH AND MADE A CONSCIOUS DECISION TO REMAIN SIMPLE AND RUSTIC
“The bricklayers did a lot of dog-tooth brick
work at the foot of the house. Plus, the chimney is a really nice feature inside. Even though rela- tively brick is not the most expensive material, it’s the most visible and important element of the exterior. We spent a long time researching the type of brick, and especially the colour. It’s like buying wallpaper for a whole room based on a small sample. You never actually know what the finished product will look like.” Overall, the couple spent more money on the
exterior of the house for the simple reason that if they started to run out of money for the project, a cheaper kitchen or bathroom could always be installed. For the interior, they took a hands-on approach
and made a conscious decision to remain simple and rustic. “We did all the interior decorating, painting and staining ourselves. For instance, the timber was supplied as almost a white pine colour, but we stained it to a golden oak finish. This was used for things like the stair rails, beams and floorboards. “We were also overseeing the bathroom
suites, tiles in the hall and oak in the lobby and sunroom. Our children helped with the décor and now that it’s finished they are around here more than their own homes, so that must say something, I guess. In particular, they rave about the fact that there’s plenty of space. So when they come round they can disappear into all the corners of the house. “If I were to put my finger on one aspect of
the house they like over everything else, it would be the kitchen and sunroom, which have views over the farmland. It’s perfectly suited for the land and setting we have. That’s a big feature of this style of house; it’s an integral conservatory and highly insulated, so you don’t get extreme hot or cold. It loves open views,” he adds. What advice would Bob give to those consid-
ering building their own homes? “If you’re not in the building trade and haven’t got friends or family in building, you must get yourself an experienced project manager. Plus, be aware that you’re buying a kit building, so it’s only a shell and there’s a lot more work and expense to be done. “From a self build point of view, someone
also needs to know at the very beginning where all the power points are going to go. When you’re just looking at the early schematics this can be very tricky indeed.” The Richardsons were extremely pleased with
the result, and found the light and space of their creation very uplifting. What started out as a simple business decision, ultimately turned into a charming ode to their pastoral surroundings, which they hope their children will enjoy for years to come.
THE RICHARDSONS FOUND THE LIGHT AND SPACE OF THEIR CREATION VERY UPLIFTING
project costs
Overall cost of project: £300,000 Value of property now: Circa £500,000
What was the high point of the project “The high of the project is the finished product; to stand and look at what we achieved. Having got the right tile and colour for the brick and stone lentils, it’s a load off our mind that it all came together.”
The low point was: “There were challenges with the weather. Modern bricks seem to leak salt out the face, so when we were laying the brick it was very wet outside. The worry is that when the walls dry you’re left with these ugly white salt patches, which sometimes take years to disappear. Because of the weather I was up the scaffolding every night to make sure they didn’t get wet for the brick layers the next morning.”
THE FAMILY OVERSAW THE TILES IN THE HALL
Contacts • Timber frame manufacturer: Potton
www.potton.co.uk
• Main contractor: Heathpark • Project manager: Steve Alexander, Alexan- der Project Management
www.alexanderprojectmanagement.co.uk
• Alarm system: Scantronic • Doors & windows: Mee Windows
www.meewindowcompany.co.uk
• Kitchen: Jewson
www.jewson.co.uk
• Bathroom tiles: Tile Depot Trading
www.thetiledepot.co.uk
• Ground floor kitchen and sunroom tiles: Elstow Ceramic Tiles
www.ceramictilesupplies.co.uk
• Sanitaryware: MK Limited • Paints: Dulux
www.dulux.co.uk
• Plumbing & underfloor heating: Proheat LLP • Ground source heat pump: Ice Energy
www.iceenergy.co.uk
selfbuilder & homemaker
www.sbhonline.eu
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