Merely in labour costs alone, the couple estimate they saved over £600,000 on the project


so the carpets were going out of the windows as the guys were bringing in our boxes. “The next day, when Rich took the carpets to the tip I was ripping out the doors and architraves to expand the space.” The design meant adding a oor to make the most of those rooftop views. But getting planning permission for the design was complicated. Julie-Ann created a 3D model which was shared with neighbours and while making the most of the views was the priority, the design ensured that none of the windows overlooked their neighbour’s homes. The couple also spent thousands on landscaping including trees and bushes to ensure maximum privacy and appease neighbours’ concerns. “We probably spent most money as a proportion of the build on landscaping,” says Richard. It took around nine months from the original design to get the planning permission for the new house – longer than they had expected. But the couple had marched on with their demolition. Windows were ripped out and boarded up as they moved in room by room. Once they had gutted the inside, the couple made money by selling off the dilapidated roof via Facebook; they made about £500. But because the buyers removed it, the real saving for Julie-Ann and Richard was in the time it would have taken to remove it themselves.


may/jun 2023


“Some people came from Dorset and they basically took the roof off and took it away.” As well as saving them the trouble, Julie-Ann and Richard repeated this trick with their old windows, which netted them another £500. While the house was without a roof (or windows) the couple moved out. Opting for an old caravan in the garden, they spent four months wearing eeces, hats and gloes, and eating food from a camping stove throughout the winter.


The budget meant doing as much work as possible themselves. Contractors were used for skilled elements, including a carpenter for stud work after the timber frame arrived, as well as an electrician and plasterer. But if the couple could do it DIY, they did. “We did all the insulation and plasterboard, but we had electricians that did all the wiring because that’s not something you should ever do – under any circumstances!” Having moved out into a caravan for the


winter, the couple were keen to get back inside as quickly as possible, even though it meant living on a building site. “As soon as the windows went in and it was theoretically weathertight, we were back in. It was basically like camping inside,” says Julie-Ann. By 2019, they had installed a kitchen and the bathrooms. But it took a further three years before it was finished. The ooring, bathrooms, garage and


www.sbhonline.co.uk 59


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  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76