realised then that the structural engineers had simply designed the system based on the architects finished ground plan which was all paving and block, which we hadn’t wanted in the first place, eplains laine. The architect hadn’t realised the consequences of this design, and neither had we. So we removed virtually all the paving apart from a path and patio at the back, and used permeable materials for the driveway.” This reduced the water run off by more than half, consequently also reducing the tank size and cost by over 50%. “The engineers had designed a system to suit the run off rather than considering how to rescue the run off first, Elaine says.


Another of her tips for other self-builders is


to thoroughly think through the consequences of any decisions. As a pre-emptive attempt to placate the planners, they decided to put the house in a lower part of the site than they originally intended – but this meant when they came to connect to the main drains the pipe missed the original connection point. “Fortunately we managed to pick it up at the far corner of the plot, but it meant getting rid of a lot more soil, a lot of pipework to do, and finding somebody to do the sewer work, laine


nov/dec 2022


explains. “That simple decision cost us probably about £5,000.”


SUSTAINABILITY Throughout the project, Elaine and Tom were conscious of being as sustainable as possible. As well as the timber frame, they reused all the material from the demolished garage, as well as buying second hand slate for the roof, and including whinstone they had excavated to build a retaining wall at the rear of the garden. Elaine admits she struggled with other elements of energy efficiency and was initially conicted when connecting to mains gas appeared the easiest option over anything else. As a slater, Tom was reluctant to put PV panels on their roof – but Elaine asserts: “I’m sure I’ll win him over in the future!” Following a “lot of research” and guidance


from their plumbing and heating engineer, they decided to install an air source heat pump. At the time Elaine reckoned it could be more expensive to run as well as install, but that with such a well insulated house, they wouldn’t need heating as often. “In the end, the difference between installing gas or the heat pump was covered by the renewable heat incentive, and


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