selfbuilder Diaries


“A


nd... Action!” The words that have long defi ned my career as a fi lm editor now take on


a new meaning as my wife, eronika, and  take on the challenge of building our family home, Skippings. This proect is more than ust a house – it’s a space for our children, rabella and lbert, to grow up in and for us to shape into something truly our own. ork onsite fi nally began in ovember  after fi ve years of planning, setbacks, and learning curves. The start of groundwork brought a mix of excitement and apprehension, but seeing our vision take form has made all the challenges worthwhile. e had actually knocked down the original bungalow a year earlier to keep the planning permission valid, a necessary step to ensure we didn’t have to start the process again from scratch.


12


The empty plot stood dormant for about a year as we navigated the complex preparations and fi nancial arrangements for the build.


Securing the self-build mortgage was another milestone that came with its own plot twists. s a self-employed fi lm editor, ’ve grown accustomed to navigating fi nancial complexities, but the mortgage process was a production of its own. fter months of paperwork and patience, the cology uilding Society came to our rescue, offering a product that aligned with our values of sustainability and effi ciency. To simplify inspections and warranty logistics, we opted to combine these elements through Protek and Stroma, a decision we would strongly advise to fellow self-builders. eeping inspections under one roof has streamlined the


...the next chapter


e catch up with lly and eronika Stothert who are building their family home and overcoming challenges like clay soil, fi nancial hurdles, and self-building logistics, while balancing professional expertise and hands-on work for a sustainable, personalised space.


process considerably, reducing both administrative headaches and potential delays. ith the fi nancial and regulatory elements in place, we were fi nally ready to break ground. The fi rst phase was site preparation, with all vegetation and grass cleared to make way for the foundations. eaver Plant took the lead on the groundworks – a team we cannot recommend highly enough. harlie eacham and dam eaver ran the site with remarkable expertise, offering invaluable advice and insights that made a world of difference to us, given that we are proect managing the build ourselves. Their adaptability was tested when the multi-level design of the house presented some tricky challenges, but with skill and determination, they worked alongside the excellent arry Sparks, whose


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