The fixed contract build

Can you achieve your ultimate wish list when it comes to building your own home? By taking a considered and methodical approach to their self-build adventure, Leanna and Richard did just that.

When Leanna and her husband Richard lost out on what they considered their dream home, little did they realise that they would eclipse this by building something perfect for their family.

The couple had decided to look for a bigger property for their growing family. Richard explains: “We put our home on the market to purchase a house we'd seen for sale. Unfortunately, it sold before we were in a position to make an offer, but then we agreed an offer on ours so we needed somewhere to live.

“There was nothing else on the market that matched our needs, so we started looking at land for sale so we could build a house to our specifications. We found a plot of land with full planning permission and agreed to buy it. We re-submitted to planning with our own design and took it from there.”

The family moved into rented accommodation as work commenced on their two-storey, five-bedroom house.

The couple’s astute approach to the project meant they never exceeded their budget. They took out a self-build mortgage with Ulster Bank. They found that working with a self-build mortgage meant additional funds are required to reach each stage as this kind of mortgage works in arrears.

With Richard working full-time and Leanna about to go on maternity leave (and a toddler to look after as well), they opted for a contractor who offered a fixed price contract. It seemed the best solution for the couple.

“We did think long and hard about whether to find labourers but we wouldn’t have had the time to manage the project ourselves and our main priority was to get the house built quickly, especially with a baby on the way. We could have spent months doing more research, but were keen to get started as soon as possible and couldn't afford to delay the build,” explains Richard.

They found a contractor through their architect. “Our contractor came highly recommended, lived locally, shared a similar mind-set and his price was competitive,” adds Richard. “We trusted our gut instinct and instantly felt that his local knowledge would be to our advantage.”

The couple were right. The project was completed in an astonishing nine and a half months.

“We were exceedingly fortunate with our architect and everything seemed to slot into place. Our contractor told us it would take between nine and twelve months. He broke ground on 18 June 2018 and we moved in on 4 April 2019. In less than 48 hours it was transformed from an empty field to the foundations poured. We had good weather last summer and a mild winter, so we didn’t experience delays due to weather,” says Richard.

“Working with a contractor to a fixed term contract made our lives so much easier from a financial perspective. We designed a simple house and invested in some great materials and interiors. Our contractor consulted us on everything.

“We wanted to invest in the things that can’t be changed easily in the future, like the depth of the cavity in our walls.

Inside the self-build under construction

“Energy efficiency was a priority for us, so we have 200mm cavity, triple glazing and some air tightness measures were employed, such as a recirculating extractor in the kitchen. Our Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery (MVHR) system provides fresh, filtered air for the whole house and means there’s no need for trickle vents on our windows. We did consider an air source heat pump to heat the house but we couldn’t justify the extra running costs this would have incurred without installing solar panels as well.

“We used Cemfloor liquid screed for a faster drying time which meant we could tile the floors a month later. We also future-proofed the house as best as possible by installing ducting in various places, such as to areas of the garden for lighting.

“You do have to make sacrifices along the way and consider where to spend your money wisely. The first and most expensive unexpected cost was when they discovered the foundations were going to have to be deeper in part of the house. This couldn’t have been predicted. This added on a few thousand to our cost, on the second day of the build! We tried not to make unnecessary changes along the way, as changes equated to extra costs.”

The result

But it all worked out very well in the end, say the couple.

The double-fronted, traditional block house features a blue limestone finish to the sunroom and porch area, a Bitmac driveway, an attached double garage, five bedrooms and plenty of outdoor space.

“We'd love our home to look a lot more contemporary on the outside, but it wouldn't have been in-keeping with the local area and would 'date' a lot quicker than the style of house we have,” says Richard.

Inside, the living room and contemporary open plan kitchen is a large sociable space perfect for entertaining. Leanna adds: “It's a good size with great views over the countryside and we spend hours every day in there so it was important to get it right.”

The living room spans the full depth of the house with windows at the front and back and features a full ceiling recess. The couple had planned to install a gas fire, but ended up going for an electric one to cut costs. The contemporary kitchen features a Morso wood burning stove and bi-fold doors in anthracite out to the patio. The couple managed to achieve a U-Value of 0.9 for the windows and doors.

The couple's finished open-plan living room with bi-fold doors

Downstairs features a guest cloakroom and toilet with monochrome tiles and sanitaryware. A flexible playroom lies opposite the entrance hallway – with the potential to convert to a dining room or downstairs bedroom in the future.

A well-thought out utility room sits next to the kitchen with plenty of space to dry clothes and features a laundry chute which flows from the bathroom above – a much-loved addition by the couple, making their busy lives easier.

A downstairs shower room complies with building control regulations for an accessible toilet. “We decided to put a shower in so there's somewhere close to the back door to get showered and changed after coming in from the garden, playing sports, etc. without having to walk through the entire house to go upstairs,” explains Richard.

A large double garage with an insulated electric garage door is connected to the main house – the couple originally considered a detached garage, but are glad they decided to attach it as it makes it much more usable and feels like part of the house. Richard says: “We have floored storage space above the garage, which we will use instead of the loft above the main part of the house. It has been designed with enough head-height to allow us to convert it into a room in the future. We've also ducted for solar panels on the roof of the garage, but our budget wouldn't stretch to purchasing them at this stage."

The first floor is equally bright and airy with four king-sized bedrooms and a smaller one which will be used as a study. The master bedroom leads to a dressing room and has a good-sized en-suite. Stud work was built by their joiner for a wall-hung toilet and recessed mirror.

The large family bathroom features a shower against the back wall behind a half-wall and the bath in front of it. It was designed this way to accommodate the stud work, which houses the laundry chute. Plain glass in the bathroom window allows for views across the lush, green fields.

Outside, the half acre site features newly planted laurel hedging and mature trees. The lawns are due to be sewn soon.

Final thoughts

Do the couple have any regrets?

“No, not at all, says Leanna, “being part of the build process is amazing and we are so glad to be in our home. It was challenging as I gave birth to our son four weeks in to the process so I missed out on frequent site visits initially, but we were lucky to have such a smooth journey with our contractor. We were heavily involved in making crucial decisions on a weekly basis and we were also lucky that Richard was able to take time off work to meet with the contractor and tradesmen or for us to visit suppliers.

“Self-building doesn’t need to be stressful. We would definitely recommend it. It's been a tiring, but exciting, experience to see our design come to life.”

Check out our latest blogs for tips and advice on everything from working with an architect to financing your self-build.

Go to blogs

Leanna and Richard's top tips for self-builders:

Do lots of research! Design your kitchen and bathrooms early on in the process in case windows/doors/walls need to be moved. Technology is constantly changing so keep up-to-date.