The oak framed home with timber cladding

For Lucy Newton and Sam Hopkins building their own home was always on the cards.

Or, in their case, on a napkin.

The couple, who met at university, spent their student days studying hard and dreaming of their perfect home.

“I don’t remember this, but apparently (I’m told by friends) that when we were at university together Sam and I started drawing plans on a napkin of how we’d build our home,” explains Lucy, laughing at the anecdote.

Their dream became a reality when they completed their modern country barn-style home in summer 2019.

Lucy explains: “I have always been drawn back home and I suppose I’d always envisaged living here. There was an agricultural shed which was next to my mum and dad’s house but it was crumbling and full of asbestos. We knew this was the spot where we wanted to live! Our plan was to take the shed down and start from scratch so we called in a planning consultant who was so helpful and we began a pre application.”

Planning talks commenced in early 2015 but the couple didn’t receive full permission until November 2016. It was a long, arduous journey but they never gave up.

Sam explains: “We were almost refused planning permission. The planning team told us that we were out of the development zone. The application was taken to committee and the decision was overturned by the councillors – arguing that the old barn structure could not be salvaged.

“It was a nerve-racking process, recalls Sam, as we had to stand up in front of the committee and argue our case.”

The foundations were laid in January 2018 – taking the pair just over a month of hard graft during the winter months. According to Lucy, it was one of the lowest points. Their foundations, consist of mostly dense sand, patches of clay and a simple strip (850mm down) with a continuous A393 reinforcement mesh in the bottom.

“It was cold, wet and it just seemed to take ages to lay the foundations. It wasn’t fun and it took up most of our evenings and weekends,” says Lucy.

They opted for a two-storey oak frame home, which offers traditional character. Inside, the oak frame is a real crowd-pleaser, admired by anyone entering their home.

“We knew that oak frame is quite popular and we really loved the aesthetics. When we saw the frame finally go up it changed everything for us. What an amazing feeling. It was definitely a high point in our project,” says Lucy.

The frame, which was supplied by a local company Parker Oak in North Yorkshire, had a long lead time – as is the case with oak frames. But once the frame arrived in April 2018 it only took a few days to construct the SIPs and timber frame.

One of the couple’s biggest expenditures included the air source pump which they realised was more financially viable in the long term. These kind of pumps absorb heat from the outside air and can be used to heat radiators, underfloor heating and hot water in the home.

Lucy says: “We thought about the lower fuel bills in the long term and the potential income we could make through the UK government’s Renewable Heat Incentive. It seemed the best option.

Sam’s engineering background and his “common sense” approach helped the couple to save money.

The finish

The exterior and interior was a true labour of love and the oak-frame inside wasn’t quite enough for this timber-loving couple. Outside, the house is clad with sweet chestnut sourced from France mixed against a traditional brick.

Inside, you are greeted by a homely “modern country rustic” feel, as Lucy describes it. The warm kitchen/dining room has a wood burning fire – a feature Lucy stipulated. “I wanted to have a fire in there – it will be so cosy in the winter time.”

The kitchen floor is paved in a relic grey limestone giving a modern country house feel to their ‘barn’ style conversion. Touches of this modern barn conversion can be seen from the high ceilings in the kitchen to the grey anthracite bifold doors, which open out into the garden.

The statement piece is the oak frame which runs throughout the open plan ground floor and up to the three bedrooms and bathroom on the first floor – the large window in the living room extends through to the bedroom with exposed beams in the roof.

From tiling, painting to putting up aluminium soffits and fascias to guttering – this couple were relentless in the pursuit of their dream home.

Outside, there is some work to finish including a patio for drainage but the couple love the natural land  filled with apple trees in the garden. Building control have stipulated that a ramp must be fitted for wheelchair friendly access.

The couple are delighted with the outcome and although furniture has yet to be delivered they are both so relieved to be home.

Bright outlook

Reflecting on their journey, Sam and Lucy are positive about self-build. They are only too aware of the lows, highs and pitfalls.

Lucy ends: “We’ve been lucky I guess. We’ve learned so much. Sam is a real perfectionist and this has been to our advantage. Yes, there were lows – cutting through our telephone line when we installed our water pipes and we haven’t had much of a social life in the last six months. We have worked tirelessly but it has been worth every minute. Do I have any regrets? I do wish we’d got more professionals in at points. Battening walls to prepare for plasterboard for three weekends in a row is tiring!”

Sam and Lucy's top tips for self-builders

1. Plan ahead: My advice is to have a good contingency plan – you never know what might arise during your build. Research and planning is crucial and try to avoid changing design or plans during the build.

2. A little help: We couldn’t have done this without our family and the support of our friends so do lean on them.

3. Keep it local: Do maintain a good relationship with tradespeople and suppliers – we used a lot of local suppliers and I found myself baking lots of cakes so that kept them happy!