THE CHALLENGE: build our dream home on a very tight budget.

THE SOLUTION: passion, design, time and support.

1. Passion: now we have started we realise we have unearthed a hidden and real passion to build our own home. Our excitement continues to grow and the dream (so far) overcomes any obstacles thrown our way. You need passion.



2. An Architect: by investing in good Architecture we know we have the perfect house for our lifestyle and site. We are saving money with their knowledge of planning, affordable construction and materials. We know we will not end sitting in a house wondering what might have been - don't compromise on the basics.



3. Some time: Punishing deadlines cause a lot of pressure on everyone. Give yourself more time and enjoy the journey. The less money you have the more time you need to commit to researching more cost effective solutions. By refusing to compromise on the quality of the construction, we have spent a lot of time on the web and the phone.



4. A supportive team: We can't imagine what it would be like building the Crow's Nest without the support of our friends. Surround yourself with people who want to help you succeed. Thanks to the passion of Tom, Morag, Simon and the rest of the team at AHMM (Architects), Matt (our friend and fellow builder) with his enthusiasm and hard graft, David and Shirley with their money, our parents (money and genes), understanding neighbours and supportive suppliers we will build our dream.

BRIEF

Affordable:	how to achieve a big dream on a limited budget;
Maximise site:	get the most out of a hillside and great views;
Future proof:	to enable us to upgrade services, fixtures and fittings when we win the lottery;
Realistically green:	without compromising the above make the house as green as possible.

SOLUTION

Everything hinges on the design - so why compromise? We knew AHMM Architects and their track record of producing Architecture that works. Simon Allford and his team started the ball rolling. Their solution is clever:

• Submerging the house into the hillside reduces the impact of a large building, reduces running costs and maximises views from each level.



• Each floor is a sealed element - as we get more money we can build another floor and we can add expensive finishes at the end/when we can afford them.



• Vertical and horizontal service corridors allow services to be easily maintained, upgraded and connected to additional floors at later dates.



• Smart construction - using their experience, the Architects know how to reduce costs whilst making (what appears to be) a complicated structure easy enough for us to build.

CONSTRUCTION

The structure is concrete. Not only does this have good density to reduce running costs but it has the solid mass needed to suit being sunk into a rugged hillside.

Walls:  We are using Polysteel ICFs (link) to make the build quicker and easier whilst providing insulation. The concrete is Lafarge's self-compacting 'Agilia' (link) and waterproofed using Pudlo (link). This gives us a 30-year waterproof guarantee without having the expense and complication of tanking any retaining walls. Nor do we need to buy or install any more insulation.

Floors:  Floors are reinforced concrete slabs - these add to the rigidity and thermal mass of the building, are cheaper and thinner than alternatives and provide great sound insulation.

Roofs:  These are extensions to the floors and will be added at the end of the project. They will be constructed with steel and timber so we can easily build the complicated shapes.