A local couple from Manea are the feature of BBC Two’s The House That 100K Built which airs Wednesday (15).
Although the premise of the show is, can you build your dream home for less that £100K? This couple have built theirs for 50k!
With a brand new baby and a lively toddler, Neil and Amanda decided to knock down their dilapidated small house and try to build a larger one.
But, they don’t want a typical new home with plasterboard walls and conventional rooms, they dream of something inspired by mediaeval timber frame homes.
Architect Piers Taylor and expert on design Kieran Long are back with a brand new series of the show and offer those taking part over six episodes advice and support to create their dream homes - starting with Amanda and Neil.
Kieran’s first concern for their design is it could end up looking like a naff Tudor theme pub, but Piers has even bigger concerns.
Their plans are for a modern home with fake decorative timbers stuck on the outside so he rips up the plans and begins to redesign the entire home from scratch.
He begs them to invest their money in a handmade timber frame with traditional joints and handmade dowels, but in order to afford it, Neil will have to scavenge almost every other building material from the old house he has knocked down.
Kieran must give them the skills to avoid the home feeling fake. He manages to uncover a beautiful barn conversion which is furnished in such a way that it looks fashionable but also has a real sense of character. It is full of ideas and tricks that Neil and Amanda could use in their home even though their budget is almost all spent.
With much of their budget gone and the house still a shell, can Neil the novice builder, possibly complete their entire home for less than what most people spend on a fitted kitchen?
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here