Grand Designs is available to watch now on. The stone walls provide very good thermal mass because they absorb a lot of sunshine, and the thatched roof works well as an insulator,” said Martin. “Most of the efficiency in the house lies in its basic construction. And further evidencing the home’s eco credentials, there’s an orchard as well as an uninsulated pantry for keeping food and drink cool - an ecological design choice that saves the family money. There’s also a reed bed system which filters the sewage from the house, with the reeds purifying all the water used in the house and sending it back into the earth. Now it’s resplendent with 20 years of care,” said McCloud. “When I was last here, half the living area was consigned to workshop space. The hallway is filled with light thanks to a sizeable skylight, with one of three staircases connecting the family to five upstairs bedrooms. On the ground floor there is an expansive open plan living space featuring a south-facing sitting room and a kitchen overlooking an indoor garden. “And we have the completion certificate to prove it,” added Martin, who estimated the final build cost to be £300,000. Taking a huge leap of faith, they put their business on hold. Empty for 60 years and full of rotten timbers, the dare devils decided this was the unlikely place they wanted to call home. But almost two decades later in September 2021 as he approached the house he was impressed by the way "it commands the hillside as though it's been here forever.” Back in 2017, former skydivers Leigh and Richard fell head over heels in love with a listed but derelict 17th century Cornish flour mill. The garden includes an orchard as well as a reed bed (Image credit: Channel 4) "Resplendent with 20 years of care" I think they’ll be at it for some time to come.” McCloud, upon leaving the site with the stone walls yet to be completed, said: “What started as a major reconstruction has turned into an epic DIY project. “As rewarding as self build is, it is completely exhausting.” “I’d rather have stayed in the caravan for longer,” said Sue. He then took on the remainder of the project himself.īy September 2002, the family had moved into their home from the on-site caravan, but the house did not yet have plumbing or completed wiring. Their project was funded by savings and a small mortgage, but as delays continued and additional costs mounted, Martin informed his builders that he would no longer be able to pay them for their full-time work. Martin, a freelance writer, was the project manager of the build, but a series of setbacks including a very wet winter temporarily halting some building work put a kibosh on their initial plans to move in by Christmas 2000. The house had an estimated final build cost of £300,000 (Image credit: Channel 4) The project was fraught with challenges
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