Tag: building your own home

Putting a roof on our multi-generational self-build home

Our self-build project in Weaverham we are building for Roselin and Martin is really taking shape now. The roof is nearly complete and the multi-generational build will soon be watertight.

Our self-builders visit the site once every two weeks or so, fitting visits in around their busy work schedule at the local hospital. Until the staircase is built, Roselin is reluctant to climb up to the upper floors but Martin has enjoyed ‘going upstairs’ to check the progress of the bedrooms and bathrooms. In conversation with him, we discovered that at the moment he feels the rooms in the upper floors are smaller than he expected. However, based on his previous experience of new-build houses he knows that this is just an optical illusion and that he will actually be surprised how big and spacious the rooms feel once they are plastered and complete.

Building a lift as well as a staircase to futureproof the new-build

The site team had some concerns about the softwood staircase being a little slippery so the stairs will be carpeted, with a beautiful oak handrail and a painted balustrade. As an alternative to the stairs for any older residents, especially anyone with mobility issues, a particularly clever touch for this multi-generational house is the lift. As part of the couple’s vision for multi-generational living, and also future proofing this home for when they are older themselves, a lift to the first floor has been installed. Carefully disguised behind a door, it is completely hidden from view, so does not disrupt the aesthetic of the house at all, but is sure to be very useful for Roselin’s mother when she comes over from India.

Spoilt for choice: choosing flooring for a self-build

The couple are both very involved in choosing their flooring, which, like all choices of finishing, is always more time consuming than expected. For the ground and first floor, carpet isn’t an option as underfloor heating is being installed. The top floor will have conventional radiators so carpet will be the choice for that level. The couple like wood patterned tiles, but are also considering stone and laminate options too.

Lighting is another important consideration. They don’t want to choose very dark flooring and then feel that that makes the rooms feel too dark. Clever lighting may be key to getting the balance right, so that means some more choices to be made there too.

The sanitaryware in the bathrooms will be pure white, with chrome fittings. Roselin likes the idea of some colour when it comes to the bathroom tiles so is also looking at a variety of different choices.

These decisions are important and should not be rushed. Roselin says they are enjoying a mixture of surfing Pinterest and going into a few retail outlets to look at examples of different flooring.

She says,

“The CB Homes site team has been very useful when it comes to making suggestions over what would like good and always provide helpful, informed opinions and advice.”

Extending a living space into the outdoors

Once the house is complete inside, Roselin is keen to look at options of developing the design of the house a little further to extend the living space into the outdoors. It is traditional in India to have a veranda area running across the back of the house so she would love to re-create that in Cheshire, but has decided to wait until the house is nearer completion before deciding what would look best in the space.

Inside, the two kitchens are the part of the house Roselin is most looking forward to having finished. The ‘working’ kitchen is going to be decorated in varying shades of grey, while she has selected a beautiful shade of blue in the ‘living’ kitchen, which will include an island.

Advice for anyone embarking on a self-build project

With this experience to draw on, Roselin has some advice for anyone looking to build their own house. She says,

“Really keep an eye on your costs. Even with things like tiling, you need to remember the budget you have set aside and stick to that and not get led astray by more expensive options once you start actually looking. I would suggest always having a contingency fund in the budget, for peace of mind. I would not want to put anyone off the idea of self-building though, it is really enjoyable.

“It is time consuming, even if you are not project managing it yourself, there are countless choices and decisions to be made. Do just go for it, but make sure you have a team like CB Homes to support you.”

Interested in building your own dream home?

Talk to us to find out how we can help you build your own home. We can help you design it, secure planning approval and carry out the whole build with our complete turn key self-build package. 

CB Homes is an A1+ member of the National House Building Council (NHBC), registered builder with the Local Authority Building Control (LABC), as well as a member of the Federation of Master Builders.

Contact us to find out more.

Building a house to suit multi-generational living

Now that construction has started on site, our self-build clients visit it at the weekends, have meetings with the site team every six weeks and frequently chat with the project manager about progress of their new-build home.

Multi-generational homes in Cheshire

The build begins

Now that construction has started on site, Roselin and Martin like to visit their self build project in Weaverham at the weekends, as they are both very busy with work during the week. They have meetings with the site team every six weeks and frequently chat with the project manager about the progress of their new-build home.

One self-build house, building two kitchens

Roselin says that once work started she was really surprised by how spacious the plot seems, with more room for her garden than she was expecting, as the house is located in the centre of the plot. Now that the build is well on the way, the couple are getting excited for their new new-build home. Roselin really enjoys cooking, which is why she has something special planned for the kitchen. While most people enjoy planning to build just one kitchen, she is building two!

Roselin explains,

“I like to cook, a lot! And I especially enjoy traditional Indian cookery. With the design of our new house being for quite open plan living downstairs, I was a little worried about the very strong and spicy smells from the kitchen wafting through the whole house! The solution we have come to is to build two kitchens. One, which I will call my frying kitchen, can be closed off from the other. So I can cook to my heart’s content without any concerns. The main kitchen will be an island kitchen.”

Choosing kitchen designs for a new-build house

This design choice of two kitchens means that the couple will have double the fun of selecting kitchen colours and designs. Roselin has spent a lot of time already online, checking out different styles and they are both enjoying visiting kitchen showrooms to see what would work best for them.

Roselin says,

“I thought I had loads of time to choose my kitchen, but with a self-build, it’s not quite so simple as that. You have to think about your layout really early on in the process because the location of things like the hobs and the sink  in the kitchen, or the sanitaryware in the bathroom need to be planned for right away so the power supplies and wastewater pipes can be located in the right places! ”

Roselin’s advice for anyone building their own home is to do plenty of research into things like kitchens and bathrooms as early as you can. You won’t have to choose your finishes right away, but you do need to know what layout you want very early in the building process.

Best heating options for a new-build house

When it comes to the heating supply choice, that will have an impact on design features too. For example, as the couple have selected an air source heat pump and will have underfloor heating on the ground floor, they needed to know what their options were for the type of flooring they will need. They have opted for radiators on the upper floors as a more cost effective solution for this home, which means they have a wider range of options for the upstairs flooring.

While Roselin’s domain may be the kitchen, Martin is enjoying planning his study on one of the upper floors, as he loves to relax reading and is looking forward to having his own peaceful retreat for that.

The CB Homes team has been helpful when it comes to making choices, from small elements of kitchen design to much bigger things, like the staircase. The couple were grateful to be shown a whole selection of staircase photos, so they could choose their favourite style, which would work within the overall design. They have gone for a staircase that is slightly wider than usual so they were given a range of different options within their budget.

Talk to us to find out how we can help you build your own home. We can help you design it, secure planning approval and carry out the whole build with our complete turn key self-build package. 

CB Homes is an A1+ member of the National House Building Council (NHBC), registered builder with the Local Authority Building Control (LABC), as well as a member of the Federation of Master Builders.

Contact us to find out more.

Self-build house in your garden

A couple living in a leafy private road in Wilmslow in Cheshire first got in touch with us several years ago. Their house had a large side garden and they wanted to investigate the feasibility of building a new home in their large side garden. Their architect suggested they go down the traditional tender route, which for design and build is very often a JCT (Joint Contracts Tribunal). We were one of five builders in the area to be asked to quote.

A couple living in a leafy private road in Wilmslow in Cheshire first got in touch with us several years ago. Their house had a large side garden and they wanted to investigate the feasibility of building a new home in their large side garden.

They had found an architect and had some designs drawn up and wanted to get planning permission themselves for a classic Tudor style, four bedroom, three storey house. Downstairs, at the back of the house, a large open plan family-dining-kitchen space runs across the width of the property. There is also a spacious lounge, providing additional room to relax. On the first floor, the magnificent master bedroom has a dressing room, as well as ensuite, the other bedrooms are spread over the first and second storeys.

Gaining planning permission in a conservation area

The house and garden were in a conservation area so achieving planning was always going to be a challenge. The clients were also in two minds as to whether they should move into the new house themselves and sell their original home, or whether they should stay put and sell the new house instead.

Their architect suggested they go down the traditional tender route, which for design and build is very often a JCT (Joint Contracts Tribunal). We were one of five builders in the area to be asked to quote.

What are the disadvantages of using a JCT?

With a JCT, every item has to be priced up. It is quite straightforward to do as it is basically the production of very long lists of items and prices. However, as all professional bodies have to be brought on board, including architects and surveyors, it can end up being quite costly. When pricing a JCT, companies are inclined to err on the side of caution to cover all eventualities, which means costs tend to come in quite high too.  

The main disadvantage of this route to self-build is that when a JCT is created, it can be difficult for any party involved to make changes to the design or specification. Making any alterations can delay the whole project as they have such a significant knock-on effect on the contract as a whole.

Our advice is that it can be much more cost-effective to have a builder on board from the start.

When we looked at the plans after being invited to quote, we spotted straightaway that there were some very technical details to the designs, which were probably unnecessary in terms of what the clients actually wanted. We sat down with them to explain why some of the costs might be so high. This was because there were elements to the build that we felt were being over engineered. Some things are worth spending a lot of money on, while other things can be designed in such a way as to be overly and unnecessarily sophisticated. It can be easy in these cases for customers to be unknowingly overcharged.

Our own contracts can be much more flexible and we are used to providing practical and value for money solutions  to work within our clients’ budgets. This meant we could advise on changes that could be made to the design to reduce costs and also to make the whole project more efficient. For example, we suggested altering the layout downstairs to make the plant room bigger, as the one in the original plans was far too small to be feasible. The energy calculations too were for a super high specification, which would have been very expensive. We created a genuinely bespoke system, totally customised to the client’s requirements which met the specification required for their needs.

Going down the JCT route might seem an attractively risk-free approach but a lot of what determines a successful self-build comes down to trust that you are working with a builder who has their client’s best interests at heart. Our recommendation is to get a builder involved early on as they can make practical suggestions of how things can be done in a cost effective and efficient way.

If you are interested in building your own home, talk to us. With our complete turnkey self-build package, we can help you design it, secure planning approval and carry out the whole build.

We’ve been designing and building award-winning homes since 1981. From prestigious turnkey self-build projects, to distinctive developments and exclusive barn conversions, each bespoke home is built to the same exacting standards.

CB Homes is an A1+ member of the National House Building Council (NHBC), registered builder with the Local Authority Building Control (LABC), as well as a member of the Federation of Master Builders.

Contact us to find out more.

Financing a self-build project to suit multi-generational living

When our new clients decided to build their own home, they wanted to find out as much as they could about the self-build process. As well as talking to us and undertaking a lot of online research, they also attended several conferences designed for self-builders. They found the conferences particularly useful when it came to researching ways of financing their self-build project.

When our new clients, Roselin and Martin, decided to build their own home, they wanted to find out as much as they could about the self-build process. As well as talking to CB Homes and undertaking a lot of online research, they also attended several conferences designed for self-builders. They found the conferences particularly useful when it came to researching ways of financing their self-build project.

Roselin says,

“The conferences have a bewildering amount of information and all sorts of exhibits, which are a lot of fun to look at. The most valuable thing we found was attending presentations on financial advice, especially when it came to how to find a lender when you want to build your own home.”

There are a number of different ways of financing a self-build. Some people can use cash, others may raise the money by selling or remortgaging their existing home. You may be able to secure a custom build mortgage or look at bridge finance. A self-build mortgage may also be an option. You can read about the differences between a self-build mortgage and an ordinary mortgage here.

In this instance, Roselin and Martin are selling their current home and drawing down some pension funds too in order to finance their project.

Challenges of financing a self-build project

Roselin says no one should be put off building their own home by assuming it will be too difficult, but she does sound a note of caution.

“The process of acquiring land for self-build can be complicated and quite long and drawn out too. In order to satisfy our lender, we had to jump through quite a series of hoops. We had to find a way to fund the purchase of the land before we could access the mortgage for the build, and there was a time limit placed on the deal too, which made it all quite stressful. It all came good in the end though!

“If anyone asks me about self-building, I would say if you want to do it, start the process early, don’t delay. Do a lot of research too so you learn about the whole process before you begin. I’ve been signed up to CB Homes’ newsletters for years – they are full of useful tips and it all helps you gain a greater understanding what is involved.”

Thinking about building your own home? Wondering about financing a self-build project? Look at our library of self-build resources here and read our past blogs here.

Get in touch with our team to find out how we can help you turn your dreams into reality.

Finding a plot for a self-build to suit multi-generational living

Our new clients are both hospital doctors, who have just embarked on a self-build project in the lovely village of Weaverham in Cheshire.

They have been hoping to build their own house for years, but finding a suitable plot of land to fit their requirements has been a real challenge.

Our new clients, Roselin and Martin, are both hospital doctors, who have just embarked on a self-build project in the lovely village of Weaverham in Cheshire. They have been hoping to build their own house for years, but finding a suitable plot of land to fit their requirements has been a real challenge.

In India, where our clients are from originally, building your own house is far more common than it is in the UK, so making the decision to self-build was a very logical step to take, although self-building in the two countries is very different. Roselin says,

“Although many people build their own homes in India, we didn’t know how to go about it in the UK at all. There is far more regulation around what you can build and where you can build it here, but CB Homes has steered us through the process and we have learned so much in really quite a short space of time.”

Self-build advice from CB Homes

Roselin first got in touch with CB Homes some years ago and has continued to call on us for advice over the years.

Roselin explains,

“I have found several plots of land over the years but there has always been something not quite right about them. Either the location has not been very good or the price has been a bit too high for our budget.

“We do have quite specific requirements as we want to have room for our adult son, another doctor, who is currently working abroad but will need somewhere to live when he returns home. We also want to have suitable space to accommodate my mother-in-law, who has some mobility issues. We are planning for the longer term too and want to be sure that we can future proof our home for when we are both older as well.”

Multi-generational living: finding land

Room to grow….vegetables

Having a good sized garden is important to the couple as they enjoy growing their own vegetables and would like to be able to do that on a slightly larger scale than they can now. Roselin is a keen cook so the kitchen will really be the heart of the home too, where she can enjoy creating culinary delights with vegetables they have grown in their own garden.

Talking about the plot they have purchased, Roselin says,

“We were very excited when CB Homes got in touch with us to say that they had found a plot available with planning permission, if we would like to take a look at it.

“The location, in the village of Weaverham, was much better than anything we had looked at before. It will actually make our commute to work in Crewe shorter than it is now. There is plenty of privacy without it being too remote, and a good amount of outside space for our gardening plans too.”

Building a multi-generational home

We will be tracking Roselin and Martin’s self-build project over the next few months in this latest blog series. Next, we will be looking at how they are financing building their own home.

Talk to us to find out how we can help you build your own home. We can help you design it, secure planning approval and carry out the whole build with our complete turn key self-build package. 

CB Homes is an A1+ member of the National House Building Council (NHBC), registered builder with the Local Authority Building Control (LABC), as well as a member of the Federation of Master Builders.

Contact us to find out more.

Essential gardening tasks for Autumn and Winter

Some people want an immaculate garden, with clean lines and little clutter, that they can leave well alone until Spring. Other people prefer a rewilding approach. Even in a pristine garden, you can create little habitats for wildlife, with twigs and debris, beneath hedges and trees.

In our previous blog we considered a new garden and assessed the jobs that need carrying out in the Spring and Summer. But when the weather changes and the nights begin to draw in, Autumn is approaching. It’s a wonderful time of year in terms of the changing colours and for many it’s their favourite season. The changing colours also mean there is a load of work to get done in the garden, which, depending on the size of your plot, will keep you busy throughout the darkening weekends.

Time for an Autumn trim

Depending on the time of year you moved into your new-build, this will define how established it is by the Autumn. If you have already planted a lot of shrubs and bedding plants, then you will need to tend to them. Pruning is one of the most important tasks to carry out, as many plants depend on regular trimming for new growth. This is especially true of fruit trees, which rely on regular pruning for growth. There are two times of year for most plants to be cut back – Spring and Autumn – and how comprehensively you carry out this work will decide how much you will have to do in the Autumn in this area.

One of the biggest jobs that you’ll have to tackle is clearing up all the leaves that now litter your garden. Any deciduous tree, bush, shrub or hedge will drop its leaves when they finish their lifecycle and you can’t always rely on a strong Autumn wind to blow them all away. They will need raking up and disposing of. A leaf blower is a useful tool to acquire, if you’re going to take on the garden yourself and these can be used to collect the leaves too. Clearing leaves from the ground will allow the air and nutrients to your lawn. Leaves can block water from getting to the ground and as we’ve already seen, can clog gutters, downspouts and gulleys, which will also need clearing out too.

Waste not, want not in Autumn and Winter

Once you have gathered the leaves, they can be used for another essential Autum task – mulching.  It’s a good time of year for mulching, while there is still a bit of warmth in the soil and moisture too. Mulches are loose coverings or sheets of material placed on the surface of the soil. They can be homemade garden compost. Many people have a compost or mulch bin their garden, where they can store the leaves and grass cuttings, which can decompose until they are needed. Once laid, mulches retain moisture, reduce weed growth and promote healthy soil. You can use many different forms of garden waste, such as chipped wood, grass cuttings and leaves. Anything that counts as dead organic plant material can provide nutrients to the soil as the waste decays. You can lay mulch around your trees, shrubs and perennials, as well as along borders.

As you rake your umpteenth pile of leaves, you may realise there’s a lot to be said for planting evergreens! This is why you see so many firs, pines and leylandii used in modern gardens. They don’t drop leaves and provide a solid, hardy barrier all year around. Other plants, such as holly and ivy, can be used both as cover and ornamentally for effect. They’ll need pruning too – holly is a good example of a plant that is easy to control, while ivy is one that will run amok if left unattended and can quickly take over if not pruned back. These creepers are well-named, as they seem to encroach unnoticed. It’s wise to keep them away from your house and outbuildings, as some can be difficult to remove once they become established.

A natural home

There are many approaches to gardening in the Autumn and Winter months. Some people want an immaculate garden, with clean lines and little clutter, that they can leave well alone until the Spring. Other people prefer a rewilding approach. Even in a pristine garden, you can create little habitats for wildlife, with twigs and debris, beneath hedges and trees. There are many ways to encourage wildlife to your garden, but be careful you don’t attract the wrong kinds of visitors, such as vermin, which won’t impress your neighbours. If you are rewilding, then you may leave areas of your garden to ‘go wild’. The grass may grow a little longer, to allow cover for animal life.

Autumn to Winter

The Winter months can be hard for the natural inhabitants of your garden, and if they rely on you to put out food then make sure you continue to do it regularly. Winter isn’t really a time of year for gardening, but there are still maintenance tasks, such as cleaning and tidying, that can be carried out. There are also chores such as maintenance to exteriors, like walls and fences, if the weather is fit for it. If you have an outdoor pond or swimming pool, that might need maintenance in the winter too, especially with regard to fallen leaves. If you have a greenhouse or shed, you may be able to work inside too, doing some potting or preparation for the Spring, until the cycle begins once more…

CB Homes is an A1+ member of the National House Building Council (NHBC), registered builder with the Local Authority Building Control (LABC), as well as a member of the Federation of Master Builders.

Each of our homes is backed by our unique and dedicated personalised approach to customer service. This ensures every CB Homes development delivers ultimate peace of mind to its new owner, long after we’ve handed you the keys.

Contact CB Homes today to discuss your self-build project.

Design: a French chateau-style self-build

A local couple wanted to design the perfect family home for themselves, with plenty of room for entertaining and for guests to stay. This truly grand design replacement dwelling is the second largest self-build project ever undertaken by CB Homes.

A local couple wanted to design the perfect family home for themselves and their son in the village of Duddon, with plenty of room for entertaining and for guests to stay. This truly grand design replacement dwelling is the second largest self-build project ever undertaken by CB Homes and the largest that architect Russell Baker has ever undertaken.

When CB Homes embarks on a self-build project with a new client, design meetings are always held so that the architect can find out exactly what sort of house the clients want to build; the look, the style, the feel, and of course, the size.

This project has involved the most extensive set of design meetings that CB Homes has ever held with a client but it was definitely worth it to make sure we got the design exactly right.

Talking design

Architect Russell says,

“It can take a while to come up with the design that everyone loves but it is always totally worth the time taken. Once I started to understand what sort of house they were envisioning, I showed them sample photos of various buildings to help inspire them. Pictures of tall windows and double gables were very enthusiastically met so I knew I was heading in the right direction. I would describe the style we eventually decided upon as a rural French chateau, which has softer lines than  the very tall and ornamental chateaux of France often have. Everything about this house is going to be tall; the ceilings, doors and windows are much taller than usual, and simple elegance is the theme.”

The clients were very specific from the start that what they wanted most from their ambitious self-build project was symmetry. They wanted their home to be designed to be as symmetrical as possible. The final design is very symmetrical from front to back but Russell persuaded our clients to give him a little more freedom when it came to the side elevations, to add some further interest.

Design requirements

Our clients wanted to have a very open plan feel to the house and, despite its size, to feel that there is good visibility through the house from front to back and also, where possible, and unusually, between the two floors too.  This is partly going to be achieved by two voids in the kitchen ceiling, where the kitchen will be open to the large upstairs lounge above it.

The double height windows at the rear of the property stretch from the ground the whole way up to the roof above the first floor.

The fireplaces’ design is very traditional, yet extremely contemporary too

The very grand hall has a double height entrance, featuring a row of ceiling lanterns and it will be truly spectacular on completion. A double sided fireplace takes centre stage in the middle of the house, providing heating for the kitchen/ dining space and the hallway. Surrounded by glass, this is simultaneously very traditional, yet extremely contemporary too. Making the fire the focal point, yet allowing uninterrupted lines of sight all around it, makes the house, despite its size, feel beautifully connected, with all the spaces flowing into each other. Upstairs, another double sided fireplace heats the first floor sitting room and the galleried landing too.

Five of the six bedrooms have ensuite bathrooms and the smallest of these bedrooms is about the size of the largest bedroom one might expect to find in an executive new build.

Design creates uninterrupted views across the Cheshire countryside

A very large master suite was on the menu of requirements, including an upstairs lounge or living area at the rear of the property, with a balcony from which the householders will be able to enjoy uninterrupted views across the countryside behind the house.

This balcony itself runs continuously across the rear of the house. Clever cut outs in the design mean that uninterrupted views can be enjoyed from anywhere in the rear of the house without the balcony seeming to be in the way.

The tall windows and doors throughout the property will have very slim, black metal frames, which are very French in feel. Solid slate is going to be used for plinths and sills, instead of the more usual brick and slate cappings will feature on the parapets too.

There is going to be a beautiful entertainment space or media room at the front of the house, along with a pool table for relaxed evenings at home. The majority of the rest of the downstairs space is taken up with a huge open plan kitchen/ dining area, a big lounge and a cosy, but still very spacious, snug.

The feeling of openness and space is emphasised by the use of lots of glass internally, with many sliding doors between rooms. The impact of taking so many solid walls away to allow for all the glazing is that a steel frame will need to be used to support the whole structure. This is all skilfully hidden away however so the feeling of elegant space is not compromised in any way.

Outdoor kitchen design

Initially, the homeowners were interested in including a swimming pool as part of their grand design but having considered it, decided that the large further outlay to build a pool would not actually add equivalent value to the house. A pool also requires a significant commitment to ongoing care and maintenance. An outdoor kitchen space is being designed instead, in a separate building to the house, along with a home office and gym in a second outbuilding. The brick detailing and natural stone coping on these outbuildings will perfectly match the material used on the house, while the doors and windows will have the same tall, slim elegance. The house, with its two outbuildings, is being built around a U-shaped courtyard, further echoing the symmetry of the entire project.

Watch us laying the foundations of this enormous house here.

Looking to design your own home?

If you have always dreamed of building your own home, talk to us. Whether it is a grand design, or a cosy country cottage, find out how we can help you design it, secure planning approval and carry out the whole build with our complete turn key self-build package. 

CB Homes is an A1+ member of the National House Building Council (NHBC), registered builder with the Local Authority Building Control (LABC), as well as a member of the Federation of Master Builders. Each of our homes is backed by our unique and dedicated personalised approach to customer service. This ensures every CB Homes development delivers ultimate peace of mind to its new owner, long after we’ve handed you the keys. Contact us to find out more. 

Finishing our modern replacement dwelling in Timperley

On walking up to the front doors of this remarkable house you immediately become aware that this house is a genuine one-off when it comes to the ambitious design.

The stunning double doors are custom built from one enormous piece of slate.

On walking up to the front doors of this remarkable house you immediately become aware that this house is a genuine one-off when it comes to the ambitious design. The stunning double doors are custom built from one enormous piece of slate. Slate is a natural product, made up of a multitude of very thin layers which are subject to wear and tear. This means that these doors will change appearance over time, remaining distinctive and unique as the house ages in the years to come.

Clutter free style

The kitchen takes the clutter free style of the whole home to a new level. The island in the centre makes a superb design statement being made from just one piece of quartz. The island is so heavy that the floor underneath had to be specially designed in order to support its weight. The hob is built into the quartz top with ‘invisible controls’.

Show stopping modern staircase

The show stopping glazed open staircase needed special design as there are no visible signs of support. Each stair is fastened to a steel plate that runs across the width of the wall.

Open plan design for modern living

From the start, it was really important to the homeowners to have a very open plan ground floor, with the kitchen completely open to the rest of the home. Their architect had incorporated a solid glass screen running from the roof down to the ground floor for fire safety. The clients decided this would interfere with the open plan vision they wanted for their home. Unfortunately, abandoning this would have presented a fire risk when it came to being compliant with building regulations. As an alternative, we installed a steel smoke screen ‘curtain’, that, in the event of fire, will descend from the ceiling, and act as a fire break.

Microcement finish

Our clients particularly like microcement and chose to use this decorative coating extensively in the build, including the whole ground floor and all the bathrooms – even down to the toilet seats.

This is a beautiful finish and the installer needs to be highly skilled. If you are considering a microcement finish to any elements of your self-build home, it is imperative to see examples of the installer’s work first so you can be sure of the quality.

Modern minimalist design

The balcony off the master bedroom is a real triumph of technical minimalist design, including internal drainage, so there are no visible signs of grates etc.

The final touch for this house was to render the whole of the outside. It is vitally important that the blockwork is completely dry before render is applied. The torrential rain we had towards the end of the build meant that we had to wait until after the homeowners had taken possession and moved in before we could return to complete this work. This just goes to show that to a certain extent we are at the mercy of the elements when it comes to some stages of a build.

CB Homes is an A1+ member of the National House Building Council (NHBC), registered builder with the Local Authority Building Control (LABC), as well as a member of the Federation of Master Builders.

Each of our homes is backed by our unique and dedicated personalised approach to customer service. This ensures every CB Homes development delivers ultimate peace of mind to its new owner, long after we’ve handed you the keys.

Find out how we can help you build your own home. We can help you design it, secure planning approval and carry out the whole build with our complete turnkey self-build package. Contact us to find out more.

Designing a timber frame house in ‘cool Hoole’

The design of the proposed house on our Hoole plot needed very careful consideration, as there were various planning restrictions we needed to abide by.

We knew our design would need to blend in with the neighbouring houses, both old and new, which feature a mixture of brick and render finishes.

Building a house in a tight space in a desirable Chester suburb

The design of the proposed house on our Hoole plot needed very careful consideration, as there were various planning restrictions we needed to abide by. For example, the plot’s position, surrounded by other dwellings, including a small hotel, meant that we could not have habitable room windows on the rear of the first floor. Also, to satisfy planning regulations, we knew our design would need to blend in with the neighbouring houses, both old and new, which feature a mixture of brick and render finishes.

Our architects, D2, originally drew up a design for a very beautiful and very contemporary dwelling, with particular attention given to the height and depth of the windows so that the sight lines were followed along the length of the road.

Unfortunately, our initial design met some resistance from the planners, as the very contemporary design was deemed to change the character of the surrounding area. We then investigated the possibility of building two semi-detached homes instead, but concluded that the plot was better suited to a single property. So, we reverted back to our plan for just one home but opted for a more traditional neo-Georgian style, which was supported by officers and granted planning permission.

Using space as efficiently as possible on a small building plot

To address the challenge of not having habitable room windows at the rear of the property, D2 architect Luke Jones came up with a clever design for a luxury master suite. He says,

“Where space is at an absolute premium, it’s vital to make the circulation space of a home as efficient as possible and to maximise the habitable space. The house we have designed has no wasted space whatsoever and the proportions of every room work really well and very efficiently for the size of the floorplan. It’s a planning rule of thumb that the footprint of a house should not exceed the area of the garden and we actually managed to make them both exactly the same size, which is very pleasing and will result in a really lovely home.”

Planning permission granted for a timber frame house

Timber frame houses have been built in the UK for over a thousand years. It is still the most popular form of house construction in countries including Scandinavia, North America and New Zealand. It accounts for over 70% of all new housing in more economically developed countries throughout the world.

From the start, architects at D2, who have designed many timber frame houses, were keen to use timber frame here. Space being at such a premium in this tight plot, timber frame allows for great space saving, while still meeting, and actually exceeding, the standard insulation levels now required by building regulations.

How sustainable is a timber frame house?

Timber is a renewable material, sourced from sustainable forests. Our suppliers conform to the world governing bodies on forestry, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). This means three trees are planted for every one cut down. Timber has lower embodied energy than other mainstream construction materials.

Strong foundations for a timber frame house

Before starting work on this timber frame house, clad with bricks, we undertook an extensive site investigation, including digging a number of boreholes to test the ground’s bearing capacity.

As the ground is very soft, with neighbouring properties all around, we knew we would need to dig deep foundations. This would lead to a huge amount of spoil that would then need to be transported from the site. We were trying to minimise the size and frequency of wagons going in and out of this residential area. So, we decided to dig pile foundations, which are a little like underground ‘stilts’. This added to the cost but was essential for the ease and efficiency of the build.

Why we chose timber frame for this project

There are many misconceptions around timber frame, with people expressing concern that it will be damp and will not provide a strong construction. Neither of these myths is correct. Modern timber frame houses result in very straight, strong walls, with no risk of mould, as there are no void spaces where damp can get in and cause problems.

With the ground being so soft on this plot, this was another excellent reason to choose timber frame, as the construction is comparatively lighter weight than brick and block would have been.

Sourcing the smallest crane possible

Once the foundations were in, we took delivery of the timber frame. This usually needs a large articulated lorry and a big crane but we knew we needed to get across a private access road which has a busy hotel close by. We could not risk compromising the access with huge machinery when it came time for delivery.

As a timber frame structure is comparatively light, we knew we would not need a huge crane so we spent time sourcing the smallest crane we could use, in terms of its size and capacity. We tracked one down in North Wales, which meant that when it was in use on our site, it was still possible to get vehicular access to neighbouring properties.

Perfect precision engineering

When the timber frame was delivered, it was an example of really perfect precision engineering as it fitted exactly as it needed to.  All the panels had been engineered in manufacturer Flitcraft’s purpose built factory in controlled conditions.  It took just three days in total for the fitters to complete the installation. The complete structure was installed, including wall panels, floor and roof trusses, in position and braced. With a timber frame construction, all the waste also stays off-site.

We’ve been designing and building award-winning homes since 1981. From prestigious turnkey self-build projects, to distinctive developments and exclusive barn conversions, each bespoke home is built to the same exacting standards. We take great pride in every project we embark on to ensure the end result is as pleasing to its new owners as it is to us. This level of pride, passion and professionalism is epitomised in our craftsmanship and build quality, which has been recognised by many local, regional and national awards.

CB Homes is an A1+ member of the National House Building Council (NHBC), registered builder with the Local Authority Building Control (LABC), as well as a member of the Federation of Master Builders.

Each of our homes is backed by our unique and dedicated personalised approach to customer service. This ensures every CB Homes development delivers ultimate peace of mind to its new owner, long after we’ve handed you the keys.

Contact us to find out more.

“Custom and self-build homes deliver greater local beneficial impacts than the average new build”

For the first time, research in the recently published NaCSBA Custom and Self Build Report 2023/24 demonstrates that custom and self-build homes have a significantly higher positive local impact compared to mainstream housing, and that the homes built are more sustainable than the average new build.

NaCSBA Custom and Self Build Report

For the first time, research in the recently published NaCSBA Custom and Self Build Report 2023/24 demonstrates that custom and self-build homes (CSB) have a significantly higher positive local impact compared to mainstream housing, and that the homes built are more sustainable than the average new build.

Do self-build homes deliver greater local benefit?

The research commissioned by the Right to Build Task Force shows that:

  • CSB development produces more than a doubling of the beneficial local economic impact of mainstream housing when labour and materials are viewed together. This is based on analysis that tested a model against five areas with different rural/urban classifications and differing regions, providing a robust set of illustrative data.
  • Data from Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) demonstrated that CSB homes typically have reduced energy consumption of between 8-42% lower and CO2 emissions of 7-43% lower than typical new build EPCs. The model draws on EPCs in the same five case study areas.

The data are welcome evidence of what has long been anecdotally accepted, and these benefits add weight to planning debates about the role of custom and self-build housing and its impact locally.

Custom and self-build demand data

The Right to Build registers are a crucial source of demand evidence for local authorities, however, new findings in the report indicate that the demand reflected by these registers is underestimated by at least two thirds.

The analysis examined postcode data of people interested in custom and self-build and compared this data against total numbers who had signed a register, both for a three-year period. This showed that nearly two-thirds were not on a register, but were interested in self-building at some point – an at least 64% under-measuring of demand.

NaCSBA works to create more opportunities for more people to have a home that suits their needs, wants and budgets. The findings not only demonstrate to local and national government the benefits of custom and self-building, they stress the fact that the registers should not be the sole source of demand evidence. This supports what is set out in the National Planning Guidance, which states that the registers should be a ‘starting point for establishing overall demand for self-build and custom housebuilding’.

A key report outcome is the vital role that the registers play in driving supportive policy and in facilitating more sites to come forward. As such NaCSBA, encourages all of those interested in a self or custom build to sign up to their local register.

Find your local authority’s register at https://selfbuildportal.org.uk/register-for-a-building-plot/.

About NaCSBA

The National Custom and Self Build Association (NaCSBA) is a Community Interest Company that is the voice of the Custom and Self-Build industry across the UK. Its vision is to make custom and self-build a mainstream choice for all those seeking a tailored home of their own. Its members work across the sector to promote and grow custom and self-build opportunities.

Visit www.nacsba.or.uk for more about its work or its consumer advice website www.selfbuildportal.org.uk. 

About the Right to Build Task Force

The Right to Build Task Force offers support and services to Local Planning Authorities and others to facilitate the delivery of custom and self-build homes (CSB). The Task Force is funded by DLUHC to provide capacity building for local authorities implementing custom and self-build.

For more on this news story, contact: Duncan Hayes, Marketing and Communications
media@nacsba.org.uk

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