Our blog

We finally completed on the purchase of the land on Friday 10 June, 2016, which we first saw on Right Move in October 2014.

We've decided to start a blog to record the progress on our self build to share with friends and family and to help us to remember the ups, downs, highs and lows of this crazy new enterprise!

How it all started

We had started to look at the possibility of moving house to somewhere with a more private garden. We've loved living at Greenfields and have enjoyed renovating it, but Julian's ready for a new project! 

When we first saw the sales details for the plot on Horsham Road in Cranleigh it already had planning permission for a 2,500 sq ft 4 bedroom Potton designed barn style house. We liked the design but it lacked a garage and we felt better use could be made of the upstairs space. So Julian set about designing our new home on the back of a fag packet (well a notebook actually) on board a plane, heading for Spain. This was to be the first step on the roller coaster journey to fulfil a life time ambition to build his own house.

The design

We decided to retain a number of features from the existing design, to try to give ourselves the best chance of being granted planning permission from Waverley. So the design will use the current footprint, will be one and a half storeys, timber framed and timber clad. We've changed the layout from an H shape to a Z shape and moved all of the bedrooms upstairs.

Original Potton design from sales details

Julian's first sketch

The plans have changed several times since this first attempt

On our return from Sitges we made our first visit to Green Oak Carpentry, an oak frame designer and manufacturer based near Liss, Hampshire. We showed our rudimentary designs to Andrew Holloway, the director and the fact that he didn't laugh in our faces gave us some encouragement. We asked him to give us a price for the oak frame and later commissioned the company's architect to draw up the plans to submit for planning permission.

The rudimentary plans - one step on from the notebook designs

The architect's plans

First floor

Ground floor

North elevation

South elevation

Living - dining area

Master bedroom

So the vision is starting to take shape. There will be (in order of importance, apparently) ...

• a double garage ...
• containing a plant room (for electrical stuff not shrubbery) ....
• and space for wine
• a kitchen looking out onto a patio with bifold doors and ....
• a wine chiller
• an open plan living-dining area with wood burner, vaulted ceiling and
• bifold doors onto a patio, where we will be able to enjoy a glass or two of wine
• a TV room/snug/occasional bedroom
• a utility room and ground floor shower room
• stairs to a first floor walkway with
• master bedroom with juliette balcony, en suite and dressing area
• 3 double bedrooms
• 2 guest/family bathrooms

We're not allowed to have windows that look out onto neighbouring properties. So we're having rooflights and a glazed roof window.

Unfortunately the spiral wine cellar doesn't come in budget and has had to be shelved!

The house has grown to 3,164 sq ft, including the all important double garage.

We've pegged out the footprint - it looks really small !

Milestones along the way to buying the land

10 June, 2016 - completed on our purchase of the land

It's finally started to feel real!

We need to demolish the garages to make way for the new drive and erect a fence to mark the boundary to the existing and new properties.

29 April, 2016 - completed on our sale of Greenfields in Ewhurst

Although we were ready to leave it still felt quite sad, having spent fourteen years here and a lot of time, energy - not to mention money - on getting it how we wanted it. We've realised that this is the longest we've ever lived in a house. Having said that we're excited about being able to take the next step to realising the dream! We hope the Worsfolds will be as happy as we have been here.

We've sold Greenfields, after 14 years here.

A day of mixed emotions

22 April, 2016 - moved into a rented flat in Guildford

It's small but cosy. We're enjoying being able to walk into Guildford for dinner and being able to walk to work is a bonus for Jayne in exam season. However we're paying about the same in rental as we were on the mortgage! Had our first visit from Daniela.

February 2016 - confirmation of our new address from Waverley Borough Council 

It's officially 128a Horsham Road. We're mulling over a few possible house names.....

The Barn?

The Oak Barn?

Oakfield?

Oakleigh?

Little Acorns?

I've got it ........... Haycorns!

November 2015

Jayne's 50th - heading to St Lucia. It's a relaxing holiday - notwithstanding the constant emails in response to the mortgage company's solicitor's never-ending queries.

Autumn 2015

We're re-watching Grand Designs. It's all doom and gloom. Cash flow is king. 

Our self - build mortgage offer is becoming more complicated by the minute. Apparently our choice of timber frame, SIPS panels and timber cladding is non-standard. There's only one lender willing to offer us a mortgage and they have ever increasing demands!

24 August, 2015 - gained planning permission 

Having had one submission in support and one objecting to our plans we had been hopeful of gaining full permission, but it still came as a huge relief.

Now we need to proceed to discharging the planning conditions. Only 18 of them - should be easy ...!

Vendors have agreed to another offer on the land 

Our planning submission may be in vain.

Summer 2015 - we visited a lot of homebuilding and renovating exhibitions!

29 June, 2015 - the architect submitted our planning application

We face an anxious wait .....