Selfbuilder_and_Homemaker_-_September_-_October_2019

When you hear first hand some of the tales of woe – the things that can go wrong along the

road for people building their own home, you do wonder how they made it through in one

piece! However, no matter how many build-it-yourself shows you watch, trade shows you visit

or magazines you read, you’ll never find out just what your project has in store until you

embark on it. Every road, and its possible pitfalls, is slightly different.

That’s why our range of case studies in this issue presents not only a useful range of differing

problems to solve in each case, it’s also a different dream in each case. This also means each

one is a rattling good read! Our freelance writers have traversed the country, from North

Yorkshire to the Bristol coast, finding self-builders keen to share not only their triumphs, but

also their minor tragedies.

I visited Sarah and Andy Ball in Derby for this issue, and their house (covered on page 40)

seems a tranquil, white box at first glance, and you’d never guess the challenges they had to

overcome. From two builders disappearing, to having to take over project management half-

way through, to the huge glass sliding door panels being delivered the wrong way round, they

certainly have their share of dinner-table stories.

However, despite the trials, with a bit of knowledge and some grit

and determination, anyone with the resources can succeed at this.

Also, as Sarah and Andy show – and as we have documented in the

series of articles in Selfbuilder + Homemakeron their project that

concludes this issue, it doesn’t need to come at a hefty cost.

JAMES PARKER

NEWS

september/october 2019 http://www.sbhonline.co.uk 3

PUBLISHER
Anthony Parker

MANAGING EDITOR
James Parker

ASSISTANT EDITOR
Roseanne Field

CONTRIBUTORS
Juliet Davies
Heather Dixon
Jayne Dowle
Debbie Jeffery

STUDIO MANAGER
Mikey Pooley

PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS
Georgia Musson
Kimberley Musson

ACCOUNT MANAGERS
Sheehan Edmonds
Paul Field

SALES EXECUTIVES
Nathan Hunt
Steve Smith

PR EXECUTIVES
Suzanne Easter
Kim Friend

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT
MANAGER
Jane Spice

MANAGING DIRECTOR
Simon Reed

PUBLISHED BY

All Rights Reserved

Subscription costs just £18 for 6 issues, including post and packing. Phone 01435 863500 for details. Individual

copies of the publication are available at £3.25 each inc p&p.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,

mechanical, including photocopying, recording or stored in any information retrieval system without the express

prior written consent of the publisher. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of

material published in Selfbuilder & Homemaker, the publisher can accept no responsibility for the claims or

opinions made by contributors, manufacturers or advertisers. Editorial contributors to this journal may have

made a payment towards the reproduction costs of material used to illustrate their products. The manufacturer

of the paper used within our publication is a Chain-of-Custody certified supplier operating within environmental

systems certified to both ISO 14001 and EMAS in order to ensure sustainable production.

Printed in England

ON THE COVER...

© BAUFRITZ (PAGE 24)

Cointronic House,
Station Road, Heathfield
East Sussex, TN21 8DF

ADVERTISING &
ADMINISTRATION
01435 863500
[email protected]
http://www.sbhonline.co.uk

EDITORIAL FEATURES
[email protected]

PRESS RELEASES
[email protected]

SUBSCRIPTION &
CIRCULATION ENQUIRIES
[email protected]

selfbuilder

+homemaker

SEP/OCT 2019

Wellbeing in the

Why a German kit-built house was the ideal prescriptionWest Countryfor a couple near Bristol focused on healthy living

selfbuilder

+homemaker

The final chapter of Sarah andFinishing with style

Andy Ball’s self-build storyconcludes in Derby

Why a couple decided to buildtheir dream barn conversionFamily ties

next to their in-laws

(^6) GLAZED DOOR
PROS & CONSOur expert looks at why you’d pickbi-fold doors over lift and slide,
depending on your needs
PLANNING | FINANCE | DESIGN | CONSTRUCTION | PRODUCTS | INTERIORS
FROM THE EDITOR...
THE NATIONAL SELF BUILD &
RENOVATION SHOW
18 - 20 OCTOBER, SWINDON
http://www.nsbrc.co.uk
SCOTTISH HOMEBUILDING &
RENOVATING SHOW
19 - 20 OCTOBER, EDINBURGH
edinburgh.homebuildingshow.co.uk
ENERGY EFFICIENCY & THE DESIGN
PROCESS EXPLAINED
1 NOVEMBER, ST NEOTS
http://www.potton.co.uk/courses
RETROFIT ECO SOLUTIONS
WORKSHOP
9 NOVEMBER, SWINDON
http://www.nsbrc.co.uk/eco-workshops
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY...