O
ver the past couple of years we have
tracked the progress of the Balls’
contemporary Derby self-build in
Selfbuilder + Homemaker, and it has been a
rollercoaster to say the least. Being let down by
not one but two builders, they ended up
spending four Christmases living onsite before
they even got to start their forever home, a real
test of character.
The story starts back in 2013, when Sarah and
Andy moved into the house they were to
demolish on the 13 metre x 30 metre plot, which
backs onto a hilly park in the suburb of Allestree.
They lost their original builder when the firm ran
into trouble, and in early 2017 with their design
approved and ready to go, they found out there
would be a 40-week delay due to other jobs.
When they finally demolished in January 2018 and
moved into a bungalow, the ‘Beast from the East’
meant they didn’t actually get to start building
until April. It’s testimony to the couple’s fortitude
that they didn’t lose heart completely.
Their experience working in the construction
industry (marketing in Sarah’s case, commercial
roofing in Andy’s), and doing previous
refurbishments meant they knew how things can
go awry. While a new build was the goal, they
pragmatically began to look at the options,
such as refurbishing, or project managing a new
build themselves.
Sarah and Andy’s only fixed goal was creating
the right kind of space for them and visiting family
and friends, as well as strong energy-efficiency
credentials, but they also wanted a very
contemporary look. The design, done by architect
Daniel Evans from Matthew Montague Architects
was for a “crisp white box,” in Sarah’s words – flat-
roofed like the smaller L-shaped building it
replaced, but with a far better use of its site. Sarah
says there haven’t been any issues with
neighbours complaining: “They’ve been lovely,
nobody’s really batted an eyelid.”
The site was ideal – the old village and shops
being nearby, but not being subject to the strict
planning rules there which would make a
modernist flat-roofed house tricky. Sarah says:
“There’s a variety of styles here, from Victorian to
a dutch barn, to chalet-style, and a large white-
rendered house which we’ve given a nod to.”Andy and Sarah have a big family – Andy has
five brothers. “We wanted a house where we
could throw a party – if we do, there’s often
more than 30 people”. They wanted an
entertaining space that could accommodate
such a gathering, rather than being split across
different rooms.
The house is of brick and block construction. It
has very thick external walls, packed with
insulation, and Andy took a painstaking
approach to filling all gaps with extra expandingThe end result of Sarah and Andy Ball’s somewhat gruelling self-build saga is
a sleek, modern ‘forever’ home in Derby, with wide-open views of landscape
plus space, comfort and sustainability
TEXT JAMES PARKER
A SUSTAINED EFFORT
CASE STUDY
LOW POINT
Sarah and Andy’s
only xed goal was
creating the right
kind of space for
them and visiting
family and friends,
as well as strong
energy-ef ciency
credentials
“In the original plan, there
was a glass roof above
the guest ensuite. We
just couldn’t make it work,
so we had to rethink it.
Any redesign costs a
fortune – it’s galling that
it cost so much extra
money for removing a
design feature.”- Sarah Ball
40www.sbhonline.co.uk september/october 2019