Hidden gem

First-time self-builders James and Carole Boon have made the most of a tiny infill plot in Derbyshire — building a lightfilled and energy-efficient home on a modest budget

- Alison Wall

HOMEOWNERS James and Carole Boon

LOCATION Derbyshire

BUILD TIME 12 months

CONSTRUCTION Blockwork inner skin, insulated cavity, with stone and timber cladding outer skin

SIZE 100m2

PLOT COST £60,000 (March 2015)

BUILD COST £160,000

When building your first self-build, the chances are you’ll want to manage costs carefully, especially if you aren’t sure if it will be your forever home or not. But that shouldn’t stop you creating an energy efficient home with good design at its heart, as architect James Boon and his wife Carole, an ecologist, discovered when they took on their own project. Their journey started when, with just £150,000 in their pockets for the build, they found a tiny infill plot on the edge of the Peak District for £60,000, with planning permission already in place for a contemporary home.

MODERN AGRICULTURAL

Working to a tight budget to make the most of a tight site was integral to James’s design. He’s created what he describes as a modern agricultural feel on the exterior with a soft industrial vibe inside. It follows the original proposed footprint, but the floorplan has been flipped, with the bedrooms on the ground floor and the living spaces above. Stained timber and stone clad the exterior, while fibre cement tiles cover the roof, replacing the more expensive zinc cladding of the earlier design.