When I had to knock down the walls of our present house and take the roof off you certainly knew it had invaded I’ll

When I had to knock down the walls of our present house, and take the roof off, you certainly knew it had invaded I’ll miss it when it’s gone. Lots of people build homes from self-build kits, but a lot subcontract the work out. I’ve done the whole thing myself: walls, roofing, stairs, the lot And I haven’t taken a year off work Has it changed my life? Yes, but gradually. I expect the house’s value will increase from £110,000 to about £180,000, but that’s irrelevant We’re not moving.It’s just a very big hobby In my opinion this is real DIY. Then there was the double-glazing for the whole lot (which I fitted myself), plus 45 tons of sand and ballast for the cement.I suppose the whole thing will have cost about £27,000 It would have been double that if I’d had builders in. Since I began, I’ve bought 4,000 roofing tiles, a lorry-load of concrete blocks, a lorry-and-a-half of timber, 16 rolled steel joists, and two-and-a-half lorries full of lightweight thermal blocks.

I just love it.I get my stuff from builders’ merchants, Homebase, Wickes, Texas, B&Q. I helped my brother fit an extension on to his house, and put my mother’s kitchen in And I’ve reslated my sister’s house My wife calls me a DIY nut. I’d pick up how things were done and help them with bricks and plumbing.Then I did woodwork at school, and progressed to building scenery for a drama company. I think DIY’s quite artistic like that.It all started when I was about eight. My parents moved to Winchester and we lived on this estate that was only half-built.

I spent all my spare time helping the builders who were still on the estate. When I put the dormer windows in,I simply drove around, found a house that was also having some put in, parked and observed how they did it. I just watch something being done and adapt the technique to my own designs. Oh, and a climbing frame for the kids.
I’ve done it all myself. I’ve got two Reader’s Digest DIY books in case I need specific advice. I sometimes go to the library and read up on techniques, but mostly I find out how things are done by watching other people.