If Bob can build it...

CHRISTINE Eaton- Hennah couldn't believe her luck when she spotted a potential plot on Ham Island in the local property paper early in 1997. She immediately phoned her husband, Charles, to tell him about the 125,000 rundown bungalow.

The couple had wanted to build their own home ever since visiting the National Self Build and Home Improvement Show at Alexandra Palace five years ago. They wanted to make their offer for the Ham Island property subject to obtaining planning permission for a new house on the site.

An initial approach to the planning department of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead indicated that replacing the existing bungalow would not be a problem. However, there would be size restrictions on the replacement house. A conventional chalet bungalow was the planning officer's preferred option, but the Eaton- Hennahs were keen to build a two-storey house.

They looked for an architect who could satisfy the council and meet their own aspirations. "Christine and I wrote a 12-page brief for the project," Charles says. "We weren't trying to design the house ourselves, but merely describe how we lived and how we wanted our house to work."

The Eaton-Hennahs wanted a family home that was light, airy and eco-friendly. They sent the brief to several architects and designers and invited them to visit the site.

In return, they asked for an appreciation of the project and some rough drawings.

Charles and Christine were instantly impressed with the rough sketch produced by Tim Counter of Counter and King, a small firm of architects which has carved a niche in the self-build market with its innovative designs. The plot had an attractive south-west facing aspect at the rear, and Counter's idea was to put the bulk of the windows at the back, overlooking the Thames, while giving privacy at the front (the house is very close to the road).

The final design was a distinctive home with a white-rendered exterior, a porthole window in the front door and a shallow ... so can you. Christine and Charles Eaton-Hennah have proved that doing it yourself is a great way to get the home you want, says Martyn Hocking editor of Build It magazine pitched roof. The roof line was a practical response to the couple's wish to create a twostorey house without exceeding the eave height of the house next door: a problem made more acute by the Environment Agency's insistence that the house be built on stilts to minimise damage in the event of flooding. Counter's solution was an eyecatching zinc roof with a pitch of only seven degrees.

White epoxy render was chosen as an exterior finish for Beco Wallform blockwork: large, lightweight blocks (in this case polystyrene), which lock together to form walls. The hollow blocks are then filled with concrete, building insulation into the fabric of the house while giving excellent soundproofing (important when you live near Heathrow Airport).

Christine and Charles then spent time talking to their future neighbours, local residents' association and local councillor about what they were trying to achieve and what steps they had taken to reduce the impact of the new house on its surroundings. This was greatly assisted by Counter and King's scale model, which helped to win over the parish council in the summer of 1997, allowing the planning application to go forward to the planning committee. The application was finally approved in February 1998.

THE search then began for contractors. Charles and Christine had a build cost of around 80,000 in mind, but as tenders started to come back it was clear that a figure of 100,000-plus would be more realistic. A builder who had worked with Beco blocks in the past was chosen for the job. The initial plan was to employ one main contractor who would also act as project manager.

But the Eaton-Hennahs decided they could handle the project management themselves, and Christine - who discovered she was pregnant at about this time - took on the role after baby James was born in early 1998.

Site clearance got under way in May, with demolition of the old bungalow costing slightly more than 2,000. The trenches for the foundations were dug in June and groundworks completed in July. The Beco blocks arrived: the stack was so big that Charles was able to spot it from several thousand feet up as he flew out of Heathrow on a business trip. One advantage of the block approach, known in the industry as the Permanent Insulated Formwork System (PIFS), is speed: the blocks simply push together like Lego and the concrete can be poured in a matter of hours. By the end of September, all the walls were constructed.

The roof went on in October, creating a waterproof shell before the winter arrived and allowing the plumber and electrician to carry out their first fix in November. The family moved in on the 19th, but the house was not quite ready. "We had a roof, walls, windows, heat, light and running water, but we also had huge polythene sheets covering the outer walls, no internal doors and workmen all around," says Charles. The builders returned in the New Year to finish the job.

The house is packed with innovative systems. Charles is mildly asthmatic and Christine suffers from hay fever, so air quality was important. The couple installed a Villavent heat recovery and ventilation system. Inevitably, the building costs exceeded the initial budget. The total cost was 125,000 (66 per sq ft).

National Self Build Show The National Self Build and Home Improvement Show is at Alexandra Palace, N22, from 13 to 16 September, 10am-5pm; entry at the door is 7.50 (or see ticket offers below). Children under 16 get in free.

Crche and parking is available.

Half-price ticket offers You can book online or by phone and save 3.75 per adult ticket (usual ticket price 7.50 per adult). Call 0115 9129187 or visit www.self-build.co.uk.

Alternatively, cut out the coupon below and take it along to the show.

The Eaton-Hennah's eco-friendly house on Ham Island is a far cry from the rundown bungalow that stood in its place in 1997. Made from polystyrene Beco blocks filled with concrete and with an eyecatching, slightly pitched zinc roof, the innovative family house cost 125,000 to build

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