the site as first ever viewed, what little you could see of it was trash and trees.

The site as first ever viewed

the site now cleared of the window high scrub and skipfuls of stinking waste.

The site now cleared of the window high scrub

200 tons of soil later i could certainly dig, but still to clear old sewer and re-route the illegal one previously completely hidden.

200 tons of soil later I could certainly dig

lowering the site to help the ‘bed in garden’ feel, to expose the sewer and to give us headroom.

Lowering the site to help the ‘bed in garden’ feel

0600 - our 2nd concrete pour due in 2 hours; 1st one was a disaster.

0600 - our 2nd concrete pour due

0730 - friends all grafting away, nearly all rebar in place and 12 tons of concrete due shortly.

0730 - friends all grafting away

some of the smaller beams going in with just a few of the many friends prepared to help.

Some of the smaller beams going in

beam laying the egyptian way, amazing co-ordniation over mud, banks and bits of board.

Beam laying the Egyptian way

site pretty much ready to lay all the floor beams.

Site pretty much ready

main floor ready on the morning of it's concrete pour.

Main floor ready

olly and i filling the re-inforced walls before the frst small floor pour.

Olly and I filling the re-inforced walls

structure well under way.

Structure well under way

claire making cereal model to help explain the structure to the team.

Claire making cereal model

cladding goes on to the structure to both seal and make rigid.

Cladding goes on to the structure

confirming our curved laminate design and manufacture was going to work.

Confirming our curved laminate design

ben making up studio front glazed wall strucure in fully fireproof conditions in case his welding sparks strayed.

Ben making up studio front glazed wall strucure

studio front glazed wall; lightweight struture supported on 2 columns to allow movement underground from tree roots.

Studio front glazed wall

chris and abdul inside the main space as structure is largely finished.

Chris and Abdul inside the main space

claire paints the loo, made from a £2 'recycled' pan and old hoarding ply.

Claire paints the loo

our first ever night in the house, on the floor of the front mezzanine pod.

Our first ever night in the house

the morning after an interim party - lights all 'hotwired' and only 1 tap works; but it looked great on grand designs.

The morning after an interim party

trying to get the house to actually 'work' after the grand designs team had filmed their last show.

Trying to get the house to actually 'work'

view into master bedroom from the garden.

View into master bedroom

front mezzanine pod room window open and looking back into park over sliding rooflight.

Front mezzanine pod room window open

the studio front as the willows start to grow; front door to left and side to right.

The studio front

rooflight hole from above.

Rooflight hole from above

main room from entrance with view through to garden, yet to be planted.

Main room from entrance

the twisting side wall to studio hinting at the taught material of a yacht spinaker.

The twisting side wall to studio

view from rear mezzanine desk over garden and park.

View from rear mezzanine desk

view ino the garden from the master bedroom.

View ino the garden from the master bedroom

view into master bedroom from main space.

View into master bedroom

view of the house from the park.

View of the house

studio doors flung wide to show some angles and the sycamore floor made from the tree felled on site.

Studio doors flung wide

the flush fitting shower head is also a light and never noticed.

The flush fitting shower head

in the small shower room space is maximised by very clean lines, mirrors and the basin in a drawer.

In the small shower room space

the blade flame fireplace giving the illusion of a fire in the wooden surface.

The blade flame fireplace

shelving in main space.

Shelving in main space

lightweight panelled front studio wall to act as back drop to hedge struture as per the planning condition.

Lightweight panelled front studio wall

bed slides away to reveal space saving spa bath.

Bed slides away

kitchen counter with new york beyond.

Kitchen counter

kitchen sloped wall pull out cupboards.

Kitchen sloped wall

main room looking east and nearly complete.

Main room looking east

main space looking back at kitchen and front entrance.

Main space looking back

main space viewed from original position of sycamore next to oven.

Main space viewed from original position

main space viewed through roof hole.

Main space viewed through roof hole