Melanie Pigott and her husband Darren, along with their two teenage daughters, have embarked on self-build to not just accommodate them and a labradoodle named Bailey, but a veritable menagerie of other animals

Our story has been quite an emotional journey, and originally, designing our own place was not on our agenda.

We were living in my parent’s house in south east England which we had moved into after their passing. It had been our beautiful family home for 50 years – so leaving was always going to be a huge wrench for me. But as the property couldn’t entertain having ponies ‘in-livery,’ which our girls desperately wanted, we began searching for a home literally anywhere that could accommodate it.

On one beautiful summer’s day in June 2020, Darren had arranged for us to view a bungalow with eight and a half acres in Gloucestershire. With plenty of bribery, we all travelled together – without any complaints from the back of the car!

Travelling up a quiet lane with sheep grazing, and passing a couple of farms, we finally drove through the entrance gate of the plot. As we parked on the drive, a sense of tranquillity crept over us. The bungalow was a prefabricated building with a brick kitchen extension. It nestled in the middle of hedging and shrubs, and was very secluded. It was very run-down, but it was the view that commanded our attention. Being slightly elevated you can see the sprawling Malvern Hills to the left, and to the right Bredon Hill and the Cotswolds. There was a barn of a fair size, where a huge stallion, a mare and her foal were in residence. Several other horses grazed lazily in the paddocks. 

We drank it all in, and before we knew it, it was 3 pm we hadn’t eaten – the vendor kindly said we could have our picnic in the garden which we did, sitting next to the roses. This was not an ordinary viewing – it was like an afternoon outing and we were all seduced by the place! In fact, we spent over four hours there. 

To cut to the chase, we moved to the area staying in holiday accommodation while we waited to complete the sale of the bungalow. The first week we slept in a tent while the bathroom was ripped out and renewed with a new hot water system. Darren and I showered with a hosepipe (we have no neighbours) but the girls refused and roughed it for a few days. Once in and settled we concentrated on getting our animals – two ponies which quickly became four, two kittens, five orphaned lambs, all to be bottle fed and plenty of chickens. The vendor with whom we have stayed in contact was tickled to see us sorting our animals out before ourselves!

While we considered adding an extension, the architects after visiting the site suggested building a new house instead, as it would be more energy efficient, low maintenance, and eco-friendly. Moreover, we could reside in the bungalow during construction. At this stage, I made the decision to project manage the build.

After researching the local area for a common architectural theme, I started sketching out a design and layout that suited our living requirements. Paying particular importance to materials – clay roof tiles, cladding from Cape Cod, contrasting larch, plenty of glass and dormer windows, I chose things that would help it nestle comfortably into its setting. Planning seemed pleased with the overall look and feel of the house, but on a site visit, I was told it was too large. With just 10 days to shrink the design, remove the study (Darren works from home) and get the plans back in on the original planning application – it was passed immediately. 

The house is to have a large kitchen, diner, snug with plenty of glass to enjoy the views and a veranda where we could sit in all weathers. As speed was the essence with two girls fast growing up I decided a timber frame would be the way to go, which Taylor Lane in Hereford erected in just five days. 

To jump forward to provide you with the latest update on the project, the plastering phase, which involved extensive work such as insulation, soundproofing, and thermal vapour installation, is now nearing completion. We’re looking forward to wrapping up this lengthy process soon! In terms of our kitchen, we have engaged a company that will be providing bespoke hand built furniture, and are currently deciding on the appliances.

Melanie Pigott