When Pru and Richard Irvine came across a plot of land in the middle of the breathtakingly beautiful Midlothian countryside, they dreamt of building a bespoke family home.
However, the plot of land, an old industrial site complete with lime kilns, comes with a condition. They can build on it only if they become custodians of the kilns and, more importantly, that the house they build blends in with the landscape.
It's a huge challenge and Pru and Richard want to build an uncompromisingly modern and, moreover, large box of a house. It could become a blot on the landscape instead of an enhancement. Pru and Richard sensibly plan to start building in the summer but, because it is an industrial site, are forced to do numerous soil tests. The build is delayed until the harsh Scottish winter.
With Richard grafting hard to pay for the build it's down to Pru, a food writer, to project manage. Naively she doesn't consider this a full time job, but when her trusty builder goes away and she is left to manage alone she starts to realise just what she's let herself in for. This giant of a house is a giant of a project. Until it's complete nobody is quite sure whether it will fulfill its brief.
Despite a few setbacks meaning that they had to build through the Scottish winter, they only finished a couple of months behind schedule.
As the plot had been the site of a lime factory, Richard and Pru needed to provide proof that no contaminants were present - so before they could even start on the built they had to rewrite their environmental report and spend £5,000 on a series of soil tests.
One of the biggest expenses was the windows, which cost around £40,000. The sedum roof, essential to help the building fit with its surroundings, cost £25,000.
By the time all the costs were in, the project was about £50,000 over budget, so Pru and Richard took the decision to build the top half in timber rather than continue with the masonry and planned concrete floor.
The staircase, commissioned by Richard, appears to float almost unsupported. It's an important feature in the glass atrium that also houses Pru's indoor garden. Here she can grow exotic plants that wouldn't survive outdoors.
Along with a guest suite and the utility rooms, the upstairs houses Pru's all-important and enormous kitchen and dining area. As Pru is a food writer, this open plan space is crucial to the success of the building.
Next door there is a living room complete with glass cube to give views onto the magnificent old lime kilns.
Clever design helps lessen the house's impact on its surrounding despite its monolithic size. By building into a slope, from one side the house appears to be single storey. The larch cladding will silver over time and help it merge into the surrounding landscape. A sedum roof will also soften the structure's hard edges.
The south facing wall will be largely glass to take advantage of the breathtaking views.
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Want to be a self-build guru? Then read on....
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