21 Feb 2023

The Self-Build Diaries: Kevin Keane and Shawna Sherlock

Following in the footsteps of their siblings, Kevin Keane and Shawna Sherlock jumped at the opportunity of building their own home when a family member’s plot of land became available. Here, Shawna talks to i-Build’s Editor, Rebecca Kemp, about how the County Meath-based pair made their dreams of self building a reality.

Gallery

thumbnail image thumbnail image thumbnail image thumbnail image thumbnail image thumbnail image thumbnail image thumbnail image thumbnail image thumbnail image thumbnail image thumbnail image thumbnail image thumbnail image

RK: What inspired you to embark on your own project rather than buying?
SS: I think what really inspired us was our family members. On Kevin’s side, three of his sisters were in the process of building their own house. On my side, my brother was only a few months ahead of us in his journey.

Having seen their designs and heard how much they loved the process and the outcomes, we were really influenced by that, and we always wanted to have an input into the design of our house. Also, staying close to my parents and granny was something we wanted, so building locally was always the plan.

RK: What was the vision and inspiration behind your new home?
SS: The vision and inspiration behind the house were of a modern look with a minimalist feel. We had always loved watching home shows on TV, such as Dermot Bannon or Home of the Year, and became fond of that modern look. From seeing family members who had incorporated stone in their build, we knew we wanted something similar outside, such as a slate stone for our single-storey block.

RK: How did you approach finalising your design brief?
SS: It was pretty easy, we knew what we wanted, and we had outlined this to our architect before the initial design was created. Once he mocked up the first draft, nothing major changed after that.

RK: Did your project need to cater for any special requirements?
SS: The project didn’t have any out-of-the-ordinary requirements. Outside of the stone cladding and high ceiling in the kitchen, everything else was pretty standard. Outside, we knew we wanted imprinted concrete for our patio area, but that’s becoming more common.

RK: How and why did you choose this plot?
SS: We purchased the plot from my uncle. We both work in the surrounding areas, so it was ideal in that aspect. Once it became available, it was always something we were going to pursue.

RK: How long did it take to gain planning permission?
SS: For us, it took about three months. We didn’t have any issues, to be honest, and the process was relatively smooth. I think we were pretty lucky in the end.

RK: Were there any challenging aspects to the project and build?
SS: There weren’t that many challenges with the build. We had a great time with our architect and contractor, and they both did an incredible job on the house. They were so helpful and went above and beyond for us. There were some delays with materials, but it all came together in the end. Some decisions on tiles, bathrooms, kitchen etc., took longer to pick than we anticipated. There’s so much choice out there; it can be overwhelming. Most of the time, we kept coming back to our local tile shops!

RK: Did you project manage the build yourself?
SS: No, we had a builder. He was fantastic at managing the build. He was very experienced, and he also built my brother’s house. It was reassuring to know we were in good hands.

RK: Tell us more about the architect you worked with.
SS: He helped us from start to finish. We loved his designs and method. We had seen his work and knew his style was in keeping with what we wanted.

RK: How did you approach material and product specification?
SS: We asked friends and family who built before us loads of questions. My brother was just a year ahead of us with his build, so we mainly followed his recommendations for materials. We also went to self-build shows to get some inspiration and an understanding of products, such as heat pumps.

RK: Tell us more about the renewable systems you’ve used.
SS: We have an air-to-water heat pump system, which we find fantastic. We hope to install some solar panels in the future.

RK: How does the property respond to passive house principles?
SS: We have high-quality insulation and heat recovery ventilation. Also, we have triple-glazed windows, and the house is airtight. We have an A2-rated home.

RK: How long did the project take?
SS: The project took three years, including planning our design. The build took one year, in the end. I think we were a couple of months over but that was fine. There was always going to be a delay somewhere.

RK: Did you remain within the original budget?
SS: We did run over our budget on minor things like electrics, VELUX windows, and an attic redesign contributed to that. Thinking back, it was manageable, and we wouldn’t change it.

RK: What’s the finished space like?
SS: The interior is spacious, especially in the kitchen/living area with the vaulted ceiling. The large windows bring in light and brightness to the space. The corner window with the sliding door allows the interior space to extend outside to the patio area. The house contains four bedrooms; three upstairs and a guest bedroom downstairs.

The exterior of the house is broken up into two blocks; one two-storey, render-finished living block and the other a one-storey block finished in a Donegal slate cladding. These two are connected with a flat roof finished with zinc cladding. The spacious garage is at the rear of the house.

RK: How does the property respond to its surrounding landscape?
SS: It is in keeping with the surrounding areas, and the stone cladding finish to the single-storey block, along with natural slates, gives it an old cottage style.

RK: Is the final property everything that you hoped it would be?
SS: Yes, the house is everything we could have hoped for and more. It’s very rewarding to have our own space we can call home. We look back at how quickly the build came together after two years of planning and preparing every project detail.

RK: What’s your favourite thing about your new home?
SS: Our favourite part of our home is the kitchen. We are both big foodies, and we love cooking together in the kitchen and entertaining family and friends.

RK: Is there anything that you would have done differently?
SS: One thing we would have done differently is to enjoy the journey of the build more. We tried to be organised but sometimes found we got stressed over the small things. Still, it all works out in the end.

RK: Would you do the whole thing again?
SS: We enjoyed the project, and we learned so much along the way, but we were happy to move into our home at last. Building a house is a big undertaking and isn’t for the faint hearted. We are confident to say that we have built our forever home, and we don’t plan on building again.

RK: What advice would you offer to anyone looking to self-build?
SS: Do your research, find out what style of house you like and work off that. We visited lots of new builds and spoke to friends and family. Once you have your vision, stick to it and put your own stamp on it. There is so much advice out there, and everyone is happy to help you.

Further information....

Rate this item
(0 votes)
Login to post comments